Latest news with #Johnson&WalesUniversity
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
James Beard winners to TV stars: Do you know all the celeb chefs that studied at JWU?
Johnson & Wales University has long been acknowledged for contributing to the local culinary scene by educating many chefs who lead Providence's best restaurants. You need look no further than the James Beard Foundation list of semifinalists and finalists for 2025. They include Ben Sukle (Oberlin and Gift Horse), Derek Wagner (Nicks on Broadway), Nikhil Naiker (Nimki) and Champe Speidel (Persimmon), all have JWU degrees, as does Cassie Piuma, for her Sarma in Somerville, Massachusetts. But do you know how many celebrity chefs began their careers after their JWU education? There's Sean Brock (2000), most recently the featured chef in the sixth season of Netflix's "Chef's Table." He's a James Beard Award-winning chef for McCrady's and Husk in Charleston, South Carolina. He was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Culinary Host category for PBS's "The Mind of a Chef," produced by Anthony Bourdain. You can book a culinary travel tour to Ghana with chef Eric Adjepong (2010). But you might also remember seeing him as a finalist on "Top Chef" season 16 and multiple other shows on the Food Network. He hosted the 2023 James Beard Awards and just opened Elmina restaurant in Washington, D.C. Michelle Bernstein (1994) also studied at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. But she chose food and was named a James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: South for Michy's. She was on the Food Network series "Melting Pot." There's Graham Elliot (1997), who many recognize as a contestant on "Iron Chef" and "Top Chef Masters" and as a judge with Gordon Ramsay on the American "Master Chef" and "MasterChef Junior." He's also a three-time James Beard nominee as a chef. Other celebrity chefs with JWU roots include: Mark Ladner (1990), Tyler Florence (1994), David Kinch (1981), Adrianne Calvo (1904), Scott Liebfried (1993), Beau MacMillan (1991), Chris Santos (1993), Eric Haugen (2007), Houston Striggow (1979), Jordan Pilarski (2016), Chris Viaud (2012), Charlie Ayers (1990), Andy Husbands (1992) and Aaron Sanchez (attended 1996). Here are the most notable celeb chefs with special ties to Rhode Island and JWU. Not only a native son, the pride of Fall River, Massachusetts, Emeril Lagasse (1978) is among the deans of celebrity chefs. He's recognized with one name, just like Beyoncé and Gaga. He was the talent that launched the TV Food Network in 1993. Shows like "How to Boil Water," "Essence of Emeril" and "Emeril Live" transformed the way people looked at food and cooking. Bam! became his signature. He's also a restaurateur, opening and running many restaurants across the country as part of his Emeril Group. Most recently, he opened 34 Restaurant and Bar, his first Portuguese concept in New Orleans. He won a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 1991. He's written many cookbooks. He even had a short-lived NBC sitcom, "Emeril," in 2001. Little-known fact: He was a musician and turned down a scholarship to the New England Conservatory of Music to attend JWU. Rhode Island's own Chris Cosentino (1994) has made his name on the West Coast as a restaurateur and as a celebrity chef. He had James Beard noms for his food at Incanto in San Francisco, known as a nose-to-tail restaurant (utilizing all edible parts of the animal instead of just the high-value cuts). He's opened other restaurants, including Cockscomb and Boccalone in San Francisco. He's working on a new project with flavors of Maui. His television credits include winning "Top Chef Masters" in 2012 and competing on "Iron Chef America." He has hosted, judged and competed in other shows, including "Next Iron Chef," "Guy's Grocery Games," "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," "Tournament of Champions" and "Chefs vs. City." The Portsmouth native collaborated on AfterShift, a limited-release nonalcoholic IPA from Athletic Brewing. The can features images taken from the chef's tattoos, which include spatulas, forks and knives. You might not know that Cosentino is a philanthropist, having earned more than $140,000 for The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Lorena Garcia (2000) is a Venezuelan chef and restaurateur based in Miami. Her Chica, billed as a celebration of culture and flavor, has locations in Las Vegas and Miami. Her Lorena Garcia Tapas y Cocina serves hungry travelers at the Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta airports. Garcia opened her first restaurant, Food Café, in 2002, two years after graduating from JWU. She is also a celebrity chef who has appeared on multiple television shows, including "Top Chef" and "Top Chef Masters." She's also appeared on a number of shows on Telemundo and Univision. Garcia is an activist on behalf of children. In April, she signed a letter with other chefs asking Congress to protect funding for food assistance. She has her own nonprofit organization aimed at combating childhood obesity, 'Big Chef, Little Chef.' Little-known fact: She is on JWU's board of trustees. Esquire wrote that Michelin-starred chef Jamal 'James' Kent (2002) was on the verge of building a culinary empire when he died suddenly of a heart attack on June 15, 2024. The national magazine wrote "what the restaurant world really lost was one of its greatest mentors and champions." He was 45. He had won the prestigious competition Bocuse d'Or USA in 2010, and opened restaurants under his Saga Hospitality Group, now the Kent Hospitality Group, including Saga, Crown Shy and Overstory. JWU profiled the chef in 2019, noting his mentorship of Danny Garcia (2014). Garcia is making a name of his own, having won Season 21 of "Top Chef" in 2024 and taking over the role as executive chef of the Kent Hospitality Group. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: JWU grads include Emeril, Lorena, Cosentino, celeb chef is long
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Who's who at the podium at commencement this year?
