The Tasting Room at Catskill Provisions Distillery at 16 Upper Main Street in Callicoon reopened on Thursday, April 25, with new Chef Harris Mayer leading the charge alongside owner and head distiller, Claire Marin. 

The distillery originally opened in May 2020 and was in business until last December. Marin noted that 2023 was a tough year for her and the business. 

“Winter came and it had been a little bit of a tough year last year and it was obvious that I definitely needed a break,” Marin said. “Running the distillery and my wholesale business, honey maple syrup, it began to be too much.”

Marin said that she called Mayer, who had been a dear friend of hers for 12 years, in February and asked him if he knew of anyone who would be interested in coming on to take over the food service at the restaurant. She also said Mayer, who moved to Middletown with his wife four years ago, was the second chef to ever buy her Catskill Provisions honey. 

Marin said she couldn’t run a restaurant herself but she also didn’t want to leave a building the size of Catskill Provisions in the center of Callicoon to be closed. 

“That’s not good for the town, not good for the community and definitely not good for us,” said Marin. “We get on the phone and he says, ‘Listen, I want that opportunity, I love your brand, I love what you do.’ The sustainability of what we do, the keeping things in our community and supporting all community efforts have always been at the forefront of it, as well as supporting agriculture.”

So Mayer joined as the new chef of the restaurant and they got rolling, which turned into about a two-month process to reopen. 

“I had already decided, unrelated to this project, that I wanted to be a chef again,” said Mayer. “The timing just linked up right and it happened very fast.”

Marin said that while the official opening was on Thursday, April 25, they had a soft opening a couple of weeks ago to work out some things. 

“It came up fairly quickly,” she said. “All through March and April, we’ve been working hard at getting this done. I think we just have very willing and communicative people trying to get something done here.”

Once Mayer came on board, he began to work on putting together a menu which Marin said he took her ingredients and turned them into amazing dishes. They offer a full menu of dishes that are made with locally sourced ingredients to support local farmers. Their 100 percent raw wildflower honey, harvested by Marin, a beekeeper herself, is the star ingredient in several of their products, including their rye whiskey and other Pollinator Spirits. 

Both Mayer and Marin mentioned several times that good restaurants tell a story and that was his main goal in creating the menu. He wanted to tell a story that connected the local ingredients, the area and Marin’s products she has been making for years. 

Mayer said that some of his favorite dishes to make are the smoked trout dip and the vodka mac & cheese. Marin also mentioned the vodka mac & cheese as being one of her favorite dishes along with the crimson amaro glazed pork ribs. 

“I’m extremely impressed with his menu,” Marin said. “The thoughtfulness, the local ingredients, the connection to the local area and definitely the connection to everything that I have been making for years.”

“Good chefs understand that the farmers and the makers are in charge of food quality,” Mayer said. “I have long been an admirer of Claire and everything she makes and does. The opportunity to work directly for a maker, for a chef who understands the aforementioned principle, is the perfect synergy. I’m inspired by products, not by myself. To come right to the source is magical for a chef.”

Staffing 

Marin said that the most difficult part of the process has been staffing, as the team she had previously had lasted all three years of the restaurant being open. But she said that they have really good people working on the floor and in the kitchen, as well as a great manager. 

“We just need a couple more people,” stated Marin. “A bartender is really what we are seeking. The biggest thing here is that we would teach people. Just come with a good attitude and we will teach you the job.”

Marin said that the biggest things they are looking for when applying are a team player as they are very team-oriented, someone who is willing to do everyone else’s job and a bonus if they have some experience in hospitality in general. She said they are supportive and pay well. She also said that they are open to both part-time and full-time work. 

Right now, Catskill Provisions is open from 12 to 8 p.m. on Thursday through Sunday, but Marin said that they will eventually open on Mondays towards the end of May.