
The team at the restaurant at the Pink House in West Cornwall, Connecticut. Manager Michael Regan, left, Chef Gabe McMackin, center, and Chef Cedric Durand, right.
Jennifer Almquist
The team at the restaurant at the Pink House in West Cornwall, Connecticut. Manager Michael Regan, left, Chef Gabe McMackin, center, and Chef Cedric Durand, right.
The Creators series is about people with vision who have done the hard work to bring their dreams to life.
Michelin-award winning chef Gabe McMackin grew up in Woodbury, Connecticut next to a nature preserve and a sheep farm. Educated at the Washington Montessori School, Taft ‘94, and Skidmore College, McMackin notes that it was washing dishes as a teenager at local Hopkins Inn that galvanized his passion for food and hospitality into a career.
Working at Sperry’s in Saratoga, The Mayflower, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Thomas Moran’s Petite Syrah, Roberta’s in Brooklyn, Gramercy Tavern, then becoming corporate chef for merchandising at Martha Stewart, McMackin learned the ropes from some of America’s greatest chefs. His own culinary jewel, The Finch, so named for the birds that Darwin believed illustrated natural selection through their diversity, opened in Brooklyn in 2014. Ten months later McMackin was awarded his first Michelin star. In March of 2017, The New Yorker reviewed The Finch favorably saying, “. . . it’s the intrepid eater who will be most rewarded.” After closing The Finch, due in part to the pressures of Covid, McMackin became Executive Chef at Troutbeck in Amenia.
This June, McMackin is coming home. He and his team are opening the Restaurant at The Pink House on Lower River Road in historic West Cornwall, just south of the covered bridge. Their opening date is to be announced. Their new space has a stone terrace filled with the sound of the nearby Housatonic River. Michael Regan from Sharon is the Manager. Chef Cedric Durand, a native of southern France will be the in charge of the kitchen. Most recently he was Executive Chef [EC] of Le Gratin, one of Daniel Bouloud’s restaurants in Manhattan. McMackin described his new endeavor:
Our style and techniques are informed by cuisines from around the world, but the lens is very much focused on West Cornwall. The food that will be served is seasonal American food. It’s what makes sense here and now, it’s what we’re able to get our hands on from people close by. It’s casual first and foremost, but it can also be a little dressed up. We want people to feel excited to be with us! The Pink House will be a place for everyone in the community to celebrate, a place to meet friends, a place to feel well taken care of and well fed. The food and drink will be delicious and magical without being precious. It’s a place to go for great food that’s about so much more than the food.
Jennifer Almquist: Tell us more about you as a young person, as a child. What were some of the inspirations that began this passion for cooking food?
Gabe McMackin: So much about this time of year takes me to my origins. Springtime, to listen to new life happen around here, seeing different colors change. I loved seeing things come out of ground. As a little kid seeing what was happening in the garden, getting excited for those first things that I could eat like asparagus, or things that were wild. To make a salad out of wood sorrel and garlic chives, things that were not going to be super tasty, but I could make, was an exciting thing as a little person. Recognizing what different things tasted like felt natural. I liked this thing, I didn’t like that thing as much; this one was bitter, and I didn’t like it at all. I was not manipulating things as much as just tasting them, touching them, feeling them. Appreciating what a raspberry tasted like as opposed to a blueberry, or a wild grape.
As I got older, I seemed to appreciate things less, I stopped paying close attention. I was still sensitive to things and food, but I stopped as excited about it. There were things that came back to me in waves, allowing me to see things in a fresh light. I might think about that in terms of food or in terms of hospitality, and it would affect my perspective.
I got a job in a restaurant washing dishes at the Hopkins Inn in New Preston when I was 17 and learned about how to wash dishes well. That’s the foundation that every restaurant is built on. If you don’t have a happy dish washer, if you don’t take care of your plates well, you can’t really serve your guests well. The rhythm being in that place was infectious.
I liked making pancakes with my father. Making maple syrup was an incredible opportunity to manipulate something from the natural world in an authentic way. Growing something, harvesting something, felt immediate. Later I figured out what it meant to manipulate those things. What it meant to present them to other people. To have people say this is delicious was really satisfying. I felt there a special tool in my toolkit. Sometimes it is a joy, sometimes it’s a compulsion. I must tune this thing. I haven’t been able to make this thing as great as it could be. Does it taste right?
