Upon meeting Matthew down at Ellie’s for the very first time, I could tell that we had hired someone who was truly magical. Matthew, a newer team member, radiates positive energy and his laugh is contagious. Matthew introduced himself with a strong handshake and eye contact. He spoke about his coffee, his craft, and his tools like they were the sun to his soil—something he couldn’t live without. I had the immense pleasure of being able to catch up with Matthew for just a brief moment in time. Read his Service Session below, and then come on down to Ellie’s to meet him!

What is your roll in the Venture?
I’m the coffee trainer for both Ellie’s and Gracie’s. I think sometimes people don’t understand that yes, we do have a coffee trainer because coffee is such a niche thing, and if you don’t get it, or don’t know, it can go right over your head. When making coffee and serving coffee, there are tiny details that you can include to make your espresso taste good. Coffee is such a delicious thing that can be underrepresented, especially when in conjunction with food. Within the Venture, there are so many people who make coffee that everyone’s coffee comes out a bit different because coffee is such a personal thing, so one of my goals within the program is to kind of streamline the product while keeping coffee personal. It’s important to get it consistent for our guests.

You’re stranded on a desert Island—what 3 foods are with you? Drink?
This concept is so hard! I’d have to say fried eggs, which are so important! I’m a coffee guy, so I love breakfast—it’s everything! I love a good runny egg! I’d have to bring watermelon, because it’s just so refreshing. I think about all the watermelon margaritas I’ve had in my life, so watermelon is a staple. I have to go for the last food item… a really good cheesy bread! I would not be who I am without cheesy bread! It picks you up and makes you feel good! To drink—if I had to really pick just one thing, it would be cold brew coffee. It is honestly everything! I’ve become so New England so quickly—I’m drinking cold brew in winter! In Seattle, where I’m from, there are no clear cut seasons, really, and you don’t ever really know what to expect from one day to the next—so I have to stick to a black cold brew.

What inspires you to come back to work everyday?
It’s about perfecting and sharing my craft. I’m really passionate about the hospitality aspect of selling coffee, but making coffee is an art form. I feel like I’m drawing or painting all day long. I love learning new things from one day to the next about how to make my coffee beautiful. There are new techniques and new developments when it comes to making my coffee beautiful, so I want to stay relevant on that and share what I learn. There are little things you can do to have your latte come out more beautiful every time. It’s been a wild ride. I come from being mentored by a person who was really into the competition aspect of coffee, so I feel like it’s a pointed scale, and I feel like sometimes that is not conducive to being an artist, so sometimes I let go of the competition aspect and really focus on making my products beautiful. I come back to get better by 1 percent every day. As long as I’m not regressing, and moving forward, that’s what matters.

Tell me about a time where you had a challenging guest, and how you turned that around?
I have challenging guests all the time! That can be a “thing” in this industry, but I’m in the coffee aspect of the industry—where coffee is personal, and everyone has their own palate. We’re conditioned to think about coffee in a certain way, especially with the Starbucks and Dunkins in the world. With coffee there can be things created by a corporate model that gets information skewed. A flat white is not what a guest thinks it is, or a cappuccino isn’t what they think it is, all because of the corporate standard. I’m trying to give our guests what they want, and my job is to give these guests the information they need to actually order what they want. With coffee, I deal with people in the morning, so almost no one is their happiest before their morning coffee.

What is your favorite industry slang?
I love “heard” right now! You can use it in your home life, work life, and with friends. I feel that “heard” is used only at Gracie’ s Venture, which makes it even better.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
The very first thing I ever wanted to be was Aladdin, and that didn’t super work out for me. He had an awesome monkey, but then I realized he stole items to get by, so I didn’t want to be Aladdin—I shifted over wanting to be a police officer for a hot second. I was studying to get myself into the police academy. I would have made it to being an officer, but the day of my test to get into a police department, I didn’t go. I’m from a little country town, south of Seattle. I decided that I was going to move, and make things happen, and I started working in coffee immediately. Isn’t it funny that it’s almost pre-determined? You just follow the path that is set in front of you.

