Safari Room at OceanCliff claimed first place Sunday in the Mac & Cheese Smackdown, the final event of the 38th Annual Newport Winter Festival.

Caleb & Broad finished second, and Skiff Bar at Marriott rounded out the top three in the competition.

The Mac & Cheese Smackdown capped off a festival filled with culinary competitions. Earlier in the festival, The Reef took top honors in the Annual Hot Drink Contest on Feb. 20, with Jo’s American Bistro placing second and Red Parrot third. The 29th Annual Chili Cook-Off on Feb. 15 saw Caleb & Broad claim first place, Skiff Bar at Marriott finish second, and Jo’s American Bistro place third. Diego’s won the best decorated award, and the Newport Fire Department was inducted into the Chili Cook-Off Hall of Fame.

The 38th Annual Newport Winter Festival ran Feb. 13–22 across Newport, alongside the 9th Annual Newport Burger Bender, a 10-day competition featuring 60 restaurants from across Newport and Bristol counties.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020).

He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide.

Ryan is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, Online News Association, and Local Independent Online News Publishers. He is committed to the codes of ethics of these organizations: accuracy, independence, accountability, and transparency.

In Newport, Ryan served on the boards of the Fort Adams Trust and Potter League for Animals, and hosted a daily radio talk show for four years.

In 2021, Ryan moved to Alexandria, Virginia, to support his wife Jen's career. He launched The Alexandria Brief in 2025, applying what he learned in Newport to a new community. With the help of some talented on-the-ground contributors, he still runs What's Up Newp — and always will.

Contact: ryan@whatsupnewp.com.