Commencement speakers include clockwise from top row, left: Princess Sirleaf Bomba; Charlie Baker; Martha Wofford; Cole Brauer; Cody Keenan; Judge Clifton B. Newman; Greg Cook (top); George Nee (bottom); David Beirne (top); Judge Frank Caprio (bottom); Rose B. Simpson. (Contributed photos) It's cap-and-gown season again, as the Class of 2025 across Rhode Island's many institutions of higher education prepare to walk the stage and receive a shiny new degree. This year, graduates will be sent off into the world by notable folks from the spheres of business, law, sports, the arts, politics and health care. Here's a look at who will offer wisdom to this year's graduates: Johnson & Wales University: Greg Cook The school known for its culinary program kicks off graduation season with morning and afternoon ceremonies on Saturday, May 3, first for graduate students and then for undergraduates. Greg Cook, who leads the university's own Ecolab Center for Culinary Science, will deliver the keynote speeches at both ceremonies, and receive an honorary degree at the undergraduate ceremony. The graduate ceremony takes place at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, with doors opening at 9 a.m. The undergraduate ceremony follows at 1 p.m. New England Institute of Technology: Charlie Baker The former governor of Massachusetts, now head of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Baker will address students during the school's commencement festivities on Sunday, May 4, at 11 a.m. at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence. Rhode Island College: George Nee (undergraduate) and Princess Sirleaf Bomba (graduate) The undergraduate ceremony happens Saturday, May 17, at 10 a.m. at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, with a keynote address by George Nee, a RIC graduate and longtime labor organizer who led the Rhode Island AFL-CIO from 2009 until his retirement in 2024. The graduate ceremony takes place on Thursday, May 15, at 5:30 p.m. at the Murray Center on its Providence campus. Princess Sirleaf Bomba, director of equity, community & belonging at The Wheeler School in Providence, plus a two-time RIC alum — will deliver the address. University of Rhode Island: Steven Feinberg (honorary degree recipient) Graduation ceremonies run from May 15 through May 19, with commencement ceremonies mostly happening on Friday through Sunday, one for each of URI's eight schools: nursing, arts and sciences, health sciences, education, environment and life sciences, business, pharmacy and engineering. Ceremonies take place in the Ryan Center on the University's Kingston campus. A full schedule of events can be found on the URI website. Nine student speakers will give the keynote addresses in their respective schools of study. The College of the Environment and Life Sciences and the Graduate School of Oceanography will hold a joint event with two student speakers. The university will also award an honorary degree to Steven Feinberg, executive director of the Rhode Island Film and Television Office, during the Friday, May 16, College of Arts and Sciences 2 p.m. ceremony. Just don't expect a long speech from Feinberg: 'He may say a few words but the focus is on the student speakers,' said URI spokesperson Dawn Bergantino in an email. Roger Williams University: Cole Brauer and Judge Clifton B. Newman (Law School) Cole Brauer, the first American woman to race solo nonstop around the world, will address the Class of 2025 and receive an honorary degree at the RWU Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 16, on the main athletic field. The processional steps off at 8:30 a.m. with the ceremony beginning at 9. The Honorable Clifton B. Newman, retired judge from the South Carolina Circuit Court, who presided over several high-profile capital cases, is the keynote speaker at the 11:30 a.m. School of Law ceremony. Bryant University: David Beirne (undergraduate) and Martha Wofford (graduate) David Beirne, a 1985 graduate of Bryant and co-founder of X10 Capital, a private equity fund focused on the sports industry, will address undergraduate students at the 10 a.m. ceremony on Saturday, May 17, on the Smithfield campus. Graduate students will hear from Martha L. Wofford, president and CEO of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, and also a Bryan alum at their ceremony on Thursday, May 15, at 5 p.m. on the campus. Salve Regina University: Cody Keenan Cody Keenan should be well-prepared to deliver a graduation speech, since he served as director of speechwriting for former president Barack Obama for 14 years. Keenan will address undergraduates on Sunday, May 18. Ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. Graduate ceremonies take place on Thursday, May 15, at 3 p.m. Both ceremonies are held on Salve's Newport campus. Providence College: Judge Frank Caprio (undergraduate) and Michael Cox (graduate) Providence College's undergraduate ceremony will be held Sunday, May 18, at 11 a.m. at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The speaker is retired Chief Judge Frank Caprio, class of 1958, whose viral court rulings on Caught in Providence earned him a global following — more than 26 million across social platforms, with over 10 billion video views. Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox delivers the commencement address to graduate students at a separate ceremony on Friday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the school's Peterson Recreation Center on its Providence campus. Brown University: Brown's 257th commencement weekend will continue the tradition of emphasizing student voices over outside ones: This year's student orators are Nkéke Harris, a critical Native American and Indigenous studies concentrator and member of the Narragansett Indian Tribe, and Aliza Kopans, a public health concentrator from Arlington, Massachusetts. Both will address their fellow graduates on Sunday, May 25, during a ceremony on the college green that begins around 1:15 p.m. Brown has not publicly announced the recipients of honorary degrees for 2025. Rhode Island School of Design: Rose B. Simpson Rose B. Simpson, a Santa Clara Pueblo sculptor who received her MFA in ceramics from RISD in 2011, returns to her alma mater to deliver the commencement address on Saturday, May 31, at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. Doors open at 8 a.m. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
JWU expands eligibility for free tuition initiative
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Johnson & Wales University (JWU) has expanded its new initiative that offers free tuition to eligible undergraduate students. The JWU Pledge was initially only available to qualifying Rhode Island, North Carolina, Connecticut and Massachusetts students. But it is now also open to students from Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and South Carolina. The scholarship, which goes into effect this fall, covers up to 100% of tuition for students and families with an annual household income of less than $80,000. The initiative will cover at least 60% of tuition for students with a household income that's below $200,000. JWU Chancellor Mim Runey said there has been 'great interest' from prospective students since the scholarship was first announced back in January. Runey said JWU is committed to 'creating pathways to make higher education more affordable, accessible and attainable for students of all means and backgrounds.' To be eligible for the JWU Pledge, students must: Be a resident of Rhode Island, North Carolina, South Carolina, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine Have a high school GPA of 3.2 or higher Complete and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and requisite forms Live on campus Be eligible for a Pell Grant (for those seeking 100% tuition coverage) The JWU Pledge covers tuition only, meaning it does not include lab fees, supplies, books or room and meal plans. Though current students are not eligible to receive the scholarship, JWU explained that it has increased need-based aid significantly over the past few years. LEARN MORE: The JWU Pledge Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
26-03-2025
- Boston Globe
Providence Place is getting rid of mallrats. Make way for the tumbleweeds.