What makes this Venture so Special?
Miss Ellen. Miss Ellen is what makes this so special. She makes all of us feel important . She takes care of us. She took care of my Valentine’s Day dinner, and I cried! I actually cried because how generous is that!? She makes everyone feel included, respected, and special, and I have never ever had this in my life. I’ve never just had someone that pushed me to learn for the betterment of the guests and ourselves. It is priceless to have her support.

The post Service Sessions: Coffee Trainer, Matthew Williams first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Service Sessions: Coffee Trainer, Matthew Williams appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

By Kelly Doran

What is your role at Gracie’s? How long have you been here?

I’m currently a host here at Gracie’s, and I’ve been here for 4 years. I started here as a polisher, and back of house as a teen.  In my senior year of high school, I started front of house. I went to college and graduated with my bachelors, but I always came back to help and give a hand.  I keep coming back because of this team. It’s an amazing team to work with; it’s a place to be hospitable, which is such a huge part of me now. I’m such a foodie, I really enjoy wonderful service, and I know I can get that here. This is my extended family. Gracie’s feels like home. I’ve been here long enough, I’ve seen some of the turnover we’ve had, and I can say, that even with these turnovers, the values  remain the same. We are dedicated to our guests, and our value system stays the same, even when we’re growing.

What is your favorite part about working within the Venture?

To narrow it down, I love our food. The food is delicious and always changing. We want to surprise you, and make you feel comfortable. We want you to try something different. Since I’ve worked here I’ve been able to try so many different things, duck, venison, octopus. My favorite part about working here is being able to invite people into our world, and getting to show them what we do here. We are next level here, and we are able to provide a next level of Love to each and every guest. Things might not always run as smooth as we’ve planned, but there is a need in me to treat people the way I wanted to be treated. I want to go above and beyond. I want them to feel Extra, EXTRA Special. I let our guests know, honestly, what the plan is to better their experience. It comes down to respect. We respect our guests, and they respect us. The host team here have made many magical things happen, weather it be saving the best seat in the house for a 50th wedding anniversary to pulling off surprise birthday parties, weddings, rehearsal dinners. We want to make sure that every guest has a memorable experience. My favorite part is making simple, clear choices that benefit our guests, who always come first.

What does your ideal dinner look like?

It looks like, my family and friends, lot’s of laughter, my boyfriend. It would involve the people who are closest to me, the people who help make up our back bone, knowing that when we’re together, we are happy. There HAS to be cheese, Has to be cheese on the plate. I used to be a sweets kind of girl, but now, It just has to be cheese, and there has to be sorbet or some form of ice cream involved! Cheese, Family and Sorbet, enjoying simple pleasures with the people I love the most. At the end of the day, you may not remember the exact dish or the exact service, but you WILL remember the people that you dined with. There are definitely things that have to be on the plate or served a specific way, but it really comes down to the memories made while you are dining. It is all about the people with you at the table. You have to enjoy that aspect.

What is a food you HATE, and a food you LOVE?

I do NOT liked canned beets. My mom loves them, canned and I tell her all the time that canned beets are gross!  I, however, enjoy the beat salad that we have here with the nicely cut, fresh beets with blue cheese.  I used to dislike Mushrooms so much,was not a huge fan at all.  Gracie’s as a team loves to continue our education, and we get a chance to do that through some of the trips we take to farms or restaurants, vineyards, and breweries, We took a trip to RI Mushroom company,and learned so much about Mushrooms on that trip. When you know how hard people have to work to produce this food, it gives you a better appreciation. Mushrooms will never be a favorite of mine, but I was able to take some mushrooms home. I used them in dinner, cooked with them that night. It’s a better understanding of the food we are learn about.

For foods I LOVE: Seafood. Always will be. I grew up on the water, boating, and I love all things summer and water and Rhode Island! There are foods that you insists you will never try, but end up trying it and liking it. Gracie’s as a whole is conducive to education when it comes to food, wine, and hospitality. There are definitely times where the I learn so much from the front servers here, about food, wine, hospitality, and that plays a part on how I view the food and wine. I ask the front servers :what did you learn today” so I can also learn it too!  Gracie’s really does try to provide information for us so we can help better our system and skillset. If a guest calls, to say, check on the fish for the night. I can assist them with just a quick check in with the Chef, because I was able to learn about the fish and how it’s prepared and served. There are restaurants where you cannot try the dishes your serving, or the wine. I want to learn, try, and spread the education to my team members.