JA: From your elemental experience of a raspberry, do you still seek pure essence in your cooking?
GM: If it doesn’t taste like the raspberry you’re missing that spirit, you’re missing that essence of raspberry. If it’s not there, why is it on the plate? If you are not using something well, you show the ingredient disrespect, plus you’re not using all the magical things available. I love the idea of sticking to what is from here. The food that’s going to make the most impact is going to be the one most full of life.
JA: Is cooking like poetry to you?
GM: Yes, the best words and the best order; it’s the best ingredients with the least amount done to them.
JA: Did you have traditional training in a culinary school? Have you been able to remain yourself, not too influenced by another style or chef?
GM: I’ve been able to work for very talented people. My apprenticeships working with people informed my understanding of technique. Some chefs have palates that have amazed me. The way they think creatively about building flavors and dishes, telling stories in food has been very powerful. The education that I’ve gotten in food, or in hospitality, has not only been from restaurants, but it has also come from the world. I haven’t done culinary school, but I know how to learn. I can turn that magnifying lens on a peach for the essence of that peach. I want to study animal butchery, I want to learn how to fix problems, or build a vinaigrette tolerant of high temperatures.
JA: Tell us about your experience at Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
GM: Stone Barns does things the right way. They have a beautiful system, the practice of making food and caring for ingredients. They look deeply. They’ve created a formula that I don’t think could work anywhere else in the world. To achieve something that is satisfying on so many different levels, intellectually, practically, functionally - it’s something that you would struggle to replicate. The spirit of food being connected in every part of you, the ways that it was sourced, the ways that it was prepared, the ways that it’s been stored, the way that it’s been cooked. I learned to do things on a deep level as a form of respect.
JA: What was it like working for Thomas Moran at Le Petite Syrah in New Preston?
GM: I learned a lot from him about how to cook, how to think, how to move, how to work, both in his system and how to do my own thing. He gave me a lot of positive encouragement and some creative freedom to develop ideas.
JA: What do you find challenging working in a professional kitchen?
GM: There is a switch in my brain that lets me change my pattern when I’m in the restaurant mindset, especially in the kitchen as a cook mindset. I will go to the ends of the earth to make something happen, while in a different environment I have a hard time following instruction. The challenge of being a product of the Montessori education, a deeply ADD person, and somebody who has a problem with authority, it’s hard to have somebody say do it this way and just say yes. I can do that in a restaurant because of brute force. You need to be so clear about what you want, what you need, when you need it, as everything is happening at once. There is different language being used. The sense of urgency is vital and the navigating the forms of communication is intensely challenging.
JA: How do you handle tension in the kitchen?
GM: It is a pitfall that people working in restaurants, over many generations, have fallen into - they’re horrible to each other. We create this pressure for ourselves. Sometimes there is an imbalance between the guest and the host. There must be mutual respect for this type of environment to thrive, for me to do what I love.
JA: It has been said of you that you remain an oasis of calm. How do you maintain that in a busy kitchen?
GM: I ‘ve had good mentors that helped me see the dance for what it is. To know each table has its own rhythm. If you are choreographing the whole dance, each table can be perfectly in sync with the other tables, with the kitchen, with the bar.
JA: Has there been a downside, a dark moment when you were against the wall?
GM: All the time. Closing The Finch was a difficult decision. Covid forced me to make that choice. We did not want to pivot into being a different kind of a space, like a grocery store. Others chose that path to keep the lights on. I did not have the money to put into retooling, and didn’t have the appetite to fight with the landlord I was always in conflict with. Getting a restaurant open is tremendous success, telling the story is tremendous success, yet we hold ourselves to the standard of existing forever and making tons of money. I worked so hard to make that restaurant profitable, that when we shut down it was in some ways a relief. The opportunity to be there was magic.
JA: Were you sad that last moment closing the door to The Finch?
GM: I was one of many people doing that during Covid. Yeah, it’s still very hard.
JA: They say you made something great from nothing.
GM: I took a tattoo parlor and turned it into a restaurant.
