Hot Stuff at Hotel Viking

Culinary Team Takes Home Top Honors
at 21st Annual Newport Winter Festival

Newport, RI  (February 24, 2009) – The Hotel Viking’s Chef Kevin Thiele and bartender Colleen recently won top honors at the 21st Annual Newport Winter Festival. Chef Kevin Thiele won the Annual Chili Cook Off for the 3rd year in a row. Colleen Kempenaar brings home the top honor for the Annual Hot Drink contest, the 2nd year in a row. Trophies will be featured prominently in the One Bellevue lounge, for the next year.  Bellevue

Chef Kevin competed against 15 other chefs from all over Rhode Island, winning his 3rd Chili Cook Off in a row. The secret to his success lies in the fact that he uses the same, simple, award winning recipe each time he enters. Colleen Kempenaar beat out eight other competitors with a new hot drink concept:  Colleen’s Creamy Tequila Chocolate Coffee.   The award winning recipe combines chocolate ganache from Garrison Confections in Providence, Rhode Island, with 1921 Tequila Cream, Navan Vanilla Liqueur and hot coffee.

“Our team is outstanding and we could not be happier about their success at the Winter Festival,” states Mark Gervais, General Manager.

The team at Hotel Viking and One Bellevue are familiar with success at these competitions. As participants in Newport’s numerous events, Chef Kevin won Chef of the Year from the Rhode Island Stars of the Industry (2007). Chef Kevin was also a featured chef in the 8th Annual Kinsale Ireland Festival of Fine Food in March 2008, and was the first Rhode Island chef to be invited to participate in Flavors of Connecticut (2007), which benefits the American Liver Foundation. In May 2008, Chef Kevin and the One Bellevue team participated in the 3rd Annual Rhode Island Chef SmackDown, a fundraising event for the American Institute of Wine and Food’s “Days of Taste®” national program for schoolchildren. The team is also involved with Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale to help end childhood hunger in Rhode Island.

For dining reservations, please call One Bellevue at (401) 848-4824 or visit online at www.hotelviking.com.

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