You’ve helped shape and mold the host program here at Gracie’s. What inspires you to give that one percent better every shift? What drives you to teach the next host successful?

Honestly, what pushes me to get to that one percent every day is the smiles! Feeling and knowing that I perhaps have made your dinner better or your day better, drives me to be better each shift. When people come in, they come from their long days. Having a guest say to me “ Thank You, the food was delicious, and the service, Great. Being able to help provide the experience to the guest, to where they leave here happy, and full. We’ve been involved in many people’s special events and assisting those people and helping them reach their goal and help them to make those memories, That is what the one percent is about for me.

What  is the one thing you want guests to know, that they don’t know now?

I want guests to know, that sometimes, Restaurant Life can be hard sometimes! I think every person in any given workforce, should work in fine dining at least once in their lives because it teaches you about patience, hard work, consistency,  teamwork, independence. There are so many life lessons that you can learn ! It takes maturity to work in fine dining. When it seems like we have a floor plan that just won’t work, and you think things look impossible…you have to remember that, here at Gracie’s, the word impossible doesn’t exist. I want people to know that so much hard work goes into a single service, and that it’s all about the details.

Describe a time where you needed to go above and beyond to make a guests night extra special. What drove you to do that?

Sometimes, we cannot always control the duration of a guests stay. I had one couple in particular that comes to mind. They came to us to celebrate a special event, and I  knew that these guests were going to wait. My instinct says to get these guests seated right away, but my education of what makes us stand out tells me to try and wait for a cozier or more secluded table. I let this couple know, that I would have a more romantic table, and gave them an honest timeline as to when this table might be available. The guests were seated, and said “ Thank you, this was the BEST food, the BEST Service, THANK YOU for the romantic table, we will be back”. I want to Provide THIS kind of service to every single guest who enters our doors. We’ve pulled off weddings, surprise parties, engagements, you name it, we’ve done it, and as special as those events are, as unique as those events are, MY drive comes from providing every single guest with that above and beyond. That’s where my drive comes from. If you are honest about the wait or the plan with the guests, it’s only going to benefit the guest. With this couple who were celebrating a special event with us, I brought them over to the table we had talked about waiting for, and their faces lit up when they saw the table, and were so very happy. I took a risk, and it paid off!

The post Service Sessions: Steph Pajak | Gracie’s Host first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Service Sessions: Steph Pajak | Gracie’s Host appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

Kendal, What is your role at Gracie’s?
I am the Catering and Events Director for Gracie’s and Ellie’s. At Gracie’s, I work with our guests to coordinate the details for their private events. Anything from an intimate dinner party of 10 to a large off-site wedding of 250, it’s my job to ensure the client’s vision comes to life and we not only meet, but exceed their expectations. At the bakery, I meet with couples for wedding cake and guest favor consultations along with detailing large catering orders for social and corporate events.

Did you grow up wanting to plan events?
Yes, my passion for planning has been lifelong. I’ve always been the designated planner among my group of friends, from birthday parties to trips, I loved to handle the logistics and making sure everyone had a great time. I first fell in love with event planning when I coordinated my middle school’s graduation ceremony. Little ambitious thirteen year old me, asked for permission to take on this task and I ended up planning it all from start to finish — timeline, speeches, creating programs and tickets, etc. — and even decided that I would lead the ceremony. Clearly, I’ve been outgoing since day one! When I learned that there was industry for this, I knew that’s what I wanted to do and worked towards that in high school and college.

A lot of what you do at Gracie’s is pure Magic- What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Hands down, the most rewarding aspect of my job is happy guests. There’s nothing more gratifying than knowing that you were a part of something magical and helped make memories that will last a lifetime. Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” and these are words I truly live by. When my clients look back on their event, I want them to smile and reminisce about how they felt in those precious moments.

What’s your favorite server slang?
I’d say my favorite server slang is “heard”, essentially the quickest way to convey you’ve heard what someone said and comprehend the message or request. We use it so much in our daily interactions that I have to catch myself not to say it outside of work.