JA: As your life moved from city to country, your personal life expanded with your wife FonLin Nyeu and your two sons, Jasper Fox Nyeu-McMackin and Blaise Tyger Nyeu-McMackin. Is it just a different set of pressures living in the country, or can you return to that original boy with the raspberry in his palm?
GM: I get to focus on different aspects of my life. Being in Litchfield County feels like home again. I’m with my family. My father is here, my mother is here, my sisters live nearby. I am renewing old relationships with people who had a big impact on my life. It is different type of kinetic energy I feed off here. I’m happy to have the knowledge and experience of spending 20 years of my life living in New York, but I am thrilled to have my kids go run around in the yard, thrilled to have a stream to wander along, or to just be with people at this pace now.
JA: Your clientele here in Litchfield County will be sophisticated group, but also a different mixture of people. How will your style adjust to not being in the city?
GM: Returning to this place is an incredible feeling and connecting deeply with this audience feels natural. Much of what I am inspired by is from this part of the world.
JA: For the average person, there has been a food renaissance which includes nutrition, the origins of your food, our microbiome, eating local foods, organic farming, composting food scraps, etc. Has your role as chef changed as well?
GM: I think a lot of what I do is teach. Not just how to follow a recipe, or how to build this dish. People come into the kitchen to learn as a part of their journey.
JA: Is it hard to create a team in the kitchen?
GM: You know that person you are training is not going to be with you forever. I would prefer to build a team, provide incentives for people to grow with the company, and commit to staying. It is hard to find cooks, servers, bartenders that want to stay together. I learned that valuable lesson at my first job at Hopkins Inn. To sit with everybody, no matter how deep in the weeds you are, to take the time to really be together as a team.
JA: What was it like to work for Martha Stewart?
As the Corporate Chef for merchandising, I built a line of retail food that we sold through Costco and did projects for the magazine. Martha is one of the magic creatures in the world of making food and lifestyle.
JA: How do you find balance with your personal and professional life?
GM: I took a period of family leave when my newest child Blaise was born. He is going to be two in in August, and Jasper will be 9. I had put a lower priority on making time to be with the kids, and be with my wife, and needed to change that.
JA: Tell us about creating The Finch. You said at the time, “The reason I made this place is not for the recognition. It’s to be a part of a conversation with our guests, with our staff, with all the cooks, with all the people who make or grow or produce the food we use.” Did you achieve those goals?
GM: The Finch was all my own doing, and it was magical. We opened in 2014 and it was everything all at once. Our success required me to apply brute force to what was going on. 8 1/2 months after The Finch opened, we had a baby. Just before that we found out we were getting a Michelin Star, then questioning what it means to get a Michelin Star? I see consistency as a part of why we were given the award. I don’t see it as the origins of our award. I see it as a vote of confidence and as an award for driving an exciting process. I was not trying to be fancy or formal, but because people are gravitating toward us, how do we make this thing make money? Is it impossible? OK, we can try and change these 17 things. It was all wonderful, it was all pressure, which that takes its toll over time.
JA: How did you balance working at The Finch and Troutbeck?
GM: I was doing both things seven days a week. That was hard on me, very hard on my wife and our baby. After closing The Finch, I joined Troutbeck fully. It was wonderful to work in that beautiful space, to be able to tell those kinds of stories, to practice the craft of doing things on a large scale.
JA: Please share with us your farewell to The Finch.
GM: I am overwhelmingly grateful. We have gone beyond what we thought was possible in making this restaurant live. It has been an honor, and we are full of the memories you helped us create. But it is time to close The Finch and find a new path.
With robust voter turnout throughout the region, proposed 2025-26 education budgets passed handily, along with their additional propositions, in the polling held on Tuesday, May 20.
By a margin of 173 to 103, voters approved the 2025-26 budget totaling $28,665,850, an increase of 5.96% over the current year. After expected revenues are factored in, the amount to be raised by local taxes is $19,403,307, a 5.27% increase over the current year.
Also approved by a margin of 185 to 92 was a vehicle purchase proposal totaling $249,190 to cover the cost of acquiring one 65-passenger school bus and two Chrysler Voyager vehicles to serve the students’ transportation needs.
Two School Board candidates seeking re-election were unopposed. Nichole Reyes received 260 votes and Anthony Robustelli, 234.
