Terrapin Restaurant to Unveil New Dining Room in Collaboration with Local Designer, Artisans

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ESTEEMED HUDSON VALLEY RESTAURANT TO UNVEIL NEW DINING ROOM
IN COLLAB WITH LOCAL DESIGNER, ARTISANS

MODERN UPDATE OF “FARM TO TABLE MEETS BARN TO TABLE”

Terrapin's Dining Room

RHINEBECK, NY – After drawing gasps of appreciation for food, décor and setting for 15 years in its current location in the historic circa 1825 “First Baptist Church,” award-winning Terrapin restaurant is undergoing a stunning renovation in its main dining room, to be unveiled on Thursday, May 5th. As always, emphasis on organic, local cuisine shines at Terrapin, but now will be presented in a chic new setting that, while refreshed, still evokes key sensibilities of the Hudson Valley.

“It was time for a change,” said Chef Josh Kroner who said long-time restaurant patrons as well as new guests were defaulting more and more to Bistro, not because they necessarily preferred the casual menu there but because the dining room had become known as ‘formal’ – “and that’s not the way I intend for people to eat at Terrapin.”

Enter JT McKay of bluecashew Design, an offshoot of neighboring bluecashew Kitchen Pharmacy and longtime friend of Kroner’s. “Josh was ‘farm to table’ before farm to table became a marketing term. That sort of food wasn’t a gimmick for him. So when we began to discuss the dining room redesign, we decided to give a proverbial ‘nod’ to this world.”

McKay continued, “There’s a real sense of bringing the outside inside with the new look here. We’re focusing on modern earth tones in the palette and using furnishings and design elements that evoke history and substance, so the two-inch thick red and white oak tables, which are old barn wood with contemporary finishes, are more than just reclaimed materials – they have real presence. Their age and history inform the energy of the entire room.”

Kroner added with a laugh, “I’ve wanted to collaborate with JT for years. The first time he came to my house, he rearranged all of the furniture and the lighting, so I know he was dying to get his hands on this place!”

Nearly all the key elements in the redesigned Terrapin dining room are new, including the lighting scheme, carpeting, place settings, metal railings and chairs, much of which are sourced locally and some of which are available for purchase through bluecashew . Wabi Sabi Wood (WSW), based here in Rhinebeck, was tapped to create the dining tables, the true anchor of the room now that the restaurant is abandoning tablecloths in lieu of a more updated look. Company co-owner Patrick Neri explained that in this project, Terrapin and WSW “have focused on bringing the highest quality ingredients into the hands of skilled craftsmen. WSW uses wood reclaimed from the hand-hewn beams of 18th century barns. These beams once stood as trees in the Hudson Valley’s long forgotten old growth forests. The material represents some of the finest wood that ever grew from American soil. With these ingredients we built tables to be the foundation on which the craftsmanship of Terrapin will be displayed. Beneath every dinner plate lays a stunning display of hundreds of years etched in wood grain and patina. This truly will be ‘farm to table meets barn to table.’”

Paintings from Hudson Valley artist Christie Scheele will grace the new walls, curated and installed by Albert Shahinian he of the eponymously named fine art gallery also located in the village of Rhinebeck. Says Scheele, “The single most distinctive aspect to what I do as a landscape painter lies in my ability to reduce a scene to its essentials. This gives the viewer what is important, without the distraction, or visual clutter, of too much detail. Both by providing this overview and by using soft ‘scumbled’ edges, my paintings can quiet a viewer’s mind and evoke a direct response.”

She continued, “My work is, above all, about creating space—within the image of the painting, most often a wide-open vista—but also emotional and mental space for the viewer. The large, open space of the restaurant and the new color scheme in soft cream and a deep, slightly grayed green are perfect for my work. The elegance of the off-black metalwork that accents the room, with its strong, clean lines, also meshes beautifully with my strong, albeit soft-edged, shapes and sweeping contours.”

Shahinian said working with Kroner and Terrapin was a very natural and important collaboration for the neighboring businesses. “Many of our gallery visitors ask us about dining in the village. For years we’ve suggested Terrapin as one of the top places to dine. It seems logical that part of a Terrapin ‘experience’ could suggest a visit to the gallery! There is synergy between such diverse businesses: we both present high standards of quality, presentation, respect for our product and clientele, and offer high value for our visitors. One could say, ‘It takes a village to support a village!’”

9 responses to “Terrapin Restaurant to Unveil New Dining Room in Collaboration with Local Designer, Artisans

  1. Thank you for the invite. May I bring two other friends for dinner at 8:00. So I will need reservations for three.
    Thank you
    Maggie Myer

    1. Thank Maggie! Yes, you may. You are confirmed, and we look forward to seeing you on Thursday.

  2. I love your mother’s paintings. Are they still on view elsewhere in the restaurant?

    1. Hi Pam – Yes, Louisa’s paintings still decorate the bistro and are in a few other spots throughout the restaurant. Enjoy!

  3. We have been coming to Terrapin since the west Hurley days to celebrate our anniversary. We look forward to seeing it’s new incarnation and to celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary this summer

    1. Happy 40th Anniversary, and thanks for your continued support! We look forward to serving you again soon.

  4. It is a terrible shame that you’ve done away with the comfortable and private bench/seats directly to the left of the entrance to the dining room, along with your plush seating throughout. The revised menu is interesting and culinary variation is always welcome (especially in the Hudson Valley) but removing the comfy chairs and especially the privacy of those seating areas is what set a Terrpain dining experience apart from so many others.

    1. Hi Mike – Thanks for your comments, we’re excited about the new menus too. We are always happy to provide seat cushions to make your dining experience more comfortable, and there are still plenty of spaces in the dining room to enjoy an intimate meal. We took special care in selecting our new seating, and think you will find it comfortable as well. Enjoy!

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