What makes you excited to come to work every day?
This list could go on and on! Food and planning are two of my biggest passions in life, so to be able to work at Gracie’s and Ellie’s, two of the most respected food establishments in Rhode Island, is a dream come true. I work with an incredibly talented team and we all share the same mission; to go above and beyond to exceed guest’s expectations. When you surround yourself with teammates who have the same central goal, it fuels your own enthusiasm and truly makes it easy for guests to put their faith in us to plan and execute their event flawlessly. Having the opportunity to bond with our guests and sharing the magic of what we do is incredibly fulfilling.

Being the traveler that you are, how does dining differ from The United States, say, than Barcelona?
Besides the food itself, which was largely composed of small tapas rather than full portions, the flow of service in Barcelona and other European countries is far less fast paced. Dining out is intended to be an experience and every bite is meant to be savored. It’s a beautiful thing to slow down, enjoy the company you’re with, and to be present in the moment. Sometimes we lose that due to busy schedules and constantly thinking about what we need to get done next.

The post Service Sessions: Kendal Fitzsimmons | Catering and Events Director first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Service Sessions: Kendal Fitzsimmons | Catering and Events Director appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

By: Kelly Doran

What drove you to a career in cooking?
I could not tell you a precise reason other than food. By that I mean that it was the lore and mystery of food got me into it. I loved the trial and error methodology behind it. I still remember as a young kid, when I was about 9, watching food and travel shows on television and being mesmerized by what was going on. Its funny because I grew up with cooks my entire life but never reflected on it. My mother, who self-taught but in no way a professional cook, would go to night school, come home, and still manage to whip something up for us and it would be delicious. My aunt, who I attribute my baking knowledge to (before school , of course), was a baker. She made cakes for many people in our town (weddings, birthdays, etc.). In later years as I got a bit older, my mother worked a lot so I spent a lot of time with my aunt and she saw that I had interest in and a knack for the kitchen. She took me under her wing so much so that I would spend whole weekends with her, even days that mom was home from work, just so that I could talk with her and be in her kitchen. The sound of the Kitchenaid paddling buttercream was my Coltrane. I remember the first time I decided that I wanted to learn how to cook I asked my mom in front of my aunts and they said no. They said  I was too young and small to see over the stove and that I’d  burn myself. I brushed it off and taught myself and my life has never been the same since.

To answer your question what drove me to cooking, I feel as though destiny or nature or whatever you want to call it drove me. I have always been a person of strong conviction, so I think that being in the kitchen just felt right for me. I never had doubt; I just knew since I was a child. I think it’s the connection of food and family and the love. My family and the love and care they gave me drove me to cook. To care for others and to give unconditional love to others, including strangers, and expect nothing in return. Love drove me to cook because to cook is to care.

How is a working kitchen different than what you see on TV?
It’s a matter of perspective. Shows on TV aren’t meant to glamorize WORKING in kitchens, but rather to attract people to the lore and magic of food. They are meant to intrigue people and make them think, “Hmm, maybe I can do this, too.” But yes, it is very different from what people see on TV. They don’t show the hard work and dedication it takes. Cooks and chefs work crazy hours and get little in return. Only a “crazy” person would do this. But in a world of quid pro quo, you have to go for something that is bigger than us and gets down to the very core of humanity.

What is the best piece of advice that you could give to a person who is looking to enter the field?
Care. Love what you do and do it with integrity. Don’t listen to anyone if they say you can’t do it. Do not do this if you wish to get rich monetarily. Notice I said monetarily. There is a great quality of life to be had you just have to live in the moment and appreciate the people around you and remember always Love, Live Life, Proceed, Progress.

What’s your favorite Back of House slang?
For  me, “Hoo-whaa” has to top it all. That means quickly. That usually happens when a server forgets to ring something in or doesn’t fire a ticket. I also like the “heard” and” behind” because when in a restaurant it’s universal, so much so that I say heard in conversation regularly and my girlfriend makes fun of me for it. “Behind” is integrated into my soul at this point. I say it at the market, at the mall, and walking down the street.