“Thanks to the community for supporting our children’s programs,” commented School Superintendent Raymond Castellani, immediately after the vote count was announced. “Thank you to the voters,” he added. “It makes the work so gratifying when you have the support of the voters.”
By a margin of 816 to 331, voters approved the proposed school budget for 2025-26. The budget totals $35,649,651, a 3.1% increase of $1,074,576over the current year. Of the total, the amount to be raised by taxes after expected revenues are deducted, is $27,782,136, a 2.61% increase over the current year.
Extensive repairs and renovations to maintain and improve the middle school and high school at a projected cost of $37,381,383, defined as Proposition 2, passed by a margin of 748 to 399.
Proposition 3 to cover upgrades to the elementary schools at a cost of $1,883,099, passed by a vote of 706 to 439.
“With these results we will be able to ensure the safe and health upkeep of our facilities as we plan for the future of our district,” said Superintendent Caroline Hernandez-Pidala, commenting on the vote. She went on to thank the voters for having come out to vote.
Hernandez Pidala also thanked the students and constituents who helped share information within the community about their schools’ needs and the importance of voting.
Unopposed candidates for re-election for three-year terms as members of the school board were Dena Ghobashy and Jennifer Carnecchia. Voters also approved the election of Perry Hartswick, seeking to continue his service as Board President.
By a margin of 294 to 102, voters turned out to approve the proposed school budget totaling $38,712,336, a 2.71% increase of $1,022,592. The amount to be raised by taxes is $27,885,802, an increase of 3.2% over the current year.
A proposition that will create a Capital Reserve Fund to aid with future expenditures passed by a vote of 309 to 87, and another proposition to purchase two new 71-passenger school buses and an eight-passenger Chevy Suburban passed by a vote of 284 to 110.
Total cost for the two buses and the van is estimated at $396,369. The proposition also added $118,911 in anticipated tariff costs. The proposition costs are to be supported by the Bus Purchase Reserve Fund that had been approved by voters in 2022.
Re-elected to serve three-year terms on the school board were Fred “Chip” Couse with 333 votes and Amie Fredericks with 330 votes. There were 16 write-in votes.
“We greatly appreciate the support of our community and are looking forward to a successful 2025-26 school year,” said Superintendent Dr. Brian Timm, commenting on the positive vote result.
Amber Concannon
MILLBROOK — Strong leadership skills and confidence in communication are evident contributors to Amber Concannon having earned her designation as Valedictorian of the Millbrook High School Class of 2025.
“I have truly loved my time at Millbrook,” Amber said of her Millbrook schooling that began when she was enrolled in kindergarten.
Amber reflected on her accomplishment during an interview on Monday, April 7. She was born in Ireland and lived abroad for her very early years before her family moved to the area. Her grandfather was from India. Her several relatives are scattered throughout the U.S., she said.
High school years have included a balance of time devoted to leadership, sports, and academics.
For three years, Amber has ably assisted the staff at the Youth Summer Program.
“I love it there; I think it’s really fun,” Amber said of the YSP experience.
“Emphasize balance in your life during your high school years,” was her advice to students about to begin their high school years.
“Academics are so important,” she said, “but make time for other things, to learn about yourself. Joining school clubs is important to get to know other students and to hone leadership skills. Each club’s advisor, whether teacher or administrator, really cares about the club’s success,” she said.
“Attending a small high school has made forming relationships with my teachers, pursuing out-of-class assistance, and being an active part of the school community second nature,” Amber said.
Amber has been a member of the Jazz Band playing clarinet and singing, Mock Trial, Model United Nations, Drama Club, and Interact Club, as well as being a part of the National Honor Society. Outside of school, she reported spending the past four years working at the Merritt Bookstore in addition to her volunteer work for the Dutchess County Parks Summer Program.
Still considering her choice of college, Amber said that she hopes to spend time studying and working abroad and plans to attend Marist University.
Millbrook High School Principal Eric Seipp shared his impressions of Amber’s high school years.
“I am incredibly proud to celebrate Amber Concannon as our Valedictorian,” Seipp said.
“Amber’s passion for learning, dedication to excellence, and deep involvement in our school community have made her an outstanding role model for her peers,” Seipp said.
