eat + drinkFood BusinessIntoxiKateRENDEREDrestaurant news

Introducing RENDERED with First Guest Constantine Kalandranis

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

Rendered (verb): melt (fat or lard) in order to separate out impurities

RENDERED is dedicated to uncovering the spark of bringing food to table. The show focuses on the business of food— through interviews and visual storytelling via unfettered access, the show explores the ‘switch’ or focused passion that drove people to go to work in the food industry and the challenges they face making their way every single day in a highly competitive, and ever-changing business.

Constantine Kalandranis, chef/owner of 273 Kitchen (Harrison, NY) and 8 North Broadway (Nyack, NY), talks about how his restaurants have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The small business owner also sheds light on the expenses of a typical restaurant, how those expenses look in the current environment, how he’s pivoted to a takeout model, and more.

This concept has been registered with the Writers Guild of America East.

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Covid-19 and the Restaurant Industry: Real Talk with Ellen Sledge of Penny Lick Ice Cream

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

A very real conversation of the state of Westchester’s restaurant industry, the impact of Covid-19, and where we could be in a matter of months. Thank you to my first guest, Ellen Sledge of Penny Lick Ice Cream Company in Hastings-on-Hudson, who describes the current state of affairs at her company and the current reality for those in the food business.

For the list of restaurants who are currently offering takeout and delivery, please click here: https://intoxikate.com/westchester-restaurants-delivery-takeout/

Please note: The list is updated in realtime, so please check back and hit ‘refresh’ for the most up-to-date listing, organized by town.

If you are a restaurant owner or chef who would like to be added to the list, please click here: https://forms.gle/T6yJb89iZsJsmyvt8

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Westchester Restaurants Offering Takeout & Delivery

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz
Westchester Restaurants takeout

For a full list of restaurants offering takeout and delivery under the current circumstances, please click here. This list will be updated in realtime and includes the restaurant name, details, and menus in one, easy-to-use list. All links are live, so feel free to click on them!

This list has been shared with local media, bloggers, and Instagrammers, so it is being used as a resource for media as well as the general public.

Please note: If you are a restauranteur or chef that would like to be included, please take 3 minutes to provide your information here.

For more ways to help local restaurants who are currently forced to close doors to in-service dining due to the COVID-19 virus, please share this information.

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Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Postponed

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

Fishkill, NY – March 16, 2020 – Spring Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, which was to begin today, has officially been postponed. Today Media, along with its advisory board of local restauranteurs, agree that this is a prudent step in consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic and New York State’s recent mandate restricting restaurant business. The annual celebration of restaurants throughout the Hudson Valley will take place at a later date.

This is a difficult time for all restaurants, and we will continue to promote those that remain open for take-out, curb-side pickup or delivery. When the dust settles on this awful virus, we will begin planning our next restaurant week, celebrating the local restaurateurs, producers, and artisans that make this region a culinary destination.

Stay connected with us for updated information at valleytable.com, @valleytable  #HVRW

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6 Ways You Can Support Local Restaurants Right Now

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

This post was amended Monday, March 16th after Governor Cuomo closed restaurants’ doors, allowing them to only serve customers through takeout and delivery.

The COVID-19 virus is here, and I know you are feeling the impact. For many of us, the mandated quarantines, implemented rules, and new regulations have interrupted our lives, and have a lot of us working from home.

But some of us cannot work from home. The livelihood comes to a complete stop. This is true when it comes to those in the hospitality industry. At the risk of sounding dramatic, I’d like to share a reality with you—if restaurants are shuttered for weeks, they will not be able to pay bills and staff will be laid off.

I will remind you of the IntoxiKate mission—to support local restaurants to the best of my ability.

Restaurants have always made safety for their staff and clientele a priority, but please note—they are taking extra precautions at this time.

Below are 6 ways you can support local restaurants and shops in your community…

With various degrees of physical participation. I hope you can partake in one or two of the suggestions below. And I hope you help spread the word. Because together, as a community, we can move mountains… Even from home.

1. ORDER OUT OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CURBSIDE PICKUP…

If you do not feel comfortable dining out, try calling to see if you can pick up your favorite meal. Most locations are offering curbside pickup, making it extremely convenient for you! Please note—many bakeries, coffeehouses, and gourmet shops are doing this as well.

