Shift Drinks is a new weekly column on WhatsUpNewp that hopes to highlight local hospitality professionals around town. With so many unique, talented and passionate individuals working in the service industry, this series aims to introduce some new faces, feature some familiar ones and give you an insight into their lives outside the workplace. In case you missed our first two interviews, here they are – Shift Drinks: Justine King, The Mooring and Shift Drinks: Matt Plumb, Brick Alley Pub.
Shift Drinks continues this week with Marc St. Laurent! Most of you recognize Marc from Zelda’s, where he has worked for the past twelve years. Marc is originally from Freetown, Massachusetts and has worked in the restaurant industry for more than two decades.
Marc began waiting tables at Freestones City Grill in downtown New Bedford and first arrived in Newport in the fall of 1999, looking to continue working in restaurants. He was hired at the Rhino Bar, currently the Surf Club, and after his first summer in town he decided to head south to Naples, Florida to explore season work between both cities. Marc returned in the spring of 2000 and was hired at Johnny’s Atlantic Beach Club, where he would work for three summers. Marc currently works as the bar manager at Zelda’s on lower Thames Street.
Marc lives in Jamestown with his girlfriend Amanda and is the proud father of two beautiful children, his 3-year-old son Harvey and his newborn baby girl Sabrina. When he’s not working or spending time with his family, you can find Marc somewhere on a golf course with a cold Bud in his hand.
Cheers, Marc!
Current Occupation?
Manager at Zelda’s
The best thing you ever drank?
A glass of 1997 Colgin Estate Cabernet.
The worst thing you ever drank?
Whatever crap Charlie and I could come up with one night out in Naples!!!
You’re offered a shot, what are you shooting?
Jameson.
Favorite bar in town?
Zeldas
Favorite bar out of town?
Usually any dive I can find! Few and far between these days!
Last book you’ve read or recommend?
Four Fish by Paul Greenberg
Favorite movie?
National Lampoon’s Vacation.
If you had to listen to one album on loop for the rest of your life, what would it be?
One album…hate to repeat but Legend, Bob Marley.
What’s a hobby you’ve had or currently have?
Love to golf!
Ideal Newport meal. (Combination of restaurants around town). Favorite App, Entree, Dessert, Drink?
Appetizer would be chowder at Castle Hill, entree would be the duck confit at Zeldas, for dessert, I’m having Salvation’s banana purses and to drink? A cold Budweiser.
What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not working?
Spend time with the family.
Preferred hangover regime?
Have another cocktail.
Biggest pet-peeve while working?
People being rude.
If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would they be?
My parents and Amanda.
Place you’d like to visit the most?
Chile.
Last meal?
A great steak!
What’s your spirit animal?
A hawk.
What’re you most afraid of?
How crazy people can be…
If you owned a boat, what would you name it?
S.S. Minnow
If you could change one thing about Newport, what would it be?
More bars!
Weirdest request you’ve ever been asked while working?
To leave the bar and go make out in a car, directly in front of my parents!!! Laughs!
If you had one superpower what would it be?
Flight.
What do you know now that you wish you’d known ten years ago?
Buy a house!
Zelda’s is located at 528 Thames Street and online at http://www.zeldasnewport.com/.
Tyler Bernadyn is a local hospitality professional, bartending at Midtown Oyster Bar Wednesday through Sunday nights on the Burgee Bar and at Caleb&Broad on Monday nights for their award-winning $10 entree dinner special.
Tyler is a graduate of Providence College and a true Rhode Islander, born and bred.
Email him at TylerBernadyn@gmail.com and follow him on Instagram at @tylerbernadyn.