Friday, December 14, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Dan Chiado

Olson Communications, 312.280.4573

danc@olsoncom.com

Divine Providence

Top Providence, Rhode Island, chefs reveal why dining in their city rivals that of any other destination in America: familiarity with their customers? habits and wants coupled with dedication to delivering an extraordinary experience, as conveyed in 2007?s third Culinary Visions Panel? report.

CHICAGO, Illinois ? Continuing its dialog with the best chefs in America, Olson Communications learned how some of Providence, Rhode Island?s hottest restaurants strive to meet and exceed the expectations of a highly discerning clientele.

In Olson?s latest Culinary Visions Panel? report, five Providence chefs describe satisfying diner demands in one of the most discriminating markets in America. The city that?s home to Johnson & Wales University ? one of the largest culinary schools in the world ? caters to diners who are loyal to their restaurants, but who also force chefs to meet exacting standards, notes Sharon Olson, president of Olson Communications and publisher of Culinary Visions Panel? report.

?Among major U.S. cities, Providence stands out for the relationships that exist between chefs and their customers,? Olson says. ?Because diners are accustomed to enjoying the best that restaurants have to offer, chefs in Providence ? more evident here than in most markets ? strive to create an unparalleled experience with every dining occasion.?

Adds Olson, while competition certainly exists among restaurants in Providence (and between independents and encroaching chains), the dining-out culture in the smallest state?s largest city cultivates a spirit of support and camaraderie among chefs that reflects Providence?s image of infusive hospitality.

Taking part in this Culinary Visions Panel? report were John Elkhay, ?maestro? of Chow Fun Food Group, which owns and operates 10 Prime Steak & Sushi, Chinese Laundry, Citron Wine Bar & Bistro and XO Steak House; Matthew Gennuso, chef/owner of Chez Pascal; Nicholas (Nick) Rabar, corporate executive chef of Chow Fun Food Group; Champe Speidel, chef/owner of Persimmon within the Providence metro area; and Derek Wagner, chef/owner of Nick?s on Broadway.

While Culinary Visions Panel? solicited chefs? views on a breadth of subjects addressing cuisine and diner demand, shared insights identified several menu directions exerting the greatest influence in Providence right now. They include:

Keen interest in quality protein. Providence chefs are sourcing all-natural beef, poultry and pork from boutique farms around the country and fresh-caught seafood from pristine waters off both coasts and Hawaii. Kobe and Wagyu are not foreign terms to Providence diners, and heritage breeds of pork are coming back in a big way. What?s more, diners don?t balk at the higher price tags of such items because they?re willing to pay for quality.

Looking food trends squarely in the eye. Chefs in Providence will consider anything new, but just because it?s a hit in New York or Boston doesn?t mean it will play here. Providence chefs know their customers by name, and they also know it?s the risotto or calamari that guests want ? not savory desserts or foods ?cooked? on an antigriddle. As veteran Providence chef and restaurateur John Elkhay of Chow Fun Food Group says, ?Providence chefs don?t reinvent food, they merely update it.?

Wholesome, natural flavors. ?Keep it simple and straightforward? is every Providence chef?s mantra. And the best way to push flavor forward is to begin with the highest quality available. Chefs watch the calendar closely to capitalize on short growing and harvesting seasons, and they don?t embellish plates with myriad ingredients and add-on flavors. Rather, Providence chefs promote the natural goodness of foods.

More of the chefs? observations, as well as their evaluations of emerging trends in dining, are available through the attached report of the Culinary Visions Panel?, a signature service of Olson Communications.

This was the third of three roundtable discussions with leading chefs executed for 2007 of the Culinary Visions Panel. Studies to date have embraced Chicago, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Napa, Calif., and Las Vegas. A new slate of Culinary Visions Panels? is scheduled for 2008.

Olson Communications specializes in developing innovative communication strategy exclusively for the food industry. For more information on Olson Communications? portfolio of services, contact Sharon Olson at 312.280.4573 or sharono@olsoncom.com.

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