2. … AND CALL DIRECTLY

Not all are doing this, but many restaurants are keeping waitstaff employed by allowing them to make local deliveries. Instead of ordering through third-party platforms like UberEats and Seamless, who take a percentage of the profits, call the restaurant directly to see if there are other ways to get your food delivered. It may also save you money!

3. Order a Bottle of Wine with Dinner

Okay, it goes without saying that this tip should be enjoyed by those 21 and over, but with the recent state-wide mandated closures, Governor Cuomo has provided a waiver for establishments to provide takeout alcohol. (Something we may all need at this point!)

4. PURCHASE GIFT CARDS

Purchase a gift card now and use it later! Again, many are taking information over the phone and will mail it directly to you.

5. BOOK A PARTY IN ADVANCE

Have a birthday party or need to schedule a special occasion a few months away? Now is a great time to reach out to the event planner or restaurant owner to book your party. Have an event already booked in the next few weeks? If you can, instead of canceling, try to reschedule. We will all need to do some celebrating when this is all over!

6. POST ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS

Don’t want to risk any of it? Okay, that’s cool! Spread a smile on social media by posting about your favorite restaurant. Share their messages with friends. Post your favorite dish. Share a photo of you enjoying your takeout meal. It will be a much needed (but brief) escape from the news. Flood our feeds with positivity.

BONUS: Call your Representatives and Senators.

You can be connected to the capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. Demand that restaurants and those working in the food industry be part of the federal stimulus plan. Don’t know what to say? Click here for a helpful script.

Stay safe, and restaurant on!

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RSVP Now to The Premier Party

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

Join 914PopUps and IntoxiKate March 12th at 7:00 PM for The Premier Party, a three-course experience with food provided by award-winning Chefs Scott & Heather Fratangelo of L’inizio.

RSVP NOW

A progressive dinner is a dinner party with successive courses prepared and eaten at the residences of different hosts, with one course enjoyed at each location. At our Premier party, we will enjoy three-courses, as we move the three unique spaces at The Premier Collection’s stunning location in Elmsford—

  • Our evening begins at Lincoln with stationary hors d’oeuvres paired with jazz by Sarah Jane Cion. 

Stationary Menu: grilled octopus with pickled celery root, chicken and mushroom spedini, marinated bean salad, mushroom arancini with black garlic aioli, shrimp ceviche, plantain chip, spiced popcorn 

  • We move on to Subaru for a a combination of stationary salads and passed small plates with a live painting by Rios Art Studio. 

Passed Small Plates Include: Flat iron steak, crispy cacio pepe polenta, chimichurri sauce, beef tendon AND Grilled cauliflower, scallion aioli, raisin agro dolce 

  • Our last stop for the evening is Volvo, where we’ll dive into Heather’s divine desserts and dance to music by Theo Philip Entertainment.

Dessert: Brown butter cake with strawberries and cream AND Coffee panna cotta with espresso shortbread 

Ticket: $100 per person including beverages + gratuity, plus EventBrite fees

Percentage of ticket sales donated to and silent auction of Rio’s painting benefit Feeding Westchester.

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The Next IntoxiKate Cocktail Club: Aldez Tequila at The Spread

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

Learn about the newest innovations in the spirits industry with IntoxiKate’s Cocktail Club! Meeting every third Tuesday of the month, this class combines a fun, social atmosphere with a part tasting-part demo “lesson” about a specific spirit, wine, or beer brand. 

Our February meeting will be hosted Tuesday, February 18th at 7:00 PM at The Spread in Greenwich, CT. The evening’s spirit is Aldez Tequila.

$40 per person* includes tasting, 2 cocktails, and light bites.

$25 per person includes knowledge, fun, and light bites.

Purchase Tickets Now

Meeting at a different location each month, each class is dedicated to—

  • Understanding the creation process
  • Hands-on tasting
  • Lively discussion
  • Two cocktail demos (pairing beverages and garnishes)
  • Pairing food (light bites provided)
  • Cocktail recipes
  • Cool people

Whether you are someone who orders the same cocktail or entertains at home, drink outside the box! Expand your palate and try new recipes. Book now—limited to 25 spaces. 21 and over only!