What makes you come back day in, day out?
It’s the food and experiences we provide that bring me back. Honestly, I could go work in other industries or even other restaurants, and make more money, but it’s not the same. You can’t do this for money as the sole motivator.  I truly love what I do, simple as that. We get the humbling opportunity to work very closely with the farmers of Rhode Island and truly showcase the hard work that they put into their products. It’s actually one of the things that drove me to work at Gracie’s. I love seeing Deb ( where we get our pea greens from) and Steve (who is actually one of, if not the first organic farmer in RI) and talking to them about the products, new things they are trying out, and what they think about food. I think that the interconnected network of cooks and farmers is a necessity to understanding sustainability both for restaurants and communities alike.

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By: Kelly Doran

Tell me a little bit about yourself. How long have you been in the industry? What drew you to the Industry?

What drew me to the industry was that I had the opportunity to work in my aunt and uncle’s French restaurant in Brookline, MA. This was in 1979 or ’80—I was 9 years old. My father used to come in and use the washer and dryer in the restaurant to wash and dry the linens. He used to shampoo the rugs on Sundays, in the early morning hours before we opened for brunch. I’d come in to hang out with him and spend some time. I started answering the phones and taking reservations. Little by little, I got more into it. At that point, I never got paid or anything. It wasn’t a job. It was just something that I really loved. People were really responsive to that. People would come in and ask who the little girl answering the phone was. It got to the point where I could fill my uncle in on the detail of how many guests we’d had that night, or—and this was before computers—I could give the details. It’s something I’m grateful for that I’ve learned. I learned how to fulfill whatever needs the guest had.

This was something I was born into.

How has working in the industry changed your point of view while dining out?

I thought about this question a lot, and it’s evolved over the years. Different experiences and different restaurants have taught me different things. Being a baker at Whole Foods Market back in the day, everything I’ve done in this industry has taught me one lesson or another. There was a time I was very, very critical of foodservice and restaurants. I think what I look at most, what I value most now is atmosphere. If it gives you a feeling of home, that’s what I’m looking for. I’m looking for a connection with the server; I’m looking for the most pleasant atmospheric environment . I don’t need “ expensive” or fine, I don’t need over-the-top, I don’t need you to do that for me. Be down to earth. That’s what I offer, so that is what I’m looking for in return. I really enjoy the vibe that brings people together.

Tell me about a time where you’ve had a particularly challenging guest.

Gosh! I really tried to come up with something for this question. I don’t know if there is one story. I think it’s really challenging when guests are dismissive… I want to give you the experience. I don’t know how to react when people are dismissive. To this day, I kind of have to take a deep breath when this happens. I bring who I am to work every day. I’m doing what it is that I love. I can’t fake it. People will ask me how I sell tastings and it’s because I’m excited for it and I believe in it. I think that’s what people see. When people are dismissive of me, I feel like I can’t give that, the full experience. It’s harder to figure out what experience they are after, and is much more difficult to create a relationship. It’s a pet peeve of mine for sure.

Being a server, you have to have the gift of gab. We’re you always comfortable talking to people growing up?

People used to tell me I should be a politician. It’s funny, when I was little, back to when I was 9 years old, I’d get my muffin, sit, and talk to people walking by on a Sunday morning. Just now am I learning to appreciate it. There is video of me, in my own baby speak; I had my own language and I’d talk, and try to have conversations with people, just babbling away. Talking to other people keeps my soul moving.

What’s your favorite server slang?

OMG, this question! “Heard” is one I use the most—it makes sense,. Heard, I get you, I understand. “Behind!” I use this in the supermarket, on the street. I like “86’d.” “Seagulling” is a good one ( where a server or busboy eats food off a plate they clean off from a table). We’d say, back in the day, “stop seagulling that plate!” Those are some words; some of my favorite that are needed in server life!

What  makes you excited to come to work every day?

