Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Sets New Record for Participating Restaurants

To celebrate Hudson Valley Restaurant Week’s tenth anniversary, the organizers invited the media, government representatives, and other guests to meet participating restaurant owners and chefs at a kickoff party on February 29, 2016. It was an evening of talks and tasting of hors d’oeuvres and beverages including foie gras and lobster cappuccino at Peter X. Kelly’s Xaviars X2O on the Hudson in Yonkers, NY.

“Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is really the celebration of everything that has made the Hudson Valley a great dining destination — the great dining destination of the Northeast in fact,” said organizer Janet Crawshaw.

The opening remarks at the kickoff event also included short addresses by government officials Robert P. Astorino, Westchester County Executive; Ed Day, Rockland County Executive; Mike Spano, Mayor of Yonkers; and Kevin King, Director of the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets.

Since its beginning in 2006, Hudson Valley Restaurant Week has come a long way — progressing from 70 restaurants in the inaugural event to a record-breaking 231 this spring.

By coincidence in the same year it was started, I proposed a similar prix-fixe restaurant dining program to The Hudson Independent, a new Westchester newspaper publishing firm—I called it “Hudson Valley Signature Dish Week.” This happened a short time before the first Hudson Valley Restaurant Week (HVRW) was announced by the publisher of The Valley Table.

The two concepts were strikingly similar (both my program and HVRW offered restaurant goers a few three-course meals at a special low, prix-fixe cost) but mine had one importance difference. My program also asked restaurants to include their signature dish at its regular price accompanied by a free appetizer and a complimentary dessert.

Thus, attendees would be offered a sensible choice—either order the restaurant’s best dish at a savings or pick one of the less expensive alternatives—also at a savings.

After an evaluation by the newspaper’s higher echelon, my proposal was rejected by The Hudson Independent. It was decided that the space needed to publicize the dining program would necessitate a cut in news coverage.

Fortunately for the dining public, Hudson Valley Restaurant Week was launched shortly afterwards by The Valley Table. Guided by the astute entrepreneurship team of Janet Crawshaw, publisher, and Jerry Novesky, editor, HVRW grew steadily. It became a semiannual event in 2012, and in March, 2016, it attracted a record number of restaurants (231 at last count).

I did have one regret when my plan met defeat. It would have focused attention on the best work of our local chefs. Currently many HVRW menus favor the use of ingredients that can be bought in the marketplace inexpensively.

Should the time come when the organizers of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week seek to broaden their program, perhaps they might consider implementing my signature dish option. This would give restaurant patrons an opportunity to try the chef’s pride and joy at a more affordable cost.

Cost unchanged since 2013

Offered at the participating restaurants during March 7-20, 2016 are prix-fixe, three-course menus (lunch at $20.95 and dinner at $29.95). The prices do not include tax, gratuity and in most cases, beverage cost.

The cost-to-dine remains exactly the same as it was in 2013. A few restaurants have surcharges for premium items on their HVRW menus.

Many of the restaurants have restrictions and exclusions for dining date and time availability. Regular menus are also available at these restaurants during Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.

Despite the word “Week” in its name, each HVRW program runs for a two-week period. The fall staging of HVRW is scheduled for Nov. 1-13, 2016.
Restaurants in the following New York State counties are enrolled in the program: Westchester, Duchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster. Participating restaurants can be sorted in alphabetical order by county or by type of cuisine on the HVRW website.

HVRW's Advisory Board

The co-chairs of the HVRW Advisory Board are Dr. Tim Ryan (The Culinary Institute of America) and Peter X. Kelly (Xaviars Restaurant Group). Tim and Nina Zagat are honorary co-chairs.

The board members are Vincent Barcelona (Corporate Chef, Supreme Oil and Admiration Foods), Janet Crawshaw (The Valley Table), Nick Citera (Cosimo’s Restaurant Group), John Crabtree (Crabtree’s Kittle House), Agnes Devereux (The Village Tea Room Restaurant and Bake Shop), Cathryn Fadde (Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill), Eric Gabrynowicz (Chef, Restaurant North), Stephan Hengst (The Culinary Institute of America), John Kroner (Terrapin Restaurant), Rich Parente (Chef, Clock Tower Grill), Glenn Vogt (RiverMarket Bar & Grill), MaryKay Vrba (Dutchess County Tourism), and Kevin Zraly (Windows on the World Wine School).

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is produced by The Valley Table, 152 Powelton Circle, Newburgh, NY, 845-561-2022. For more information, go to: www.valleytable.com/hvrw.

Photo

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week celebrants. Front row (from left): Rockland County Executive Ed Day, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell, Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino, Xaviars X2O on the Hudson Chef/owner Peter X. Kelly, The Valley Table Publisher Janet Crawshaw, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, and Yonkers council members Michael Sabatini and Christopher Johnson. Back row (from left): Restaurant North Chef Eric Gabrynowicz, Nick Citera of Cosimo’s Restaurant Group, Chef Vincent Barcelona at Supreme Oil Company and Admiration Foods, Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill’s Catheryn Fadde, and Crabtree’s Kittle House owner John Crabtree. PHOTO BY SIMON FELDMAN