*P.S. We eat, everyone eats. For every Club member ticket sale to an IntoxiKate event, $5 is donated to my heart charity, Feeding Westchester. There, the magicians and volunteers at work turn that money into $20 worth of meals to 1 in 5 people in Westchester County who are food insecure.

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All That Sparkles: Galentine’s Day Event at Bloomingdale’s White Plains

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

Grab your girlfriend’s for a FREE Galentine’s Day event!

Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at 6:30 PM 
FREE EVENT

RSVP NOW

Join me at Bloomingdale’s in White Plains for a very special Galentine’s Day celebrating ‘All That Sparkles!’ Sip on sparkling wine while you admire Bloomingdale’s collection of dazzling accessories and enjoy food from new White Plains eatery Papi’ and sweets by Flowerbake by Angela. 

FREE EVENT

Plus, enjoy complimentary hair styling by Michele Lisa Salon, DJ, personalization, makeup, and more!

Cocktail attire is welcome. {It is a party!}

#ladiesnightout #galentinesday

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A Return to What’s Natural (and Delicious): Penny Lick Ice Cream

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

When I first met Ellen Sledge, we found ourselves sharing a kitchen; she had just launched Penny Lick Ice Cream, and I was event planning for a caterer. At the time, Ellen was selling her old-fashioned, custard-based ice creams at farmers markets throughout the rivertowns, and you’d often find her pushcarts at popular food festivals throughout the county.

Fast forward to seven years later—Ellen, I can’t believe it’s been SEVEN YEARS—and she’s got a popular brick and mortar ice cream shop under her belt in Hastings-on-Hudson, an ice cream warehouse in Port Chester, and the start of what promises to be an incredible wholesale business. Her White Chocolate Black Cherry (pictured above) is still one of my favorites…

And while she’s leading the pack when it comes to small business food production in Westchester County, she’s able to lift her head long enough between packaging estimates and payroll to flex her creative muscle, coming up with delicious flavors while balancing her commitment to using all-natural, seasonal ingredients. (Check out my interview with Ellen on Fork This with IntoxiKate below.) 

Exhibit A: Her sorbets and vegan ice cream flavors are amazing… Her Dark Chocolate Coconut ice cream has changed my life… #seriously. And while Penny Lick generally offers seasonal flavors, we are lucky there’s a little Strawberry Lemonade sorbet (above) left over to transport our tastebuds to summer days.

And if sundaes are more your thing, check out the variety of flavor combos, like this one with Raspberry Lime and Dark Chocolate Coconut ice cream, whipped cream made in house, unicorn sprinkles, and caramel sauce. (Because everyone needs unicorn sprinkles in their life.)

To top it all off, Penny Lick Ice Cream also makes custom ice cream cakes. My birthday isn’t until May, and I’ve ordered mine well in advance! Plus, if you have a little ice cream lover in your house, consider throwing a birthday party at Penny Lick where party-goers can learn how Ellen makes her signature sweet treat. (For those on allergy-awareness, Penny Lick is peanut and tree nut free.)

Penny Lick Ice Cream: 580 Warburton Avenue, Hastings on Hudson, NY 10706, 914-525-1580, www.pennylickicecream.com

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IntoxiKate’s First Cocktail Club: Exploring Legent Bourbon at The Rare Bit

by Katie Schlientz
written by Katie Schlientz

The first IntoxiKate Cocktail Club—a celebration of the spirits, wine, and beer industry—kicked off earlier this month with a look (and taste!) of Legent Bourbon at The Rare Bit in Dobbs Ferry.

After an introduction to the East-meets-West Bourbon—Legent is a collaborative effort between Fred Noe, Jim Beam’s master distiller, and Shinji Fukuyo, Suntory Whisky’s chief blender—guests got a taste of this rich, cherry spirit with a hint of sherry on the finish.

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After, The Rare Bit’s head mixologist Liz Torres took over, offering two hands-on cocktail demos, creating a classic Old Fashioned and a delicious Winter Bourbon Smash (recipes to come!).

The next IntoxiKate Cocktail Club is February 18th at The Spread in Greenwich, where we’ll explore Aldez Tequila, a certified organic product from the lowlands of Jalisco. This event sold out fast in January, so get your tickets now!

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