This is what I’m good at! This is what I do well. I come in to feel that success. When I lived in Israel, there was a connection to people on a regular basis. People in The Middle East are very warm. I should point out that that is my heritage. People come over your house, they hang out; it’s family, friends, the door is always open, literally. You just show up. That is perfect! You don’t really have that as much here. Cities are bigger. To have that connection with people on a regular basis is exciting! It’s a really nice feeling; one that I connect to well. What makes me excited to come to Gracie’s specifically? I love the uniqueness of Gracie’s, and how it treats its people. I also really love how I grow in terms of food and beverage knowledge. The food and beverage knowledge is one of the biggest takeaways for me every day. I go home, and spend time looking up different things that we’ve learned at Gracie’s. If you want to succeed, if you’re not passionate, you won’t succeed here. It requires a lot out of you, and you can’t fake it. If you do, you’ll be found out sooner or later. Don’t fake it!

I grew up with career servers. That’s who trained me—people who would be in the industry forever. It made me be a better server because I wanted it. Tell me I can’t do something and I’ll do it, better than expected. Maybe that’s the mindset I have for new people who come in… don’t you want to be the best you can? If you’re going to come into this industry, come full of passion, come full of desire to understand why things work. Come to understand the reasons why you are doing what you’re doing. Definitely, appreciate the people you’re working with. The kitchen here are working unbelievable hours, and I will always give them kudos. I staged in the kitchen because I wanted a better perspective. Appreciate the people who work with you, the kitchen, the dishwasher, the bus boy. Success as a server comes when you respect all the moving parts.

The post Service Sessions – Anat Sagi – Gracie’s Front Server first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Service Sessions – Anat Sagi – Gracie’s Front Server appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

by Stephen Willson – Front of House Manager

The culture at Gracie’s is one which I hope is not unique to our magical little restaurant. I would like to believe that there are countless other restaurants in the world with similar values and goals as ours. We are trying to change the world for the better, one person and one experience at a time.

We often hear uplifting corporate phrases thrown around in our daily life; “It starts from the top”, “creating a culture”, “keep your team engaged and fulfilled”, etc.. I hear these phrases so often that I sometimes become callused to their meaning. What is culture? What starts from the top?

In order to create a dining experience that meets our standards, we must make sure every single employee is dedicated to said experience. This means believing in the importance of making guests feel special and always looking for ways to create long lasting, positive memories.

Then how do we go about achieving that? Well, the leaders in the organization have to be dedicated to the company values and the overall guest experience. They also have to be able to convey these values in a way that inspires their team to adopt them. People won’t believe what you don’t believe and they certainly will not adopt principles that do not get positive results. Practice what you preach, preach what you know is right, and lead by example.

Principles that create positive results for the company must also offer the same level of fulfillment for its employees. People want to feel like they are making an impact on something. They want to know that they are doing great work and getting great results. It is so important to let your staff know that they are appreciated. Celebrate successes!

Be invested in your team’s growth both as a whole and on an individual basis. Encourage creativity, resourcefulness, and growth. When mistakes are made, work on solutions rather than punishments. Set goals for personal growth and follow up on those goals. Celebrate achievements and allow each team member to shine in his or her own way. Employees who feel cared for, encouraged to be creative, and unafraid to make mistakes  perform at their peak! Create the best environment for your team so that they can give you the best results.

How do you turn around an industry that was built on the backs of overworked, underpaid, underappreciated employees? How do you take a culture that works people to the point of exhaustion, that often times leads to substance abuse, failed relationships, and resentment; and turn it into something nurturing and sustainable? One way is to create an establishment that operates with the employee’s wellness and success in mind. Show them that your values and principles get the best results, create the friendliest and most productive working environment, praise them when they deserve praise, and coach them in the areas which need improvement.

Culture is the energy, mood, values, standards, and personalities within an organization. It is people sharing ideas and practices for the good of a common goal. Create the right culture, nurture your team, and make them feel appreciated. In turn, they will share their culture with others, and so on. When you throw your stone in the water, the ripples will surely reach a wider area than the initial splash. What can you do to make sure your ripples are spreading the right message?

The post Our Culture first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Our Culture appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

By Nicole Dupuis

Just as ten years ago, the farm-to-table and fine dining culture in Rhode Island was only just beginning to take root, Rhode Islanders are now turning increasingly towards more unique and exciting wines, with an eye for quality and an appetite for experimentation.

