Steven Davenport, a native Rhode Islander, is one of Providence’s finest chefs. A 1983 graduate from the culinary program at Rhode Island School of Design, Davenport has mastered the art of food. His experience as a chef is vast and includes employment at such well-known places as the Bay Tower Room in Boston and the Westin Hotel in Providence. Participating in many educational programs throughout the state, Davenport has shared his talents by educating and introducing local children to the art of cooking through the Kids First Days of Taste program, as well as being featured as a Celebrity Chef in RISD’s Continuing Education Program. Davenport’s most accomplished venture was the opening of the Parkside Rotisserie and Bar in 1997.
The Parkside is a Manhattan-style bistro centrally located in the heart of Providence. Chef Davenport has created an innovative and enticing menu at the Parkside offering a wide array of upbeat foods ranging from spicy crab cakes to exciting pasta dishes as well as the Parkside’s signature rotisserie meat items. The Parkside’s unique atmosphere is accented by an open kitchen where guests can enjoy watching Chef Davenport and his talented culinary staff prepare all of the enticing entrees found on the menu.
Davenport is a proud member of the American Culinary Federation, the American Institute of Wine and Food. the IACP and the CIRA. In the spring of 2000, Davenport was featured as a guest with well-known chef, Jacques Pepin and his daughter Claudine on the popular Food Network show and was a contestant on its Ready, Set, Cook program.
From behind the bar to inside the kitchen - and the busy dining room in between - wherever he is needed, Adam Vargulish will be there. Adam fills the position of General Manager at the Parkside Rotisserie and Bar with great energy and dedication, never hesitating to serve in any role to keep the restaurant running like a well-oiled machine.
Adam has been cultivating the skills necessary to meet the demands of a bustling restaurant since he was a teenager, when he took his first job as a server at the Coachmen's Lodge in Bellingham, MA. His natural ability to provide leadership shined through early on, as he quickly became head banquet waiter, helping to arrange special events and functions for groups of 40 to 250 people.
Upon graduating high school, Adam enrolled at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI, majoring in Business Management with a minor in psychology. While working towards his B.A., Adam took a part-time position at the Parkside as a server. As Adam's appreciation for the hospitality industry deepened, his part-time restaurant job quickly became a vocation.
Adam graduated from Bryant University in 2003, and in the same year, became General Manager of the Parkside Rotisserie and Bar. In addition to managing the restaurant's day-to-day operations, including employee scheduling, arranging private parties and special events, and performing financial responsibilities, Adam served as an enthusiastic leader to the Parkside's dedicated culinary and serving staff.
The Parkside is a family-run operation and Adam has decidedly run the restaurant like a family, encouraging his staff to build a rapport with their diverse clientele, ranging from college students to business professionals. This innovative style of leadership has created a distinctive ambiance at the Parkside, where patrons are always welcomed with a familiar face and exceptional service.
Links
The following resources on the web may also be of interest…
- The Providence/Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau
- The Providence Tourism Association
- Waterfire Providence
- The Providence Journal
- American Culinary Federation
- Farmstead Cheese