Hudson Valley Welcomes New Owners to Blue Mountain Bistro to Go

When a beloved local hotspot changes hands, the community inevitably holds its breath. Blue Mountain Bistro to Go, a cherished fixture in the Hudson Valley, recently welcomed four new owners: Colin Lewellyn, Michael Quinn, Chef Lauren Radel, and Whitney Hall. This dynamic team, bringing varied professional backgrounds from midwifery to the stage production of Blue Man Group, each made the move at different points in time from NYC to the Catskills in search of more space and natural surroundings. Their vision for Blue Mountain Bistro to Go is a careful balance of honoring the legacy that made them long-time customers themselves, while subtly introducing fresh ideas to keep the establishment thriving.

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with co-owner Colin Lewellyn to discuss the team members’ transition into the local food scene from varying backgrounds, and their vision for the future of Blue Mountain Bistro to Go, some new programming and offerings, including the introduction of popular weekly specials like “Focaccia Friday.” We also learn about their commitment to community, their extensive catering services – from small parties to 250-person weddings, and get the definitive answer to the question everyone is asking: is the famous roast beef sandwich staying on the menu? Continue reading to find out…

INSIDE+OUT: Where are you all originally from, and how did you wind up in the Hudson Valley?

Colin Lewellyn: We hail from a variety of places. Lauren and Colin are from Southern California, while Michael is from Ohio and Whitney is from Upstate New York. We all wound up in the Catskills/Hudson Valley after long stints in New York City, and came looking for more space and natural surroundings.

Bistro to Go has always been a much-loved local hotspot. What inspired you to take over the business and tell us about the rebranding process?

Colin Lewellyn: Michael and Whitney had been long-time customers of Bistro-to-Go. They were drawn here as it was a great place to feed their family with food that was healthy, delicious, and fit into a variety of dietary needs. When the business came up for sale, they were already sold on it as a great place that served a much-needed purpose in the community of providing a healthy and easy alternative to fast food. For rebranding, we updated the logo and standardized fonts and color schemes.

What changes were made, and what is your vision going forward?

Colin Lewellyn: Our goal has been to maintain what made Bistro-to-Go a success. We’ve simply added some things rather than making wholesale changes. Our customers were very vocal in their desire to see us maintain much of what made them love Bistro-to-Go in the first place, and we listened. That said, we do have some ideas to make it our own. We have introduced a mobile trailer, which we’ve used to sell our food at events like the O+ Festival and Levon’s Barn Rambles. We recently received our liquor license, so beer and cider are now for sale in the store, and we now have bar packages to add to our catering offerings. We’ve also added some menu items like our housemade focaccia bread, which features in our weekly Focaccia Friday sandwich specials.

We love the Bistro to Go pop-up at Levon Helm Barn. Great idea, how did that come about?

Colin Lewellyn: We have done the artist catering at Levon’s for years, and so it was a natural extension to bring the trailer over to sell food at the Rambles. Levon’s is a great partner, and we look forward to being at many future events.

Can you describe the catering services offered by Bistro to Go? Who is your ideal client, and what is the typical range in group size—from the smallest to the largest—that you’re able to accommodate?

Colin Lewellyn: We cater to everything from small parties to 250-person weddings, so we are prepared to work with just about anyone. Our offerings range from sandwich platters to grazing tables to plated sit-down dinners. We like to customize each experience to the individual needs of that customer. We have an extensive list of food options and can accommodate a wide range of requests.

Talk more about your partners and your team, and what each person brings to the business.

Colin Lewellyn: We are a fairly varied bunch. Whitney is a midwife who just recently got her MBA, so she’s perfectly positioned to help manage our business. Colin and Michael worked together at Blue Man Group. Colin was the General Manager of the New York production, and Michael was Creative Director. As such, they both have a background in managing large projects, marketing, and general management. And Lauren is an experienced chef and culinary director. So each partner brings unique skills that cover a segment of the business.

Any plans to add new items to the menu?

Colin Lewellyn: We’ve added new items to the bakery (like our pumpkin cake and maple shortbread cookies for the holidays), as well as introduced new daily specials. We are always trying out new recipes, and we’ll continue to add to our wide variety of housemade items as we move forward.

We noticed your popular “Foccacia Friday” on Instagram. Does that change weekly, or are there standard items added to your menu?

Colin Lewellyn: Focaccia Friday is a rotating special sandwich that changes weekly. Each week, you can count on a curated sandwich choice created by Chef Lauren.

With your prime location for locals, travelers, and soon all the weekend skiers heading to the mountain, how does Bistro to Go adjust its menu and market to serve people grabbing a quick bite or prepping for a weekend stay?

Colin Lewellyn: Similar to our catering, our in-store offerings are quite varied, so not much adjustment is needed. We are a perfect place for weekenders to stop in and stock up on food for their stay. You can put together whole meals with salmon fillets, steak, and roast chicken, along with a variety of salads and sides, or you can just grab some snacks. Skiers can also come in to get a sandwich for lunch on their way to and from the slopes.

What is one question you’re constantly asked since taking over the business?

Colin Lewellyn: Are you keeping the roast beef sandwich? And the answer is yes, we’re keeping it.

If you could manifest one thing for your business, what would that be?

Colin Lewellyn: We’d have to say longevity.

What impact does your business have on your community?

Colin Lewellyn: We always say that Bistro-to-Go functions like a community center. We have so many regulars who have been customers for years. Many people depend on us as a consistent source for meals. It’s not uncommon for someone to come in and get a week’s worth of food. It feels like such a privilege to feed people in that manner and know that customers depend on us.

What local businesses do you rely on to be successful?

Colin Lewellyn: We strive to use as many local, farm-fresh ingredients as possible, and so we rely on several local suppliers whom we couldn’t operate without.

What makes living in the Hudson Valley special for you?

Colin Lewellyn: It’s really just a great place to live. You have amazing access to high-quality food, a thriving arts scene, and a really solid community of like-minded people.

Photos courtesy of Blue Mountain Bistro-to-Go

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