The kids also aren't allowed to be alone in the mall during school hours, but this isn't part of Governor It's a crackdown on harmless, timeless fun in the name of shoring up public safety because the mall's deadbeat former owners cut back on security at the same time that they were defaulting on their loans to private lenders. Advertisement The ban on kids is the brainchild of John Dorsey, one of the mall's court-appointed receivers, who says he wants to 'get the public's confidence back' in the mall. Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up 'The theory behind it is: If nothing changes, nothing changes,' Dorsey told me over the phone this week. I think Dorsey is the It's true that the mall has had a handful of high-profile criminal incidents involving young people, including a group of teenagers who It's also true that Dorsey's primary objective is to spruce up the mall – both aesthetically and financially – just enough to find a buyer later this year, and potential suitors will probably be seeking a per-assault discount. But hanging out in the mall has been a rite of passage for teenagers for generations, the place where you're supposed to have your first big date, first kiss, or first tiny bit of freedom from nagging parents or cranky teachers. You borrow money from your parents to buy sneakers that are too expensive, hop over to Dave & Busters for a sweaty round of Skee-Ball, and then sneak into R-rated movies. Advertisement This is what kids are supposed to do. They are the target audience. 'We've had quite a bit of feedback that some visitors don't feel safe,' Dorsey said. Well, the kinds of people who complain about teenagers in the mall are the same people who say they never go into Providence at all because of the crime. You want a safer mall? Dorsey said there's a series of safety improvements coming, including a full audit of security, controlled access to the skybridge, more guards, and upgrades to the mall's camera system. All reasonable ideas that will hopefully produce the outcome Dorsey and the rest of mall leadership is seeking. But they don't generate the headlines the mall wants. What's shortsighted about banning teenagers from the mall is it's going to leave a long-lasting bad taste in their mouths. The mall is desperate for more foot traffic because most people prefer to shop online these days. Young people are the only ones left who still enjoy the social experience of the mall. Tim Howes, a business professor at Johnson & Wales University, said Providence Place seems to be taking a ' 'They're making the decision that 16-year-olds are not worth as much as older customers,' Howes said. Dorsey assured me that the mall isn't going to have a heavy hand with this policy. It would be ironic to start banning 14-year-olds the same month that they Advertisement 'It's not static, we're not stuck with this program,' he said. 'We're going to be auditing ourselves and trying to figure out if we're accomplishing our goals.' Howes said the mall's strategy could pay off, but there are potential pitfalls to watch for, like racial profiling of teenagers or driving away potential visitors who don't agree with the policy. The bigger challenge for the mall, he said, is the potential of losing another anchor tenant, like the Apple store. 'They need to find a way to rebuild the magic that was the Providence Place Mall,' Howes said. Instead, they're trading mallrats for tumbleweeds. Dan McGowan can be reached at
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Questex's Vibe Conference Announces 2025 Vibe Vista Award Winners
SAN DIEGO, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Questex's Vibe Conference the premier on-premise beverage conference for executives, today announces the winners of the 2025 Vista Awards. The Vibe Vista Awards recognize the top performers in the beverage industry through the creation, training, execution, management, and on-going positive results of beverage programs. Vibe Conference takes place March 3-5 at the Town & Country Resort in San Diego, CA. Tim McLucas, Market Leader, Hospitality Group at Questex, commented, 'Congratulations to the 2025 Vibe Vista Awards winners! Competition was particularly strong this year, and we are proud of the venues that have risen to the top with innovative programs and contributions to the industry.' The Vibe Vista Award winners include: Best Overall: Cruise Line: Princess Cruises Best Overall: Hotel: Marriott International Best Overall: Multi-Unit Chain Restaurant: Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar Best Spirits Program: Delta Sky Club Best Wine Program: Seasons 52 Best Beer Program: BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse Best Adult Alcohol-Free Beverage Program: Hyatt Lifestyle Best Beverage Limited Time Offer: Delaware North Best Beverage Menu: Marella Cruises & The Apollo Group Best Overhaul of Beverage Program: Hyatt Hotels The Vibe Vista Awards entries were evaluated on the basis of positive beverage sales initiatives, operational innovations, and training and service programs that uphold high-quality distinguished panel of judges included: Brian Warrener – Judging Chair, Associate Professor & Director of the Center for Beverage Education & Innovation, Johnson & Wales University Michael Sabitoni – Associate Professor & Dept. Chair, Food & Beverage + Travel & Tourism Studies, Johnson & Wales University Dale J. Venturini – Former President & CEO, RI Hospitality Association Brian Van Gyzen – Associate Professor, Johnson & Wales University To learn more about Vibe Conference, visit: Stay connected with Vibe Conference and industry news at About Vibe ConferenceVibe Conference is the premier event for chain and hotel adult beverage executives and suppliers. This top on-premise conference is held annually and delivers high-level content, tastings and networking opportunities. The 2026 conference will be held at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, CA February 23-25, 2026. About QuestexQuestex helps people live better and longer. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences. We live in the experience economy – connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. It happens here. Media ContactMichelle Osborne Vibe Conferencemosborne@ in to access your portfolio
