Tag: Katie Kelly

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Foodies Unite!

Recently, the WorcesterFoodies group united with the culinary expertise of Niche Hospitality’s The People’s Kitchen. Owner Michael Covino, Chef Bill Nemeroff, and Wine Director Katie Kelly designed a special 3-course meal and wine pairing for our members and guests to enjoy.

The People’s Kitchen features local, artisan and hand crafted meals created by passionate, food loving professionals so it was a perfect match for our WorcesterFoodies group.

Our evening started with a locally-sourced, roasted root vegetable panzanella of beets, butternut squash and parsnip, drizzled with a maple vinaigrette. The deep, rich flavors of the root vegetables were balanced perfectly with the lightly sweet maple vinaigrette.

The Tahitian Vanilla and Valrhona Cocoa Brined Double Bone Pork Chop

The panzanella got our meal off to a wonderful start and we knew we would be in for something special.

Our palettes were cleansed with an intermezzo of apricot sorbet with fresh tarragon. The apricot sorbet by itself, was outstanding, but the fresh tarragon added a sweet licorice flavor that worked perfectly with the sorbet.

Shortly before our meal was served Chef Bill Nemeroff came out to introduce our main course, a Tahitian Vanilla and Valrhona Cocoa Brined Double Bone Pork Chop, served with Grafton cheddar mashed potato and fresh vegetables. The perfectly cooked pork chop was tender and extremely flavorful but the vanilla and cocoa added such an unusual twist that it really brought this dish to another level. The accompanying potatoes and vegetables were also outstanding.

With our first two courses, the staff at The People’s Kitchen pushed our taste buds to new limits, and they certainly didn’t disappoint with dessert. Chef Nemeroff and his staff prepared an Almond Joy Bread Pudding with Coco Puff Streusel that was unquestionably a fantastic finish to a tremendous meal. Moist and rich, this smoothly textured bread pudding had hints of chocolate and coconut woven into the custard covered bread and was topped with a warm, rich chocolate drizzle.

The People’s Kitchen is certainly one of Worcester’s jewels and if you have not been there, put it on your “short list” of restaurants to visit. Located at One Exchange Place, TPK is a wonderful place to enjoy an outstanding meal with friends and family. But be ready to be challenged, as the menu is diverse and exciting.

Chef Bill Nemeroff explaining his food and wine pairings to the Worcester Foodies group.
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Who Picks The Wines?

Katie Kelly the Wine Director of The Citizen in Exchange Place in Worcester.
Katie Kelly the Wine Director of The Citizen in Exchange Place in Worcester.

There is little doubt that the most glamorous job in a bar is the bartender. As the “front man” for the establishment, the bartender is able to set the mood for the evening, while at the same time, entertaining, mixing, and helping patrons choose the right concoctions for the night. While this role is essential, lets not overlook the person who actually chooses what wine and drinks will be made available to begin with.

Niche Hospitality Group—the parent company of Mezcal Tequila Cantina, Bocado, Still & Stir, The Peoples Kitchen, and The Citizen Wine Bar— made a fantastic choice when they brought Katie Kelly on as the Wine Director in June. Coming from Ceres Bistro, Katie’s background includes a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from UMass Amherst, advanced education through a Sommelier Certification from the Guild of Master Sommeliers, and working experience at The Breakers in Palm Beach, FL.

Some of her favorite wines today are from Southern Italy and Washington State and she is excited about what is coming from both regions because of the balance of bold fruit flavors, acidity and minerality found in their wines, Katie has diversified the wine list at The Citizen Wine Bar, which now consist of 37 wines but will soon be expanded to 70 wines that include sparkling, whites, rosé, reds, and an array of dessert wines.

The Velvet Devil, a Washington State merlot avaiable at The Citizen.

As the Wine Director at The Citizen Wine Bar, Katie not only is charged with the task of selecting some of the best wines from around the world, but also keeping the list fresh. Listening to the customers is a key. “We keep wine as long as people love them and they’re the best fit for what we need,” Katie said in an August interview. “I am always looking for honest feedback about what our customers think of the list. If a wine is not working, I start looking for a better option.”

Katie is quick to point out, “The price doesn’t determine if a wine will be good.” But when choosing a wine, price, along with flavor are the two most important aspects to choosing a wine for the wine list. “I try to set a price in mind and continually taste in that price range until I find what I consider to be a great value wine,” says Katie.

Most of us are not wine connoisseurs but Worcester has many outstanding local resources to learn about wine. Wine Nation in Millbury and KJ Baarons and Julio’s of Worcester offer free tastings and have a knowledgeable staff that is ready to offer advice and suggestions. “The best way to expand your horizons and enhance your palate is to continually taste different wines,” says Katie. And one of the best places in Worcester to try some new wines is The Citizen Wine Bar in Exchange Place, including “The Velvet Devil” Washington Merlot by Charles Smith, Raymond Barrel to Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon, or La Cappuccina Soave.