The Newport Winter Festival Chili Cook-Off has been a crowd-pleaser for decades. The friendly competition decided by attendees pits professional chefs against some who aren’t in the spotlight, such as firehouse cooks. The Newport Fire Department, the event’s defending champions, will be challenged this year by Pour Judgement, Newport Harbor Island Resort, Quencher, Skiff Bar, Search Kitchen and Catering, The Helmway, the Saltwater restaurant at Newport Harbor Hotel, Sea & Smoke Wood Fired Catering/Slate Hill Cattle Co., Stoneacre Brassiere, and The Reef. The 28th annual cook-off will be held at the Newport Marriott from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 15.
The festival, which will be held from Feb. 14-23, is a homegrown production put on by Marketing & Events Inc. of Newport, whose founder, David Rosenberg, has 35 years of experience with trade shows and special events. Brittany Rosenberg Costa produces the festival, which has received the Governor’s State Tourism Award, among other honors.
This year, Cabot Creamery of Vermont is supporting the cook-off by sponsoring our live radio broadcast and furnishing one of the prizes awarded to the winning team. In addition, Cabot is offering each team up to 20 pounds of shredded cheese to be used as an ingredient or a garnish.
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CHILI CHAMPIONS: The 28th annual Newport Winter Festival Chili Cook-Off will be held at the Newport Marriott on Feb. 15. Pictured are members of the Newport Fire Department, 2024 cook-off winner.
COURTESY NEWPORT WINTER FESTIVAL[/caption]
The Jacques Pépin Foundation in late January proudly awarded one of its winter 2025 grants to Farm Fresh Rhode Island. One of 16 recipients this round, the nonprofit’s mission is to grow a sustainable food ecosystem for both the farmers and eaters in the region. Its Harvest Kitchen culinary job training program offers support for youths ages 16-19 involved with the R.I. Department of Children, Youth and Families. The program has been training students since 2011.
In addition to hands-on culinary skill building, Harvest Kitchen trainees also process local produce from farms into a value-added product line of frozen and jarred goods, strengthening the local food system while empowering at-risk and under-resourced youths.
In addition to the $10,000 grant, Farm Fresh will receive Jacques Pépin Foundation-branded aprons for its students and a group membership to the foundation.
Chef Sean Kontos, Harvest Kitchen program director, said in an interview that students who have graduated from the program have gone on to work at some nicer restaurants in the Providence area.
“A lot of our students come in seeing it as a kind of an entry point to a job,” Kontos said.
“We work in a lot of basic culinary skills, some soft skills for life and just kind of help them,” said Natalie Varrallo, director of Farm Fresh Rhode Island.
In 2019, the Jacques Pépin Foundation became a grant-making organization, and in the last five years it has given more than $1.6 million to over 70 different nonprofit, community-based culinary arts training programs that offer life skills and culinary training to individuals with barriers to employment.
“Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s Harvest Kitchen program, which happens to be in the JPF’s neighborhood, provides mentorship for youths and hands-on experience in food preparation, food safety and service,” said Rollie Wesen, executive director of the Jacques Pépin Foundation. “Over 260 youths have participated in the 20-week program, which includes a 15-week curriculum of farm visits, kitchen safety, nutrition and cooking essentials, followed by a five-week paid internship. Trainees work to create items like pickles and applesauce from local Rhode Island farms and get hands-on retail experience in the Local Foods Cafe in downtown Pawtucket. We’re proud to support this impactful program in our local community and its commitment to improving lives and strengthening the food system.”
“Dining Out With Bruce Newbury,” syndicated weekly on radio, is heard in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont and Indiana. Contact Bruce at bruce@brucenewbury.com.