This shift in Rhode Island’s drinking culture led to Gracie’s hiring of Alan Freudeman in 2013, our current Wine & Beverage Director, who at the time took over as Wine Educator for the newly developing wine program. At Gracie’s, our beverage program is curated with our food at the top of mind—everything must work together to create a perfectly harmonized tasting experience that elevates our cuisine to center stage.

“We choose wines, and my driving mission is to find gems, wines that are special, and every bottle should overdeliver. “  Alan noted, “which is very important to us. We focus on stories and smaller products. Every bottle in this building has a place.”

Alan was certified as a sommelier by the Court Master of Sommeliers in April of 2016, and was recently joined by John Cappiello, now our second Certified Sommelier on staff, in November 2016. It has been highly rewarding to have not one, but two people collaborating behind the scenes to develop our beverage program! Having two trained wine stewards on staff has enhanced not only our service, but our ability to educate and inform our staff—which in turn, makes for a better guest experience. Alan and John are working in sync to create a unique and special experience that leave our guests doubly happy.

John, who also serves as a floor captain at Gracie’s, came to his sommelier certification by way of a special scholarship fund that was started by Alan on behalf of Gracie’s. Each year, interested employees can apply to the fund and Gracie’s will sponsor their participation in the introductory sommelier course. John was the first person that we extended this offer to, and he simply ran with it, certifying and passing on the first try! The scholarship fund is a wonderful way to provide extra training to our team and give staff opportunities that they may not have pursued otherwise. We are thrilled to be able to add John’s expertise and breadth of knowledge to our wine and beverage program, which we are looking to develop in new directions in the coming  years. John has currently been helping to grow the wine list, and over the next year, we look forward to seeing some of John’s style, interest, and input reflected on the menu.

Alan and John make a dynamic duo when it comes to leading the charge in developing our beverage program. John is able to mine his experiences traveling for the prestigious Kopf Scholarship, which he was awarded in 2016. This ‘opportunity of a lifetime’ award earned him an all expenses paid two month journey through Italy, France, and California, where he studied winemaking, viticulture, and taste through some of the most famous and treasured wines in the world. John’s keen sense of the wines of these regions remains unparalleled among our staff.

Alan, on the other hand, is working on some upcoming trips to domestic destinations like Michigan and Texas, as he hopes to highlight unique and lesser-known wine regions across the United States. Part of his trip to Texas will involve a visit to Regan Meader of Long Island’s former Southold Farm + Cellar, who has since moved his operations to Texas. We are able to pour and offer a lot of the unique wines on our list precisely because of these personal connections that Alan has cultivated over the years.

Be sure to stop in this summer and try some of the brand new finds that we are adding to our list, such as pours from the Jura region of Eastern France, Italian reds and whites, and Spanish whites that are perfect for summer

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The post Gracie’s duo Sommeliers appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

Our team is our family. We spend more time with our teammates than we do anyone else in our outside lives. We rely on and learn from one another. We leap at the opportunity to lift each other up and help out one of our fellow teammates. We are mentors, role models, and leaders; each and every one of us. Together, we achieve greatness!

This award is a reminder that none of the little details go unnoticed. It lets us know our hard work is appreciated. We are all so proud to be part of this beautiful venture. To work in a place that allows us to be ourselves, to do what we love, to be innovative, and to push ourselves to achieve the very best possible outcomes, is constantly gratifying. This award reminds us how much you care that we care.

Finally, a most grateful thank you to all of our guests! Thank you to every compliment you ever gave us. Know that when you say, “please let the kitchen know how much we enjoyed our meals”, we do; and the kitchen staff loves this. Thank you to everyone taking time to provide us with constructive feedback. We care about your experience. Your feedback, both positive and negative, lets us know what our guests expect and how we can constantly evolve into something better than we are.

In the wise words of a famous cartoon candélabre; “Why, we only live to serve”. Hospitality runs through our veins. Making people feel special makes us feel special. Thank you for supporting us and allowing us to do what we love to do!

