Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio Uncork the Future of Public Media

The annual culinary and wine event will feature special guest PBS chef Mary Ann Esposito

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Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio Uncork the Future of Public Media
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The newly merged Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio is thrilled to announce the details for Uncorking the Future, the organization’s culinary and wine event. The event will be part of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (PWCVB) Providence Culinary Collective.

Key details:

  • When: Friday, March 28, 2025
    • VIP Reception at 5 p.m., General Admission at 6 p.m.
  • Where: WaterFire Arts Center in Providence, Rhode Island
  • Tickets go on sale February 18, 2025

PBS Chef Mary Ann Esposito Joins the Event

PBS chef Mary Ann Esposito will join Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio as the event’s celebrity guest. VIP ticket holders will enjoy an exclusive pre-event reception with Esposito from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a book signing open to all attendees.

Celebrating the Future of Rhode Island Public Media

Uncorking the Future is the organization’s largest fundraising event. This year, the event celebrates the merger between Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio, a historic decision that was approved by Attorney General Peter Neronha in April 2024.

An Evening of Culinary Delights and Entertainment

Guests can anticipate an enticing selection of small bites and beverage samples provided by top restaurants, confectionaries, distilleries, breweries, and vineyards from Rhode Island and southeastern New England. Event highlights will include live performances by bands featured in the local series Ocean State Sessions, an instant-win wine grab, and both live and silent auctions.

About Mary Ann Esposito

Mary Ann Esposito
Credit: John W. Hession

Mary Ann Esposito is the creator and host of the nationally televised PBS series, Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito and the author of 14 cookbooks including her most recent, Ciao Italia: Plant. Harvest. Cook! Through Ciao Italia and appearances on other programs including The Today Show, the Food Network, Discovery Channel, Fox, RAI International, The Victory Garden, and many others, she has been able to share traditional Italian cooking, history, and culture with audiences around the world. Mary Ann has worked beside world-renowned chefs like Julia Childs and Jacques Pepin.

This cabbage roll soup has all the comforting flavors of traditional cabbage rolls — tender cabbage, hearty turkey, warm spices, and rich tomato broth — but without the fuss. It’s a one-pot, simmer-until-cozy kind of meal that makes the whole kitchen smell incredible.
This sweet potato casserole is classic comfort made wonderfully simple. With pantry staples and just a few minutes of prep, you’ll have a creamy, cinnamon-spiced dish that bakes up beautifully and fills the kitchen with the smell of maple and vanilla. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Meet the quesadilla you didn’t know you needed: turkey, cheese, and bright cranberries folded into a warm tortilla and cooked until perfectly crisp. It’s a cozy, kid-friendly recipe that feels both comforting and unexpected.
Meet your new brunch hero: a sweet-and-savory plantain breakfast hash topped with fresh chimichurri. It’s easy to make, packed with bold flavor, and perfect for feeding a crowd or meal-prepping a few breakfasts ahead of time.
If you’re craving something cozy, flavorful, and easy to make, these sweet potato empanadas check every box. A cheesy yam dough wrapped around a spiced black-bean filling? Yes, please. They fry up beautifully in just a few minutes and disappear even faster.
Looking for a quick treat that feels gourmet but requires almost no effort? Enter: maple-candied pecans. They’re crunchy, cinnamon-kissed, and dangerously munchable — perfect for topping salads, gifting to friends, or eating by the handful while you “wait for them to cool.”