Kevin Gaudreau, owner of Beech Jamestown, was on the lookout for Kevin Fitzgerald of Sardella’s Italian Restaurant and Ted Gidley of the Clarke Cooke House on Friday, April 11, at the Taste of the Twinning event held at Gardiner House. The trio were the first three chefs to travel to Kinsale, Ireland, to participate in the Gourmet Food Festival.
All three restaurants were represented at the Taste of the Twinning, an event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Newport and Kinsale. Also on hand were teams from The Protective Club, Tavern on Broadway, Skiff Bar, and Flora at the Gardiner House. Many of the chefs prepared Irish-inspired dishes, such as mini Reuben bites and Irish whiskey shrimp toasts from Malt; Guinness-braised beef short ribs over garlic and Parmesan mashed red bliss potatoes from McGrath Clambakes & Catering; and smoked salmon on Irish brown soda bread served with shrimp trays by The Fastnet Pub. And one can’t have an Irish tasting without Irish coffees and dessert bites, which Malt Restaurant & Bar whipped up.
Three generations of the Twomey family were in attendance. Patriarch John has been involved with the sister city relationship since its inception in 1999. His daughter Mariel is interested in launching a student exchange program between the school where she works in Kinsale and Newport Public Schools. Many participants were pleased to see students from the Newport Area Career & Technical Center participating in the event—especially after touring the new Rogers High School that morning and getting a sneak peek at the new culinary classroom.
Mayor Charlie Holder said that the community involvement and hospitality extended when nearly 100 Newporters visited Kinsale last April was second to none. He shared that he was proud to participate—as both manager of the Gardiner House and as mayor of the City of Newport.
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