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Natural Awakenings Westchester / Putnam / Dutchess New York

Natural Awakenings' 2014 Chef, Restaurant & Farm Profiles

Photo: Glynwood

Looking for real, organic or pasture-raised food? Looking for a great farm-to-table or vegan restaurant, caterer or a personal chef? Lucky for you, something’s always cooking in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess where fresh, sustainable and delicious are just around the corner.

 

Bareburger Organic

A Restaurant & Bar

265 N. Central Ave., Hartsdale, NY 10530

914.949.2900 • Bareburger.com/restaurant/265-n-central-ave/

Tell us about your business. Bareburger restaurant offers mouth-watering organic burgers and sandwiches, fresh salads, delicious shakes and sharable snacks. Our belief is that organic food tastes better and is better for you, and that sourcing our ingredients locally benefits our communities.

What’s on the menu? Our menu features a variety of meats, including traditional beef, chicken, turkey and lamb; exotic options such as elk, bison, ostrich and boar; and mushroom, veggie and black bean burgers for our vegetarian and vegan guests. Bareburger also offers a number of savory and sweet salads, organic beer and wine, and kid-friendly cubby meals for the littlest diners. Our food is organic, grass-fed, lean, all-natural, pasture-raised, fair-trade, uncured, cage-free, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, pesticide-free, herbicide-free, ammonia-free, nitrate-free, GMO-free, preservative-free, rBGH-free (no growth hormones), dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free and high-fructose corn syrup-free.

Any specials? We have daily lunch specials Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; happy hour Monday-Friday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m.; and brunch Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. We also offer catering.

What is your goal or professional passion? We strive to serve the cleanest organic and all-natural foods in a clean, comfortable, fun and sustainable environment.

 

Bewies Holistic Market

430 Bedford Rd., Armonk, NY 10504

914.273.9437 • [email protected]Bewies.com

Tell us about your business. Bewies Holistic Market is a community-centered store. We search the United States for all-natural and organic products that offer healthy alternatives to our customers with food and allergy sensitivities. 

What services or products do you offer? We offer gluten-free menus, organic produce, vegetarian and vegan breakfast and lunch items, fair-trade coffee and tea, freshly made smoothies, energy bars, nuts and dried fruits, raw and dark chocolate, olive oils and vinegars, and frozen desserts.

Any classes, events, specials or limited-time offers? We’re hosting “Meet the Skincare Experts” on Thursday, July 24. Come in for a skin consultation and learn about the importance of all-natural products for your skin. 

What is your goal or professional passion? Our goal is to educate people to make smart food choices by offering unique, hard-to-find products while helping our customers achieve their health goals in a warm and friendly atmosphere. 

 

Boni-Bel Farm & Country Store

301 Doansburg Rd., Brewster, NY 10509

845.278.2060 • [email protected]GreenChimneys.org

Tell us about your business. We offer high-quality organic foods, homegrown fruits and vegetables, handcrafted gifts, and products from local farms, vendors and Green Chimneys students. As a working farm, Boni-Bel produces vegetables, fruit, flowers and maple syrup, which are used in the Green Chimneys School kitchen and classroom and sold at the Country Store. Green Chimneys is a multi-faceted nonprofit organization serving children with special needs.

What services or products do you offer? Signature products and local treats at the Country Store include Boni-Bel’s own organic fruits and vegetables, seasonal produce from local farms, local and student-made maple syrup, local and raw honey, farm-fresh eggs, artisanal cheeses, wool from Green Chimneys sheep, Green Chimneys apparel, pottery and handmade crafts, and custom gift baskets

What is your goal or professional passion? Boni-Bel Farm provides Green Chimneys School students with a rich environment in which to interact with nature as they learn about and become responsible for the farm’s many plants and discover new skills. The garden program is connected to the Green Chimneys School Life Skills class, where students also learn to cook the food they grow. The Country Store serves primarily as a vocational training site and introduces Green Chimneys students to the operations and service functions of a retail store.

 

Clock Tower Grill Kitchen & Bar

Rich Parente, Executive Chef/Owner

512 Clock Tower Dr., Brewster, NY 10509

845.582.0574 [email protected] ClockTowerGrill.com

Tell us about your business: We celebrate America’s best ingredients in a sophisticated yet casual barn-chic setting.

What services or products do you offer? During the summer we have live music on Friday nights, as well as movie night Wednesdays at sundown. We also cater both on- and off-premises; our second dining room seats 75 people.

What is your goal or professional passion? We are here to do what we love: put out awesome food at a fair price, using as much local, sustainable and organic as possible when available. The kitchen is my playground, so come in and have some fun with us, just like our motto says: EAT – LAUGH – LIVE.

