Pete Kittredge joins our kitchen this season as Head Chef. A native of Portsmouth, RI, it’s safe to say Pete knows New England comfort food. Thirty-three years in the food service industry has taken him all around Rhode Island, from college food services to catering to a gourmet food market and a country club. Pete has worked in nearly every type of kitchen in a variety of roles. It’s hard to imagine there’s any type of cooking he hasn’t done. We caught up with Pete while he was mixing a giant batch of chocolate chip cookie dough to learn more.
Q: How did you get into cooking?
I’ve been working in kitchens for over thirty-three years. I started in school food service when I was 19, working for Sodexo washing dishes as a part-time job while I was at URI studying international business management. As I began to rise in the ranks, I discovered I enjoyed what I was doing; cooking started to feel like a possible career path. I switched gears and got my culinary degree from Johnson & Wales. I moved up within the company rather quickly after that and was running the kitchen at Providence College by the time I was 23 years old. Since then I’ve worked in many different kitchens, including the Rhode Island Country Club and The Market on the Boulevard in Newport.
Q: What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from working in professional kitchens?
Stay organized and trust your team.
Q: What do you enjoy about cooking the most?
I like “playing” with food and getting creative; experimenting with flavors and trying new things. Most of all, I enjoy working with a team. No team, no food.
Q: There are always some good tunes playing in the kitchen. What do you choose when it’s your turn to pick?
80s or 90s rock is my favorite but I’ll listen to anything as long as it keeps the energy level high.
Q: What’s the most memorable meal you ever cooked?
My team and I prepared veal tenderloin stuffed with shrimp, lobster, and scallops for Cardinal Sodano when I was just 23 years old. He was second-in-command to Pope John Paul II at the time. Cardinal Sodano visited Providence College in the 1990s when I was in charge of the kitchen so I had the privilege of catering the event. It was one of the highest-profile dinners I’ve ever been part of and I am proud to say it was a big success.
Q: What is your favorite type of New England comfort food?
I love blueberry crisp and any kind of fisherman's stew. I grew up fly fishing with my dad in his home state of Maine and that connection to the land and sustainability of local/regional products is very important to me.
Q: What excites you most about our farm?
The potential. We’re fortunate to be able to grow all this incredible food right here. The possibilities for seasonal dishes fires up my imagination. Syncing up my food prep plans with what’s fresh and in season is exciting because you know you have built-in maximum flavor.
Q: You’ve worked in nearly every type of kitchen. What brings you to our farm kitchen?
I live on Aquidneck Island and have been visiting Sweet Berry Farm with my children since they were little. They played on the low-lying tree and picked strawberries. This is a special place for us that holds lots of memories. But most of all, this place is an experience. It’s rare to have access to active farmland like this these days. The strawberries, apples, berries, and everything grown here are a reminder that making something good takes time. I love that a community has grown around this farm with regular customers who have been coming here for decades. This is a very special place and I’m excited to become a part of it.
One thing is for certain, Chef Pete cares a lot about food. He brings energy, enthusiasm, and a passion for classic, New England comfort food to our kitchen. We think he’ll fit right in.
Our staff, especially Chef Brian, has been very involved in the transition to ensure that Chef Pete is up to speed on our recipes, practices, and, perhaps most importantly, the protocol on choosing which music we listen to in the kitchen.