“Having fully embraced every opportunity to grow and contribute, Amber’s curiosity and ambition will no doubt take her far as she pursues her studies and explores the world beyond Millbrook,” Seipp said.
“I am forever grateful for all the wonderful opportunities that Millbrook has provided me with and for the encouragement and guidance I have received from the amazing teachers and staff,” Amber said.
“I also want to thank my friends and my loving family here, in Ireland, and in India for their endless support,” Amber said.
Lisa CameronPhoto Provided
MILLBROOK — Excelling at every turn in her educational path, Lisa Cameron has well-earned the honor of Salutatorian for the Class of 2025 at Millbrook High School.
Lisa began her Millbrook schooling when she enrolled in Kindergarten.
“Throughout my time in Millbrook, I have found pride in pushing and holding myself accountable for my education. While learning in the classroom, I also am a participant in extracurriculars,” Lisa said during an interview on Monday, April 7.
“I strive for excellence,” she said, as she considered advice to students about to begin their high school years. “I want to succeed personally.”
“Get involved early,” Lisa advised, “in sports, clubs and extracurricular activities. Open yourself to the opportunity to know new people.”
“When you are struggling with understanding some point taught in class, don’t be scared to ask for help. Your teacher is there as a resource. That’s the first step in learning mastery…realizing what you don’t know,” Lisa said of her own experience.
“The teachers are supportive; that’s why they became teachers,” she said.
During her senior year, she has served as the president of the Millbrook Chapter of the National Honor Society. She has also served in leadership positions along the way, including as Class President and Class Treasurer, as well as President of the Prom Committee.
Outside of high school, Lisa is employed as a server at Hangars’ Café in Union Vale and she regularly volunteers at Freedom Plains Cemetery where her father serves as the superintendent.
“I grew up in that cemetery,” Lisa said, proud of her work to care for it and those who are remembered there. Among her varied tasks, she particularly relishes placing flags at the graves of veterans, a tribute to her grandfather who had served.
After graduation, Lisa plans to continue her studies at Penn State University, majoring in civil engineering with a specialization in environmental engineering.
“I am honored to recognize Lisa Cameron as our Salutatorian. Lisa’s unwavering dedication to academic excellence, leadership, and community service embodies the very best of what it means to be a Millbrook student,” said Millbrook Principal Eric Seipp.
“Her commitment to challenging herself in the classroom, leading her peers within thr National Honor Society and student government, and serving the community showcases her remarkable character and determination. Lisa’s future is bright, and I have no doubt she will continue to make a meaningful impact wherever she goes,” Seipp added.
“I will forever be grateful for my time at Millbrook, as this district brought me not only knowledge but also introduced me to individuals, experiences, and opportunities that have all guided me to my future path beyond Millbrook,” Lisa said.
A traditional Memorial Day observance to honor the fallen was held Fountain Square on Monday, May 26. The ceremony included an Honor Guard from the Wassaic Fire Company standing by the Veterans’ Memorial Wall.
AMENIA — The community gathered at Fountain Square under sunny skies on Monday, May 26, for a Memorial Day ceremony to honor the fallen who bravely served their country. Remembrances, tributes, prayers and music combined to create the fitting annual tribute.
An Honor Guard from VFW Post #5444 of Dover Plains presented the colors at the start of the ceremony that began promptly at 11 a.m. with a welcome from VFW Commander Nick Woodard to the more than 100 who had gathered.
“Aware of the dangers but responding to the call of duty,” Woodard spoke of those who bravely served and ultimately sacrificed their lives. On behalf of those gathered, he extended deepest respects and “the highest tribute we can offer.”
VFW Post Chaplain Rick Butler offered a prayer asking for help in supporting families of those who gave their lives for their country.
“How far back are the losses,” said Town Supervisor Leo Blackman, reflecting on the losses over centuries of battle. He spoke of the ongoing historical society project to erect signs at each local historic cemetery where Revolutionary War veterans are buried.
The ceremony included donation of a defibrillator by former local Fire Chief Bob Boyles to VFW Post #5444, Auxiliary President Charlene Mayville.
Closing prayer was offered by Fr. Andrew O’Connor of Immaculate Conception Church who read Psalm 127.
