Rochelle and the Gardiner Bakehouse, a trip to the Hudson Valley

The two great joys of my life have been travel and food—both of which lead me to open a destination bakery on Cape Cod. My friend Rochelle Kelvin recently opened Gardiner Bakehouse in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley—a haven for foodies. Since Rochelle opened her doors last October, an in-person visit has been high on my priority list. She is a passionate bread maker and natural entrepreneur. Her Bakehouse is something special to behold, blending two essential ingredients for success: a sense of community and the smell of bread.

destiny at camp bread

In March 2024, I took two of my team members to Camp Bread which is organized by the Bread Bakers Guild of America. Held at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, this three-day bootcamp offers an abundant learning opportunity for baking and business. It’s always a valuable experience to be with and learn from other industry professionals.

Rochelle was in several of my sessions. As we got to talking, I learned we were the same age and she was preparing to open her own bakery. At 60! I was blown away. I was 50 when I opened AMIE and it felt late in life to embark on something so labor-intensive, high risk, and expensive. It’s tough on the body and the mind, and I vividly remember the desperate “it’s now or never!” concerns that kept me up at night. To see someone taking this leap of faith—one I know all too well—willingly into the unknown at an age where most people would retire… well, I was invested in Rochelle’s story from that moment forward. Stories like hers are why I revere this industry the way that I do. We have been touched by the same love of pastry.

Chefs and bakers are nurturers, compelled to not only feed people, but also help people. We are giving. The saying “break bread” is literal. It’s a wholesome and incredible career that has been more challenging and deeply rewarding than anything else I’ve ever done. Rochelle is as down-to-earth as they come and has an exemplary business sense coupled with a warm spirit.

With so many parallels between us, I believe we were destined to meet at JWU. We both had prior careers unrelated to owning a bakery and had an unwavering need to open bakeries to fulfill a dream. After camp was over, we stayed in touch. I watch her Instagram unfold each step of the way leading to the opening. I was exploding with excitement from afar. The Hudson Valley is about four hours from Osterville; close enough that I knew I was going, far enough that it was hard to find a time that worked for both of us.

I’ve been rooting for her, and with each progressive post, the urgency to visit Rochelle became more pressing. It was easy to see that she was destined to be a success from the get-go. I was blown away by the quality of her products and how easy she made it all look—and that’s when things look easy that you know something is difficult.

Birthing a Business

Rochelle is a true bread maker. Her bread CSA program is the beating heart of her business, where her journey began. Rochelle created a neighborhood bread subscription service. Her subscribers pay a monthly rate and on a set day, they pick up their fresh baked loaves.

It grew, and naturally, it turned into a bakery. People believed in her, and the neighborhood needed a bakery. Her customers supported the mission, enabling it to thrive. She saw the deficit and knew the tight-knit community would support the endeavor if she made it happen. The encouragement came from all around.

It brought me back to how I got started in Osterville. After purchasing a vacation home and spending time in Osterville since the late ‘90s, I realized my dream of opening a bakery was rooted in this village. For five years, I searched everywhere in town for a space to become available—and for opening a food business, that proved to be tricky. I was obsessed and determined to open in Osterville; finding a space in a neighboring town would have happened much sooner, but I knew a scratch bakery would be a good fit in Osterville.

I grew up in New Jersey—we had the best bakeries. The diminished presence of neighborhood bakeries lead to several generations only knowing mass-produced products. This was why I wanted to open a local, scratch bakery. Buying bread and pastries from a local baker is special. Bakeries are unfussy gathering places, they’re not only great for special occasions but also for day-to-day visits. You can stop in for a cup of coffee or a sandwich, or bring treats to friends and family, or for your holiday needs.

For 11 years now, customers have told us how much they appreciate us being here and being open. We’ve always heard “it’s great to have somewhere to go,” and that has always been the point. Rochelle’s experience has been the same: her customers are thanking her repeatedly for providing them with somewhere to go, somewhere to be welcome and spend time. A place to sit or stop by, whether alone or with friends and family.

Connecting

In small business, particularly food or scratch baking, it’s rare to find pockets of uninterrupted time. It can be hard to get to the projects lower down on the to-do list, take care of yourself, and sit and talk to people. There are so many moving parts that demand constant attention, and it’s an uphill battle to stay caught up.

Rochelle and I hopped on a call in the phase right before opening so she could pick my brain on a few things. She needed an external and unrelated confidante who could help her navigate the growing pains of opening and getting started. We had a great conversation and discussed tricky parts of business ownership. Shortly after that call, her doors opened and every new product she debuted felt like a celebration and it was a thrill to spectate having known the inside scoop.

