By Jocelyn Bogen
February 1, 2010

Providence Mayor David Cicilline and Joshua Miller, owner of Local 121 Restaurant, were awarded the first annual 2010 Mayors' Culinary Cup Award January 22, a new award program that recognizes restaurants who contribute to their communities by supporting mayoral initiatives or programs.

"The Conference of Mayors recognizes the importance of highlighting the philanthropic side of restaurants and the role they play in improving the quality of life for America's cities," said Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran. Through a partnership with the National Restaurant Association and the Culinary Institute of America, the U.S. Conference of Mayors recognized Miller who has been one of Cicilline's strongest partners in encouraging the local restaurant community's support of mayoral initiatives featured in Greenprint: Providence — the city's first-ever strategic plan on commercial recycling and sustainable practices in restaurants. Miller works closely with the mayor in advocating for sustainable economic efforts in Providence by using locally produced food and beverages. Local 121 is a Providence landmark that creates signature dishes from locally sourced ingredients: seasonal produce from local farmers, meat raised on New England pastures, and artisan suppliers.

ingredients: seasonal produce from local farmers, meat raised on New England pastures, and artisan suppliers.

National Restaurant Association President and CEO Dawn Sweeney said, "Sustainability is the new way of doing business in our industry, and local sourcing is a hot trend in restaurants this year. Mr. Miller is a great example of the positive impact these efforts can have on enhancing the quality of life for all we serve."

The Culinary Institute of America worked with Miller to create a signature dish for the awards luncheon. Local 121 Executive Chef Dave Johnson created the main dish, a stout-glazed short ribs that uses Trinity Brewhouse's Russian Imperial Stout in the glaze. Trinity Brewhouse is also owned by Miller and his wife, Nancy.

In presenting the award, Michael Kaufman, immediate Past Chairman of the Board of the National Restaurant Association and a member of the Board of the Culinary Institute of America, said, "The U.S. restaurant industry is larger — in revenue — than the US Agricultural industry, the US airlines industry, and the US motion picture industry, combined. We employ 13 million Americans. We provide first jobs (over ¼ of Americans had their first job in our industry) and extraordinary careers. When you think about economic stimulus, for every dollar spent in a restaurant, an additional $2.05 of economic impact is created — benefiting our employees, our nation's farmers and food and beverage manufacturers, our suppliers of credit, maintenance, construction, non-food supplies, technology and the list goes on."