I was able to attend the reception and sneak preview of the season premiere for WSBE Rhode Island’s local program, New England Portrait held last night at The Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales University’s Harborside Campus. There were a lot of people there to help celebrate the debut of this program and help support the Rhode Island PBS affiliate. This particular show was entitled “The History of New England Diners”.
Many people who were involved with the production were on hand including the Silva family, owners of the Hope Diner of Bristol, RI, Phil & Celeste Paleologos of New Bedford’s Shawmut Diner, Roger Champagne formerly of Champ’s Diner of Woonsocket, RI as well as my friend, Richard Gutman, Director of the Culinary Arts Museum (and author of 3 books on the history of Diners).
This show was well produced, in fact of the many television shows done on the subject of diners I have seen or been involved with, this one in my opinion was one of the best put together and cohesive productions to date. The show interspersed Dick Gutman talking about the fine points of diner history with the diner owners talking about running the diners as well as the many regular customers of all the diners talking about the sense of camaraderie and community that diners foster. It was extremely entertaining.
I think kudos are in order for host Mary Lou Palumbo and all the people involved with the production. A job well done (and over easy). The program is scheduled to air on WSBE, Monday June 2nd at 7 PM and will repeat on Sunday, June 8th at 11:30 AM.
Below are 3 pictures taken at the reception prior to the screening.
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