 

The Blue Pig

Lisa Moir, Chef/Owner

121 Maple St., Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520

914.271.3850 • [email protected]TheBluePigIceCream.com

Tell us about your business: The Blue Pig makes homemade, locally sourced ice cream from scratch. We use milk from Hudson Valley Fresh dairy co-op and local maple syrup, honey and eggs, and we grow our own herbs and strawberries on our rooftop garden. We’ve added several new light lunch/dinner items to our menu—two or three vegetarian offerings made daily with seasonal ingredients.

What services or products do you offer? We offer 16 homemade ice cream flavors that change daily and with the seasons; coconut milk “ice cream;” ice cream cakes and pies; baked goods; and new vegetarian sides like Thai noodles, curried vegetables, couscous salad and fresh, local mixed greens. We have beautiful outdoor patio seating.

What is your goal or professional passion? We are passionate about healthy food and a healthy environment—in fact, we just won two county awards for our outstanding sustainable business practices. We strive to show by example how growing your own food and eating local is a step we can all take to help the earth.

 

Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard

Kevin Covino, Owner/Farm Manager & Christine Tartaglia, Store Manager

130 Hardscrabble Rd., N. Salem, NY 10560

914.485.1210 • [email protected]HarvestMoonFarmAndOrchard.com

Tell us about your business. Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard is a family-owned and -operated country store, farm and orchard. Our farm uses organic practices in raising our veggies and animals, although we are not officially certified organic. We are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on holidays. We are closed from Christmas through March. 

What services or products do you offer? We carry our own fresh fruits and vegetables, farm-fresh chicken and quail eggs, and grass-fed beef and turkey; local dairy products, maple syrup, honey, jams and jellies, cider doughnuts, and fresh-baked pies; and much more. We recently received our farm winery license and are planning to produce our own farm-grown and -crafted fermented hard cider (ready for spring 2015). With the license we are able to sell NY wines, liquors and beers; all ingredients are grown and harvested in NY, so everything is local.

Any classes, events, specials or time-limited offers? We are running our third season of CSA from July 3 through the end of October, providing the customer with a week’s load of fresh produce from our farm and other local farms. New for 2014, we are introducing the option of adding a weekly Ronnybrook milk share to the CSA box. As for summer events, one or two wine tastings are in the works!

What is your goal or professional passion? We encourage people to buy local, not only to support the local economy and reduce their carbon footprint, but also to get to know the farmers growing their food.

 

Healthy Culinary Creations LLC

Laurie Gershgorn, Personal Chef/Owner

914.930.1591 • [email protected]HealthyCulinaryCreations.com

Tell us about your business. Since 2007, Healthy Culinary Creations LLC has been providing food and nourishment that helps and empowers people to live a truly healthier lifestyle. My cooking style is inspired by the seasons; covers a wide range of ethnic tastes, traditional cultures and holistic philosophies; and caters to the individual needs of the customers.

What services or products do you offer? I provide freshly-prepared, delicious meals prepared in clients’ home kitchens, as well as catering, meal-planning assistance, holistic guidance, cooking classes and workshops. The emphasis is on using local, bio-farmed, organic, fair-trade ingredients to create plant-based menus. I specialize in serving those with specific food requirements and restrictions and health challenges.  

Any classes, events, specials or limited-time offers? For July and August only, I am offering 10 percent off one introductory cooking service for new clients who mention Natural Awakenings. Check my website for the events calendar.

What is your goal or professional passion? My goal is to continue to offer services that are good for the customer, community and planet by providing the highest-quality, healthiest food and juices and educating and teaching people how to use food to support a strong body, mind and spirit, while continually honing my craft and advocating sustainable farming.

 

Jolo’s Kitchen

Marc “Jolo” Moise, Owner/Chef

412 North Ave., New Rochelle, NY 10801

914.355.2527 • JolosKitchen.com

Tell us about your business. Jolo’s Kitchen opened in 2008 as a vegan restaurant with the mission of providing healthy, nutritious meals to the Westchester County community in a music- and art-filled atmosphere. We serve comfort vegan meals that are filling, healthy and satisfying.

What’s on the menu? We have a totally vegan sit-down menu with raw and gluten-free options. Our daily specials are great in a sampler platter or for a quick takeout meal. We also have vegan desserts and a juice bar. We are available for catering off-site, or book us in-house for small, private events after 8 p.m.

Any special events? We host monthly art and music showcases. For ongoing vegan events, check out our website, JolosKitchen.com, or Facebook.com/

JolosKitchenRestaurant.

What is your goal or professional passion? I am a longtime vegan, and for years I had the vision of creating a casual, music- and art-filled, affordable space where I could share my love for vegan cuisine and natural living. Mother Nature provides all we need to thrive; I do my best to honor the plants that provide us with nourishment and to create a delicious experience.