I finally picked a 48-hour window to make this in-person visit happen. The Hudson Valley is full of resources and inspiration and I knew it would be a valuable trip. There’s a certain magic out by the Catskills, it’s a well-preserved place that maintains much of the charms of quaint generations of the past. The architecture and farm presence create a foodie wonderland of homemade jams and jarred goods, vinegars, spreads, dairy products, and incredible locally grown produce. The meats are local and we discovered the best bacon (Locust Grove Smoke House). It’s a beautiful part of the country and late May was the perfect time to visit.

Arriving in the Hudson Valley

As we drove through New York State, we oohed and aahed at all the great places and got a lay of the land. There was no way we could stop everywhere, so we kept a sharp eye on our options. We settled into our Airbnb, we headed over to Gardiner Bakehouse to see Rochelle and experience the bakery. It was the end of the day so we got a private tour, which quickly became kitchen equipment mania. Outfitting a commercial kitchen and scratch baking in tight quarters is every baker’s favorite conversation. Kitchens tend to be the smaller part of the footprint of a bakery, because the more room you have for guests, the better. Once you get started on equipment discussions, it’s hard to stop.

Rochelle and I are both obsessed with what we do. Rochelle had been in business for eight months and still had the new bakery glow, riding the high of the outpouring of support and the surrealness of standing in the physical bakery. Going from brain to tangible reality is an awesome experience. You’re equal parts motivated and exhausted. The feeling doesn’t fade, but you weather big storms and experience changes.

Rochelle was a gracious and attentive host, and I know firsthand how hard it is. From the moment we arrived, time was of the essence. It was a carpe diem kind of “weekend.”

Selfishly, I had fun being her magic 8-ball, imparting some nuggets of wisdom. I could make some suggestions, point out blind spots, but I also learn from Rochelle. There are many approaches to running a bakery. We swapped baking hacks, equipment recommendations, operational wisdom, and horror stories. It was fabulous.

We had dinner at Benton Beer Garden, just next door. It was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had, and we had the greenhouse to ourselves to dine and talk about the walks of life that lead us here. We stayed until it closed, and then collapsed into bed and prepared for the big day tomorrow.

Tuesday we saw Gardiner Bakehouse in action. Bread subscribers were coming to pick up their preordered loaves. The counters were well-stocked and the team was busy. Of course I had to get my hands on some of her pastries. I loaded up on pastries (you know, R&D is essential). We tried the gluten-free lemon poppy cake, chocolate cherry scones, carrot cake, gluten-free almond berry galette, ham and cheese croissant, biscotti, deep dish chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookie, cranberry orange cardamom muffin, and a loaf of sourdough bread (worthy of a drive back to NY to pick up another loaf). Everything is scratch baked in-house and it was all exceptional. Her recipes are well-balanced with scrumptious flavor combinations and the bounty’s aesthetic is pleasing to the eye—you just want to buy and taste everything.

Rochelle has made measured business decisions to not take on too much at once and instead do things well from the get-go. A sound approach. Her consistency in delivering products is a sure sign of nothing but a successful venture.

The Gardiner Bakehouse is incredible, photos don’t do it justice. We absorbed all of it. If you’re in the area or are looking for a weekend getaway, please put it on your list. The attention to detail has created a harmonious place. When you’re at the counter, you can see the loaves of bread in the ovens—and you’ll be teeming with excitement. It’s simple and brilliantly done. Rochelle nailed it. She is sensible and practical; she knows her vision. When it comes to operations, she doesn’t fuss around with things that don’t serve the greater purpose or align with the mission of her business. She’s community-driven to the core, her decisions reflect what is best for everyone in Gardiner and the New Paltz area. She takes breaking bread to the next level and her team is dialed in on what is important and meaningful to their customers and employees. It’s no surprise people are showing up in droves.

Just outside, customers enjoy a rock garden, biking and walking trails, a clover field, fire pit, greenhouse, pickleball court, patio seating, and the beautiful backdrop of mountains and greenery. You feel uplifted and welcomed; it offers a real sense of belonging.

DEPARTING the valley

We allotted some time to explore the Valley and its copious gifts. While we were in the area, we baked a Fruit Tart, which became our first impromptu YouTube video. The car was stuffed with food for the ride home, it was an impressive loot.

Before departing, we met up with Ashley Kerns, another RBA board member, who lives in the area and came to meet Rochelle and visit the Bakehouse. As we got to talking, we made a serendipitous discovery. Rochelle’s right-hand, Tricia, is a fellow Jersey girl and worked for the famous Wyckoff Bakery, the bakery of my childhood that I still talk about to this day. Wyckoff was a sensational success back in the day, and it’s where my father went to pick up fresh bread. My father was a baker before I was born and my early memories of bakers are largely from Wyckoff, Allwood, and Zuber’s… To meet someone who worked there was incredible, she likely interacted with my family (or me!) at the counter 50 years ago.

It was a memorable and delicious trip, and I hope to return the favor and host Rochelle here at AMIE someday. I hope you’ll all visit her bakery and enjoy it as much as I do.

Your friend,
Amie