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Kelly Doran, a born and raised Rhode Islander, has over 10 years of experience working in the restaurants that make Rhode Island food and culture so great. She joined the Gracie’s team in 2015 as the Office Manager, responsible for the day to day tasks like answering phones and taking care of guest reservations. This position quickly grew and evolved into something far greater than answering phones and ordering office supplies. Kelly is, among many other things, the staff mom. She sews buttons onto shirts, hems pants, treats ink stained ties, mends wounds, lifts us up when we are down, keeps us organized, efficient, and graceful. She has taken something ordinary and made it extraordinary. 

Whether they know it or not, every single guest’s experience is enhanced by Kelly’s hard work, passion, compassion, and eye for detail. The confetti on your table is a perfect blend of different sized stars because Kelly mixes them together that way. She ordered your Anniversary flowers. She prints your customized Chef’s tasting menus. Kelly makes the bathrooms smell better, the light bulbs softer, and the woodwork shinier. She spends hours researching and comparing different bread baskets, coffee cups, stationary, coat room tags, candles, carpet cleaning solutions, and an infinite amount of other fine details that might not be as obvious as delicious food or impeccable customer service, but play an equally important role in the experience that we all put our hearts and souls into day after day.

Kelly goes above and beyond day in and day out. She takes all of the little details into consideration because she values the impact they have on our guests and our team, and she truly wants everyone around her to feel better and do better. Hospitality is in her soul. It is not something that turns off and on as she walks on and off the dining room floor or even to and from work.

Kelly takes pieces of her home life as a loving mother and wife, and beautifully combines them with her experience in the restaurant industry. The end result is an invaluable skill set and innate sense of hospitality that inspires us all to do better, care for each other, and never lose sight of our common goal to provide the best guest experience that we possibly can. Then, at the end of each day, before she goes home, Kelly takes the time to ask every single member of the staff if there is anything else she can do to help them be successful and feel fulfilled at work.

The post Employee Spotlight | Gracie’s Office Manager – Kelly Doran first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

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Congratulations to our favorite Chef, Matthew Varga! This year, Rhode Island Hospitality Association has awarded Chef Varga the title of Chef of the Year! We, the team at Gracie’s and Ellie’s, are honored to call him our chef. 

Chef Matt is a man of many skills, talents, and passions. In the grand scheme of all that makes him great, his expert culinary skills are just the tip of the iceberg. Chef Matt is also an incredibly skilled leader. He not only cultivates the right people for his amazing team, but he also takes the time to grow them, both on an individual level and as a whole. Leading a successful kitchen staff requires a Chef to know how to balance the constant push for his team to be better, empathy for each team member and the challenges that come with his or her role, and the awareness to make sure the team has all the tools and resources they need to keep growing and feel fulfilled in their roles. Matthew Varga is a role model to everyone around him, including his peers.

Outside of the kitchen, Chef Matt takes time to create relationships with our farmers, fisherman, vendors, and guests. He knows what is in season, and who has the best produce or the freshest fish. Chef Matt tends to our rooftop garden. He plans in the cold months, plants in the spring, and tends to the garden all Summer. In the Fall, when the garden is reaching its end for the season, he heads out to the woods to forage mushrooms. Chef Matt is truly a farm to table chef. He knows the stories, the people, the ‘why’.

In addition to his love for food and his team, Chef Varga never misses an opportunity to reach out to the community. Matt volunteers his time and skills to organizations that include The March of Dimes, Refocus, and Amos House. He takes time out of his busy day to talk to middle school students about gardening, sustainability, and food, while giving them a tour of the rooftop garden. He visits Johnson & Wales University to speak to their students about the hospitality industry and life as a chef.

Chef Matthew Varga is the full package. He inspires us all to do better, work harder, believe in ourselves, and follow our dreams. We are honored to call him our Chef and couldn’t think of a better person worthy of this award. Congratulations, Chef!

Rhode Island Hospitality Association has been working hard to give a voice to the hospitality industry and its work force since 1963. They currently work with over 600 restaurants, vendors, and hotels in the state of Rhode Island. They are an invaluable resource for information on services, programs, and legislation that affects the hospitality industry. Their mission is to “lead Rhode Island’s hospitality industry to a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhance the quality of life for all we serve.” A big thank you to The Rhode Island Hospitality Association for honoring Chef Matthew Varga with such a prestigious award!

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