Featuring Amy Traverso and Elyse Major 

Johnson & Wales University invites media to attend Divine Providence – A Culinary Conversation with Yankee, an exploration of New England food culture, culinary traditions, and the stories behind the region’s most iconic dishes. The event will feature an engaging conversation between Amy Traverso, Senior Food Editor at Yankee Magazine, and Elyse Major, Editor-in-Chief at Hey Rhody Media Co.  

The conversation will ask the question, ‘What is New England food and in particular what is Rhode Island food/cuisine?’ The conversation will explore some of the history and perceptions that define New England and Rhode Island cuisine while intermingling personal stories and favorites.  

It is free and open to the public, though registration is required and space is limited. Please identify that you are press when registering.  

WHEN: March 27, 2026 

•  8:30–9:00 a.m. — Coffee and light breakfast  

• 9:00–9:45 a.m. — Culinary conversation program 

WHERE: Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales University 
315 Harborside Boulevard, Providence, RI 02905  

Members of the media interested in attending the event are asked to RSVP by March 26 

GUEST BIOS 

Amy Traverso 

Amy Traverso is the Senior Food Editor at Yankee Magazine and co-host of the national public television series Weekends with Yankee. Her work has also appeared in The Boston Globe, Saveur, Travel & Leisure, and more, and she has made television appearances on Hallmark’s Home & Family, The Martha Stewart Show, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. She is the author of the award-winning Apple Lover’s Cookbook, a finalist for the Julia Child First Book Award and winner of an IACP Cookbook Award. Traverso lives in the Boston area and is a graduate of Smith College. 

Elyse Major 

Elyse Major is an award‑winning lifestyle journalist and the Editor‑in‑Chief at Hey Rhody Media Co., publisher of Providence Monthly, The Bay Magazine, SO Rhode Island, and Hey Rhody. Since taking the editorial helm in 2018, she has overseen content development across all publications, written cover stories and lifestyle features, and contributed to national magazines including Better Homes & Gardens, Country Living, and Farmhouse Style. She was named co‑president of the Rhode Island Press Association in 2021 and has received multiple awards for her writing. 

About JWU 

Founded in 1914, Johnson & Wales University is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with more than 8,000 graduate, undergraduate and online students at its campuses in Providence, Rhode Island and Charlotte, North Carolina. An innovative educational leader, the university offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in arts and sciences, business, food innovation, hospitality, nutrition, and health and wellness. It also offers undergraduate programs in culinary arts, dietetics and design. JWU’s unique model provides students with the personalized attention, academic expertise and industry connections that inspire professional success and personal growth. The time students spend at JWU is nothing short of transformative, as demonstrated by career outcomes, expected earnings and economic mobility rankings. The university’s impact is global, with alumni in 125 countries pursuing careers worldwide. For more information, visit jwu.edu.