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Local chefs display culinary talent

Sullivan County to represent in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week

By Barry Lewis
Posted 10/11/22

BETHEL — Angel Sanchez methodically places a dollop of sweet cream fresh mozzarella and basil over dozens of single classic meatballs …

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Local chefs display culinary talent

Sullivan County to represent in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week

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BETHEL — Angel Sanchez methodically places a dollop of sweet cream fresh mozzarella and basil over dozens of single classic meatballs pomodoro and stracciatell, a blend of veal, beef and pork that were allowed to slowly simmer in tomato sauce. It’s among the many signature dishes that Sanchez, the executive chef at Cellaio, an Italian-inspired steakhouse at Resorts World Catskills, says attracts and entices dinning guests to return to the upscale casino restaurant.

But on Saturday afternoon Sanchez was dishing out the Cellaio specialty at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts as part of a special chef tasting backstage event to help highlight the news that for the first time more than a dozen premier restaurants in Sullivan County will take part in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week (HVRW), a popular regional event from November 7 - 20 that offers patrons multi-course meals at discounted prices. 

“We have such rich culinary properties with great cuisine,” said Sullivan Catskills Visitors Association President/CEO Roberta Byron-Lockwood, whose group is partnering with HVRW. “We felt this was the best way for us to really showcase what we do. We cosponsored all of our restaurants because we want to make sure we can showcase some of our Sullivan Catskill restaurants and we got a great response.”

For two weeks, some 150 restaurants throughout the Hudson Valley, including 19 in Sullivan County, will offer special, three-course lunch and dinner menus. 

“The benefit isn’t just for our restaurant but the county itself,” said Sanchez, born and raised in Monticello and who first began cooking at Bethel Woods. “Being from this community, from this county, it’s wonderful for our county and everyone involved with this to have people come to our restaurants and try our products at an affordable price. For me, Sullivan County food draws together the community. It’s wonderful to give people a chance to eat at these restaurants and see what we make by hand.”

According to The Valley Table magazine, which started Hudson Valley Restaurant Week in 2006, more than 90 percent of participating restaurants report on average a 25 percent increase in sales during that week. The regional impact translates to $10 million in estimated sales revenue during HVRW.

“We have amazing sources of food in this area,” said Jean Paul Medina, executive chef of The Conover Club at Callicoon Hills, who prepared on Saturday squashed curry with jasmine rice and a cooling raita, and for dessert, “pied apple’ – a cored apple re-stuffed with an apple pie filling covered with a biscuit lattice crust. A former chef at the DeBruce Restaurant and North Branch Inn, Medina explained,  “We are the closest you can get to the best ingredients – we have an amazing opportunity to highlight what we can do with those ingredients, not manipulate them too much, just get them and make something delicious out of them.”

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Executive Chef Joel Trocino, responsible for all food service at the performing arts facility including catering, concessions and private events to the museum café and pre-show diners, noted the quality of those preparing the meals at the special tasting. “There’s a lot of talent up here in this region. You look at the chefs that are here, the community college (SUNY Sullivan) has a good culinary program. We are starting to get students to work for us and make them grow into the community.” 

He said Restaurant Week provides some great deals for customers. “We’re offering a museum ticket with our lunch. You normally don’t get a chance for a $30-$40 meal with three courses. It’s a really great opportunity.”

Chef Dan Gonzalez, who began his culinary career at the original Eldred Preserve as a sous chef before returning to his roots as the Executive Chef at The Homestead Restaurant tantalized tasters with 35-day dry aged Waguy Ribeye and Beaverkill pan-fried brook trout with artichokes and capers sauce. 

“It’s exposure for the county,” said Gonzalez, a graduate of Liberty High School. “We just built a casino, a water park; the county is coming back to life. Nice to see it. Hopefully this brings people in to see all the restaurants.”

Bryon-Lockwood added to the festivities by announcing that SCVA is bringing back Catskill Cuisine, a multi-day food and beverage festival that celebrates Catskill heritage, using locally-sourced provisions prepared by celebrity and local chefs. The event will be held next spring at Bethel Woods. 

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