The Culinary Hub of Providence (CHOP) Serves Global Cuisine in the Providence Public Library

A restaurant inside a library is a novel idea to begin with, but it’s the mission behind Culinary Hub of Providence, or CHOP, that makes it unlike any other in the city. Operated by the Genesis Center, a nonprofit organization that provides adult workforce education, in partnership with the Providence Public Library, CHOP is a hybrid restaurant serving globally inspired food and drink while operating as a culinary training program.

“This project was several years in the making,” says Joshua Riazi, CHOP’s chief operating officer and instructor of culinary arts at the Genesis Center – and a Providence Monthly Who to Watch 2024 honoree. Plans began prior to COVID and were adapted to meet the needs of the industry in a post-pandemic world. “We’re excited about it,” he adds, “because we’re trying to couple educational pieces with something that typical restaurants don’t do.”

For over 40 years, the Genesis Center has been helping adults of diverse cultures achieve economic independence and participate fully in society. The Culinary Arts program is one of several educational tracks, and according to Riazi, these students “truly make up the backbone of the restaurant industry. They’re acting as line cooks, dishwashers, maybe a dietary aid at the hospital running meals to patients. They’re passionate about the food industry, but they don’t know how to navigate their way up.” That’s what CHOP aims to do – serve as a bridge to advanced culinary career opportunities. “We show them what it takes to operate a restaurant from the ground up, from ordering to cost analyses, with the hope that they’ll be more equipped and confident to apply for managerial roles and excel in the field.”

Riazi is excited to showcase the skills and cultural food understanding that his students bring to the table, both locally and from their home countries. “One of my students knew how to make Haitian puff pastries for a particular meat patty dish, and it turns out the complexity of making the pastry equated to an understanding of French baking. This is just one example. We have amazing cultural knowledge in Rhode Island,” Riazi observes, and harnessing this knowledge allows their menu to be globally diverse. The team works together to find clever ways to incorporate different influences and flavors. “The ultimate goal is to make a restaurant that people enjoy and want to come back to,” he continues.

Part of CHOP’s unique setup allows students to “own” their ideas and see them through to fruition. A pitch fest in the classroom will determine which items will fill CHOP’s pastry case, with students voting on their favorites. Once selected, the student must consider questions like: “How do I adapt the recipe to be affordable if the ingredients are costly?” or “What will make this stand out from other pastries?” Riazi aims to break barriers that typically inhibit his students’ confidence by giving them a safe space to experiment. “What they need is to learn on the job and believe they’re capable.”

Since the soft opening in mid-summer, followed by their grand opening on October 9, the team at CHOP has served breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday, and occasional dinners with craft cocktails. They have plans to expand their hours and host a series of culinary demonstrations and events. “We have the desire to invite chefs to lead their own pop-ups, offer demos, or be showcased in a way that they might not have the opportunity for, while working with our trainees to educate them as well.”

Located across from Res American Bistro and Trinity Rep, CHOP is accessible through the library or from a separate door on Washington Street. With an option to sit along the bar, at large wooden tables, or in cozy nooks with comfy chairs, the space – designed by local visionary Kyla Coburn – creates a sense of community, whether meeting new people or gathering for a meeting, while dining on inspired dishes.

“What are we? What is our concept and brand?” Riazi asks. “We have the opportunity to experiment and be more than one thing. We have two customers – the one who eats and the one who learns.”

Culinary Hub of Providence

211 Washington Street

429-2450 • CulinaryHubPVD.com