“I can tell what neighborhood I’m in from the sauce!”
Then-Mayor Vincent A. “Buddy” Cianci Jr. made that declaration one early evening in the late ’90s in the summer, as he sat at an outdoor table set up pre-WaterFire on the brick piazza known as Market Square, in downtown Providence.
The late mayor loved the city. And from the city’s restaurant rows, the feeling was mutual. From the East Side to the west end, trattoria to café, the business owners and chefs had a strong ally on the second floor of City Hall.
As he stated on air on my show, “The restaurants needed help and the banks wouldn’t talk to them. We helped them to find financing.” Even those who point out the flaws of Cianci’s tenure, which included a felony conviction, admit that this was one area where progress and Cianci’s leadership could be readily seen.
He could be depended upon to be in attendance at all manner of food events in those days. One was the “Men Who Cook” competition, which started out at the dining hall of Rhode Island School of Design.
This cooking contest, which was held as a fundraiser for various community initiatives back then, was the springboard for at least one local restaurateur. Bernie Watson had been tinkering with some family BBQ recipes for a time. His success in Men Who Cook was the inspiration for his decision to open LJ’s BBQ.
Other early food events where the mayor could be found included the Pasta Challenge and the Cooks and Books fundraiser that the Lincoln School held for several years.
In spring 2000, the International Association of Culinary Professionals World Conference was held in Providence. The gathering was attended by chefs, writers and food educators, including Julia Child, Emeril Lagasse, Martin Yan, Graham Kerr, then-New York Times columnist Mark Bittmann and an up-and-coming Southern cookbook author named Paula Deen.
Cianci gave a welcoming address at a pre-conference gathering at the old Davio’s in the Biltmore. In attendance at the party was Julia Child. After the mayor’s speech, as was his custom in those days, he made sure all the attendees received a jar of his marinara. Child made her way through the crowd, declaring, “I just met your mayor and he makes the most lovely tomato (to-mah-to) sauce!”
Much has been written about Cianci’s standing reservations at favorite restaurants. One such arrangement was worthy of the celebrity status that the mayor basked in. Before Domenic Ierfino became the chef-proprietor of Roma on Federal Hill, he was the chef-manager of the Italo-American Club on Broadway. His phone would ring. On the other end was the mayor. Cianci was on his way for lunch.
The standing arrangement was that his favorite table would be ready with Scotch on the rocks, an ashtray and at dinner, osso bucco.
During the late ’80s, the standing order on St. Joseph’s Day was for a giant zeppole from the Roma bakery to be delivered to City Hall for all who visited on that day to enjoy. Ierfino said that in catering numerous family occasions, events and fundraisers for the mayor, he saw what he described as the “softer side of the mayor.” In fact, Roma was the site of Cianci’s last public event, a dinner party in November following the unveiling of his portrait at City Hall.
Ierfino’s recollection was, “He was in great spirits, worked the room, wowed everyone.” One more remembrance: “He always liked my sauce!”
It might be speculated that even with the changing face of the city, with many more ethnicities and traditions in the mix all over town, it may not be strictly marinara, but it still might be possible to tell the neighborhood by its sauce. •
Bruce Newbury’s Dining Out talk radio show is heard on 920 WHJJ-AM, 1540 WADK-AM and on mobile applications. He can be reached by email at bruce@brucenewbury.com.
