Paul Cullen has been called many things and all of them are good. Cullen is a musician, song writer, sommelier, chef, and travel guru. Some call him a Renaissance Man.
For four decades, Cullen was the bass player for the rock band known as Bad Company. He recalls those days fondly and muses about the topsy turvy life he’s led. When that gig ended Cullen found that he had to reinvent himself. He owns The Room located on Cedar Grove Road in Lewes but that’s just for starters.
Cullen and his team will also come to your home and prepare a four course Italian meal for you and guests. His middle name is Tagliaferro so he knows Italian cuisine. Cullen and company prepare your meal in your own kitchen. How is that for “no muss, no fuss”?
Cullen is also a Sommelier and Italian Wine Importer so he is prepared to select wines that can enhance each course. There is no obligation to select one of Cullen’s signature wines, but it might be worth checking them out. Cullen has 14 years of experience dealing with Italian wines.
For those looking for something a bit more adventurous, Cullen and his wife also organize food travel tours to places like Tuscany, Cuba, Greece, France and other faraway places. His trips blend food, wine, and music along with itineraries that feature emersions into the culture and scenery of each country visited. His 2025 schedule is posted on his website.
But back to The Room at Cedar Grove. This is as close as one comes locally to a dinner/show cabaret experience. Shows typically include a three course dinner. Popular entertainer Holly Lane performs at The Room as does jazz singer Deanna Bogart. Tickets typically sell out quickly.
Cullen does a lot of fundraisers for charities under the signature Paul Kares. His August 4th fundraiser at Hudson Fields from 5 pm to 9 pm is one of them. It’s a benefit for young musicians and it features Mike Hine and The Look PLUS the Funsters.
Under the banner of his non-profit “Paul Kares, Cullen hosts fundraising events throughout the year to raise awareness and funds to enable us to fulfill our goal of assisting children who need financial support to attend educational seminars, workshops and classes in their chosen field or to purchase musical instruments and culinary/kitchen tools and equipment.
Cullen had raised over $200,000 for the local community by donating his In-Home Dining Experience for live auction items to local charities like Beebe Hospital, Children’s Beach Home & Habitat for Humanity. It was the catalyst for creating Paul Kares.
Cullen continues to compose music and he performs using a nylon-string guitar. Since 2007, he has released five solo albums, He also continues to perform live on stage.
Cullen’s latest venture includes a big announcement:
Mary Jo Tarallo spent much of her career in public relations with various non-profits and spent 40 years involved with the ski industry as a journalist, public relations director for a national trade association and as executive director of the Learn to Ski and Snowboard initiative. Prior to her ski industry involvement she worked for the Maryland International Center in Baltimore and United Way of Central Maryland. She won a Gold Award for TV programming for a United Way simulcast that starred Ophrah Winfrey. She has been cited for her work by numerous organizations. Mary Jo grew up in Baltimore, attended the University of Maryland and Towson University, lived in Washington, DC for 21 years and has been a full time resident of Rehoboth Beach and Milton since May 2019.
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