November 4, 2010 - Blackstone Caterers Changes Owners

Vol. 38, No. 44
BORN FREE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2010
Blackstone Caterers Changes Owners
By Andrea E. McHugh
Blackstone Caterers, a 65 year-old catering and event planning company based
in Middletown, was purchased by current general manager of the catering operation, John Edick, on Novermber 1st. The
company had been part of Newport Harbor Corporation (NHC), best known for
it’s stable of Rhode Island hospitality and
event businesses including the Newport
Yachting Center Marina & Special Events,
Castle Hill Inn & Resort, and the Newport
Restaurant Group, since November of
2008. “[It] was actually a surprise,” says NHC
president and chief executive officer Paul
O’Reilly about Edick’s proposal to buy the
company, “but John came in with a very attractive offer.”
Edick, 58, came to NHC in 2006 with a
stellar background as chef and business
entrepreneur, and retaining the existing
New owner John Edick and Executive Chef Derek
Blackstone team and employees will be
a priority for Edick as Blackstone moves forward. “It was a big part of it,” he said, adding
1986 and today serves as facilities manager.
that especially during a depressed economy,
Tim Emery also joined in 1986 and is a chef;
it is essential to make the people who helped Barb Stover in 1987, started as a server and is
grow the business a top priority. The assurance
an event manager, Chris Schneider joined in
that employees would maintain their jobs put
1993 and Dave Tungett joined in 1995, and he’s
NHC executives at ease, agreed O’Reilly. “Part
now our equipment manager,” noted Edick.
of the attractiveness of his offer was that John
The business, which originated in Central
would hold on to the management team, and Falls, had been bought in the early 1980s by
they know the business,” added O’Reilly.
Donald Desrosiers of Newport. In 1992, with
Founded in 1945 as a family business, Black- co-owners Mary Beth Dolohanty and Patricia
stone Caterers grew exponentially as man- Coussa, the trio bought the former Crest Farm
sion parties and non-profit fund-raisers at area at 43 Memorial Boulevard, which became The
hotels or under sprawling tents became the
Market on the Boulevard (later renamed The
rage in Newport’s more modern history. As
Market-Newport Gourmet), with the catering
the multi-million dollar enterprise expanded, arm operating out of the back half of the buildmost especially with Newport defining itself as ing. They sold Blackstone to restaurateur Hena destination wedding locale, the company’s ry “Hank” Kates, owner of the Cheeky Monkey
reputation became one of the most enviable
(which has since moved to Narragansett under
in Southern New England’s burgeoning cater- the ownership of Executive Chef Jeff Cruff and
ing industry, a fact not lost on Edick. “Over the his wife Stephanie) in 2000.
years we’ve worked really hard to build and
Edick says returning Blackstone to its roots
maintain the level of quality and experience as a family business is important, and keephere,” he said, explaining there is a palpable ing the staff, headed by Executive Chef Derek
pride among Blackstone employees. “There’s a Jolie, will ensure a seamless transition. “We’re
lot of tradition that goes with being a caterer. always interested in improving our style and
You have to be a special person and really inter- quality, but as far as growing, we just want to
ested in what you do.” A testament of that dedi- do good quality food and continue the tradication, says Edick, is evident in the number of
tion of the past,” he said. “Corporate growth
employees that have been with the company
is something corporations talk about; we talk
10, 15, even 24 years.
about food.” Operations will be maintained
“Dan Laramee started … as a dishwasher in out of the 10,000 square-foot state-of-the-art
Jolie will continue Blackstone Caterer’s legacy of
leadership. (Photos by RobThorn)
showroom, culinary and catering facility at Middletown’s Aquidneck Corporate Park.
NHC has seen sweeping changes and extensive
growth since they were founded in 1925 as Newport Oil Corporation by J. T. O’Connell. In 1995, the
fuel oil businesses were sold to an out-of-state
entity and the company began to focus on Newport’s burgeoning hospitality industry with the
opening of the Newport Yachting Center prior to
1980. Their recent strategy has been acquiring and
opening new restaurants across the state including Hemenway’s Seafood Grille & Oyster Bar and
Waterman Grille in Providence, The Boathouse in
Tiverton, Trio in Narragansett and their latest addition, Hemenway’s Dockside Dining in East Greenwich, which joined NHC’s other four restaurants in
Newport: Castle Hill Inn & Resort, a Relais & Chateaux property; 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille; The
Smokehouse Café; and The Mooring. The sale of
Blackstone, said O’Reilly, allows the company to
focus their efforts and capital on their existing
businesses, and as far as growing their restaurant
group, he adds, “We’re always looking selectively
to grow; we always have an eye out.”
To date this year, the culinary and event team at
Blackstone Caterers has orchestrated more than
150 private events, 115 weddings and 90 corporate events across Southern New England. Said
O’Reilly with confidence, “It’s going to be in good
hands.”
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