 

Mrs. Greens Natural Market

Tim Dailey, Executive Chef

Store locations: Katonah, Briarcliff Manor, Scarsdale,

Larchmont, Mahopac, Mt. Kisco, Yorktown Heights,

Dobbs Ferry, Tarrytown, Hartsdale, NY

MrsGreens.com

Tell us about your role at Mrs. Greens. I am the executive chef and work closely with management to create nutritionally flavorful dishes that are complemented by a strong aesthetic appeal. The most critical part of my job is food safety—seeing that standards are met to ensure a wholesome, unadulterated product for our customers.

What foods do you and your staff prepare at Mrs. Greens? We produce a wide range of products for the Mrs. Greens brand on a daily basis. Our kitchen handles everything from deli foods, salads and sandwiches to soups, sauces and meats. We are a USDA-certified facility, so we work closely with federal inspectors in our day-to-day operations.

Any specials or store events? Our kitchen’s products are always on sale on a rotating basis in the stores. We are currently vetting ideas for our next cooking class series. We had a great response to the last series, which ranged from fish tacos to quiche.

What is your goal or professional passion? I really enjoy teaching the craft of cooking and hope I can become as generous and patient as the chefs who gave me the training and experience that have gotten me where I am. There are a lot of traditions in professional kitchens, and part of my goal is to ensure they do not get lost in the noise.

 

Ryder Farm Cottage Industries

Betsey Ryder, Owner of Ryder Farm

400 Starr Ridge Rd., Brewster, NY 10509

845.279.4161 • [email protected]  • RyderFarmOrganic.com

Tell us about your business. We are certified organic growers of vegetables, herbs and flowers, from arugula to zucchini. We are dedicated to the preservation of our family homestead, which dates back to 1795, and to offering the public access to fresh, local and healthy foods and open space.

What services or products do you offer? Our certified organically grown products are available locally through our CSA, the Brewster Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and at our On Farm Roadside Stand in Brewster. We offer potted bedding plants, vegetables, herbs and flowers for your own garden; hanging baskets; and custom country-grown flower arrangements for special occasions. New this year, we will grow pastured animals to be sold “on the hoof,” where you can purchase the whole or shared animal and we will assist you in getting to a butcher where cuts will be prepared for your home freezer.

Any events? The public is welcome to join us or just to come stroll the gardens. This year we host four Sharing Space evenings, when we team up with our resident performing artists, who take the stage as we relax on blankets or chairs on the lawn for an evening of entertainment. Enjoy a barbeque or BYO. Tour the gardens and partake of varied ag lessons offered. Stay tuned by liking us on Facebook at Ryder Farm Organic.

What is your goal or professional passion? Buying from local farms helps preserve the fabric of a working landscape and open space. Supporting Ryder Farm ensures that you are getting fresh local produce and meats while supporting open space and a local history.

 

Skinny Buddha Organic Kitchen

Elyce Jacobson, Head Chef/Part Owner

159 Lexington Ave., Mt. Kisco, NY 10549

914.358.1666 • [email protected]MySkinnyBuddha.com

Tell us about your business. We are a fitness facility as well as a commercial kitchen with a take-out window and daily meals to grab and go. We specialize in vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, organic cuisine. We also have delicious meals for meat eaters. 

What services or products do you offer? The Skinny Buddha Organic Kitchen offers full-service catering and, on a smaller scale, freshly prepared pre-packaged meals for pickup or delivery. Our menu is created with fresh, certified-organic ingredients, including vegetables, grains and fruits grown without pesticides, as well as grass-fed, free-range chicken.

Any classes or specials? In the fall we will continue to offer adult and teen cooking classes in our commercial kitchen. Currently if you spend more than $40 at our window, you will receive a free half-hour massage at our fitness center. 

What is your goal or professional passion? Our goal is to introduce the public to wholesome organic food that is not only healthy, but also flavorful and affordable.  

 

Thyme

Tom Costello, Chef/Owner

3605 Crompond Rd., Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567

914.788.8700  • [email protected]ThymeSteakAndSeafood.com

Tell us about your business. Thyme is a new American steak and seafood restaurant.  We concentrate on using the freshest seafood and steak and using local farmers to provide you with the freshest seasonable vegetables possible.

What services or products do you offer? We offer takeout and catering, and all our menu items are available gluten-free. We also offer private cooking classes upon request and can serve private parties for any occasion.

Any classes or events? We offer cooking classes through Westchester Community College, Wine Down Wednesdays (half-price bottles of wine), Martini Thursdays (half-price martinis), Black Friday specials (half-price gift certificates) and live music. We also offer wine tasting dinners and participate in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.

What is your goal or professional passion? My goal is to offer healthy, tasty food in a comfortable atmosphere, and to share flavorful, gluten-free food with my clientele, educating them that going gluten-free does not limit you.