Save the date

The Genesis Center will host Food for Thought on Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Botanical Center of Roger Williams Park, Providence. The fundraiser will pair food samples from 30 restaurants with wines from seven local vineyards including those that makeup the Coastal Wine Trail of Southeast New England. Participating restaurants include Ada’s Creations, Apsara, Aspire, Caffe Dolce Vita, CAV, Desserts by Jack Williamson, Don Gallo, El Centroamericano, El Chapincinto, El Rancho Grande, Gaga’s, Geppettos, Gracie’s, Julian’s, Liberty Elm, Machu Picchu, Mediterraneo, Mr. Peabody’s Café, P.H.A.T., Wings, Rasoi, Sunrise Land Shrimp, Sin Desserts and Trinity Brewhouse. General admission is $50. A VIP Champagne hour is $100 (5:30 to 6:30 p.m.) and includes premium wines, first-choice cuisine, cooking demonstrations by chef Joe Hafner of Gracie’s and a meet the food writers with Linda Beaulieu, Normand LeClair, Stephanie Obodda, David Rocheleau and Philadelphia-based Holly Moore, owner of the former restaurant bearing her name and currently the owner of www.hollyeats.com.

Coming up

Vasa Day will be held Saturday, Sept. 6, at 11 a.m. at Little Rhody Vasa Park, Boswell Trail, Foster. Hot dogs, Swedish breads and other baked goods will be available during the celebration. Dinner at 5 p.m. will include baked stuffed chicken, boiled red potatoes, pickled beets, green beans and corn bread. Tickets are $13 for adults and $6 for children 12 and under. For reservations, call (401) 885-9356. Deadline for reservations is Saturday.

Evelyn’s Drive-In, 2335 Main Rd., Tiverton, will host Singing Out Against Hunger on Friday, Sept. 5, from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 6, and Sunday, Sept. 7, from 9:15 a.m. to 9 p.m. Bands will be playing all day. All proceeds go to East Bay Community Action Program to support food pantries.

Chez Pascal, 960 Hope St., Providence, will hold its Homage to the Tomato five-course dinner Monday, Sept. 8. Every course will incorporate the tomato. The cost is $60. For reservations, call (401) 421-4422 for reservations. The restaurant will be open for dinner on Monday nights starting Sept. 15 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. The bistro menu, three courses for $28, is still available Tuesday through Thursday in addition to the regular menu.

Waterman Grille, 4 Richmond Square, Providence, hosts a Bodega Catena Zapata wine dinner Monday, Sept. 15. Waterman Grille will host Catena wine educator Jimena Turner, who will lead guests through each selection of wine as they are paired with executive chef Michael Conetta’s four-course menu. The evening will begin with a reception at 6:30; dinner will be served at 7:30. The cost is $79. Reserve at (401) 521-9229 or visit www.watermangrille.com.

Francis Farm, 27 Francis Farm Rd., Rehoboth, (508) 252-3212, will hold a public clambake on Monday at 1 p.m. with chowder, clam cakes, clams, fish, dressing, onions, sausage, corn, white and sweet potato, brown bread and watermelon. Substitute entree plates are available. Reservations are necessary. The next bake will be Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 6:30 p.m.

The Granite Theatre of Westerly is offering a Benefit Wine & Beer Tasting Event on Wednesday, Sept. 17, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Westerly Yacht Club, Beach Street. The event is sponsored by The Wine Store of Westerly and costs $20. Many wines from all over the world will be paired with cheese, fruit and appetizers. For information, call the theater box office at (401) 596-2341.

Cigar Masters Providence at the Westin will hold a grand opening from Tuesday, Sept. 9, through Saturday, Sept. 13, with drinks, food, and daily cigar functions sponsored by vendors and brands including Cohiba, Rocky Patel, Montecristo and Arturo Fuente. The five-day event will incorporate local restaurants and various liquor companies such as Macallan, Grey Goose and Hennesey.

The Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival will be Friday to Sunday, Sept. 5 to 7, in Norwalk, Conn. Features include Family Day on Sunday, Sept. 7, with a Marvel Super Heroes Show, $15 for unlimited rides and admission price, one child age 5 to 12 free when accompanied by a paid adult. Headline entertainers are Los Lonely Boys on Friday, The Oak Ridge Boys on Saturday and Sister Sledge featuring Kathy Sledge on Sunday. Admission prices at the gate are $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and $3 for children ages 5 to 12. Purchase tickets at seaport.org.

A Chinese Dumpling Eating Contest will be held Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Chinese Dragon Boat Races and Taiwan Day Festival, School Street Pier, Pawtucket. Sign up is $10 for a chance to win $200. Call the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council at (401) 724-2200.

Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery, 417 Hixbridge Rd., Westport, Mass., will hold an Edible South Shore Launch Party and fundraiser for SEMAP on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 1 to 3 p.m., rain or shine. Enjoy music and sample products from many local farms and artisanal producers. For tickets, call (508) 636-3423 ext. 2 or buy them online at www.westportrivers.com.

On the menu

Phillips Candy House has teamed up with Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids to help raise funds for community based children’s charities and medical research organizations by introducing the signature Yoouukk! milk chocolate bar. The bar, which retails for $3, will be sold at Fenway Park on Sept. 3 when the Sox play the Baltimore Orioles at 1:35 p.m. The bar is available now online at phillipschocolate.com and at both Phillips locations, 818 Morrissey Blvd. in Dorchester and at South Shore Plaza in Braintree or by calling (800) 722-0905. All of the net proceeds from the chocolate bar sales will be donated to Hits for Kids.

Waterman Grille, 4 Richmond Square, Providence, (401) 521-9229, offers a fixed-price menu on Monday nights featuring three-courses for $19.95.

Mr. Peabody’s, 2005 Broad St., Cranston, (401) 941-2258, www.mrpeabodyscafe.com, is open Tuesday through Sunday and Monday holidays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. They offer 24/7 catering. Among the items on their menu are veggie ricotta Parmesan cheese frittata over wild mixed greens; turkey, ham, havarti, baby spinach, onion and Russian dressing sandwich with a side; veggie chili and red, white and clear chowder.

Classes

DeWolf Tavern, Thames Street Landing, 259 Thames St., Bristol, (401) 254-2005, www.dewolftavern.com , has scheduled chef Sai Viswanath’s fall cooking classes. They consist of a four-course dinner with no more than eight participants. The cost is $110 and $40 for a guest. They are set for Sunday, Sept. 21, Early Fall Bounty, and Sunday, Nov. 16, Vegetarian Bounty. Call Sarah Chase to reserve at (401) 254-2005.

Barbara Holtzman, a psychotherapist and author, holds a six-week workshop, Making Peace with Food & Your Body, on Tuesday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., beginning Oct. 7 at All That Matters. Also, on Saturday, Nov. 1, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., there will be a one-day workshop on the same topic. To register, call at (401) 789-0777.

On TV

The new edition of TV

Maitre d’ with Joe Zito, tvmaitred.com, seen Sundays at 11 a.m. on Channel 64 and at 11:30 a.m. on Channel 12, features Two Forty Two Restaurant and Lounge; Mariner Grille, Narragansett; Camille’s al fresco Roman garden; Venda Ravioli and wines from Washington state with Mark Gasbarro at Café Nuovo. The show also airs Saturdays at 7 a.m. on Channel 64.

This week and weekend

Gallery Z, 259 Atwells Ave., Providence, (401) 454-8844, partners this month with Ruth’s Chris Steak House for Food, Art and Wine night tomorrow from 5:30 to 8 p.m. View the exhibition “Prints & Multiples” while sampling food from the restaurant and wines from around the world.

Industry news

The Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association will offer a ServSafe Food Safety Manager’s Food Sanitization and Recertification class on Tuesday, Sept. 23, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Rhode Island Community Food Bank, 200 Niantic Ave., Providence. The program is appropriate for restaurant owners, managers, kitchen staff and waitstaff. The cost is $73.95 for members and $83.95 for nonmembers. Register at (401) 223-1220 or visit www.rihospitality.org.