In closing the ceremony, Commander Woodard thanked all who contributed to the ceremony, including the local fire departments, the Honor Guard of the Wassaic Fire Company, the Community Enhancement Committee for Fountain Square floral planting, Vicki Doyle, Leo Blackman and the Honor Guard and Auxiliary of Post #5444.
Village Trustees hear call to adopt law to limit local cooperation with ICE
Barbara Graham of Millerton speaks to Village trustees, Mayor Jenn Najdek and Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik during a May 21 special meeting.
MILLERTON — The Village of Millerton board of trustees held a special meeting on Wednesday, May 21 that drew an unusually large crowd. Nearly 20 residents and supporters showed up to urge officials to adopt a local law aimed at protecting immigrants, including undocumented community members.
The law, as proposed by meeting attendees, would limit cooperation between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
While no resolution was reached, Mayor Jenn Najdek agreed to schedule a follow-up special meeting where the public can speak with Village legal counsel and explore the proposal in a more practical, informed setting. The yet-to-be scheduled meeting is expected to take place sometime in June, according to Najdek.
The meeting addressed ongoing ICE activity in the Hudson Valley and throughout the country, primarily reports of arrests made without judicial warrants and alleged misidentifications. Millerton’s police department, which operates on a limited, part-time basis, is not typically involved in immigration enforcement, but residents said clear local guidelines are necessary before an event or arrest occurs.
“Our village has a moral imperative to do everything in its power to protect the rights and dignity of immigrants who live and work in our community,” said Barbara Graham, a Millerton resident of 14 years.
Graham spearheaded an email to Mayor Najdek and the Village board that to get on the Board’s agenda. Co-signed by six Millerton residents and 11 supporters, the letter urged the board to “affirm its commitment to justice, constitutional rights, and community trust.”
Wearing a homemade lapel pin that read, “Well-being for all beings,” Graham read aloud from the group’s letter. Najdek then opened the floor for public comment.
“I don’t think anybody here is asking the Village to tell the police how to do their job,” said Bill Kish of the Town of North East. “What we’re asking is that the Village provide clear guidance in the form of local law…that unless a judicial warrant is provided, the police will not use any of their resources to help.”
Eliot Ramos, a Village resident, added, “Newcomer or lifelong local, adopting a law that bars our police from collaborating with ICE is an act of partnership and moral leadership that honors due process.”
Trustees and community members alike noted the limited effect a law of this nature might have at the local level. Still, the response from meeting attendees was unanimous. Andres Vialpando, who said he was born and raised in Millerton, noted a law would carry weight even as a symbolic gesture.
“I’d be proud to say that my village is standing up for what I would call good and healthy laws,” Vialpando said. “I support this initiative, even if it seems like, at some level, it could be unnecessary.”
Though the discussion was scheduled for 15 minutes, it continued for nearly an hour. Following public comment, Najdek, the four Village trustees and Police Chief Joseph Olenik addressed the concerns.
They noted the cost of legal consultation — estimated at $5,000 according to Najdek — could strain an already tight budget. Officials also noted the potential repercussions of adopting such a law, including the loss of federal funding for infrastructure projects like sidewalks and sewer upgrades.
“We’re doing our work, applying for grants, applying for funding, getting projects completed,” said Najdek. “My concern is that we’re putting a spotlight on us that could impact funding over the next five years. It’s a real concern for a village of our size.”
Throughout the meeting, questions arose about the legal interplay between local, state and federal jurisdictions. Residents pressed for specifics about what would happen if ICE entered the village. Chief Olenik offered a limited response.
“At this point in time, I would be assisting them,” he said. “I wouldn’t be making the arrests, but I would be assisting them with whatever they would need us to do as Village PD.”
He added that he would not hinder an investigation or withhold information from the State Police, the Sheriff’s Office or ICE.
Weighing the risks and rewards of pursuing such a law, Najdek responded emotionally: “I want to do my job. I want to keep my head down. I want to do the right thing for the Village the best I can.”
Other items addressed during the special meeting included the approval of $99,498.99 in vouchers from April and May; the delivery and acceptance of department reports; approval of previous meeting minutes; and a discussion of Express Bill Pay, a new software system that will allow residents to pay utility bills online by credit card or e-check.