The Jacques Pepin Foundation’s 90/90 Dinner Series Continues
The foundation supports community-based kitchens and celebrates Pepin's ninetieth birthday with a dinner series that runs through the end of the year.
The whole Providence team came together for the Jacques Pepin Foundation’s 90/90 dinner. Photo courtesy of the Jacques Pepin Foundation.
Almost twelve years ago, Rhode Island Monthly covered a dinner party at the home of Claudine Pepin and Rollie Wesen in Barrington. They cooked a lovely summer meal on their patio under the shade of wisteria. Claudine is the daughter of the famous French chef Jacques Pepin, and Claudine and Rollie’s daughter, Shorey, was nine at the time. Now she’s in college in Paris! Claudine appeared on many episodes of “Cooking with Claudine” with her father, as did Shorey.
Last week, we got the chance to reunite with the lovely family and dinner guests at a Jacques Pepin Foundation 90/90 dinner in celebration of Jacques Pepin’s ninetieth birthday. The foundation is hosting ninety dinners this year around the country to celebrate the legendary chef through December 2025. He is known for his classic French cooking techniques and has written more than thirty cookbooks and hosted thirteen public television series.
The JPF “supports community-based kitchens that offer culinary training to adults with high barriers to employment, including those impacted by the justice system, those experiencing homelessness, individuals in recovery or those that have been underserved.” The foundation also creates video recipes by Jacques Pépin and curates culinary arts educational resources to help professional and home cooks develop necessary cooking skills.
For this special 90/90 dinner, hosted at Oberlin in Providence, a team of incredible Rhode Island chefs, and one Cambridge chef, came together for an eight-course tasting menu paired with wine in honor of Jacques Pepin’s culinary legacy. Oberlin Chef/Owner Benjamin Sukle was joined by guest chefs Sky Haneul Kim (Gift Horse), Maria Meza (Dolores), Beau Vestal (New Rivers), Nikhil Naiker (NIMKI), Nick Gillespie (Dune Brothers), Chris Pfail (Oberlin), Melissa Denmark (Moonrose Farm) and Cassie Piuma (Sarma).
The meal began with a starter from Cassie Piuma of Sarma which involved a brie spanakopita with rhubarb honey, fennel and yogurt. The next course was created by chef Beau Vestal of New Rivers, an assiette of roasted Rhode Island shellfish, including a mini stuffie, a play on oysters Rockefeller and another roasted oyster. Nick Gillespie of Dune Brothers Seafood roasted baby trout smelts and paired the dish with Marcona almonds, brown butter, capers and preserved lemon, followed by Nikhil Naiker of NIMKI’s roasted fluke with smoked mussel, coconut beurre blanc and mustard greens. Chef Maria Meza of Dolores astounded with her crepes con mole poblano, queso Oaxaca, apricots and Swiss chard. Then Gift Horse chef Sky Hanuel Kim brought out dry aged Rhode Island duck au poivre with blood orange and Nurungji consumme. For dessert, Melissa Denmark of Moonrose Farm ended with a finale of tarte au citron with ginger cream and strawberry beet butterscotch. It was one of those life experiences I’ll never forget!
There are two more dinners like this coming up in Rhode Island. On May 4, Join Chef James Wayman at River Bar, one of Esquire magazine’s 2024 Best New Restaurants, for a five-course dinner featuring coastal New England cuisine showcasing his use of koji and umami in dishes like raw scallops cured under pork fat with twice brewed soy sauce, sugar kelp oil and almond as well as lobster creamed Whiskey Shoals oysters with spelt potato bread and fried ramps.
On May 30, Giusto chef/owner Kevin O’Donnell will cook alongside Giusto executive chef William Rietzel and pastry chef Sarah Larose as well as guest chefs Robert Andreozzi (Pizza Marvin), Basil Yu (Yagi Noodles) and Eric Brown (Frank and Laurie’s) for an unforgettable dining experience. The talented team will present a five-course, beverage-paired tasting menu that blends their signature cooking styles with heavy classic French cuisine influence.
Get tickets at riverbarwesterly.com and giustonewport.com. learn more about JPF at jp.foundation.
