John T. Hallowell, president and managing director of the Woodstock Inn & Resort, announced the appointments of Ryan Beaudoin as Kelly Way Gardens Chef and Jason Schmidtke as Special Events Chef. “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Ryan Beaudoin and Jason Schmidtke as the newest additions to our renowned culinary teams,” said John T. Hallowell. “Ryan and Jason’s expertise and creativity will further cement the Inn’s reputation as a culinary destination and usher in even more opportunities to create enriching experiences for our guests at the Kelly Way Gardens and beyond.”
In his new role, Beaudoin helms the banquet and catering functions at the Red Barns at Kelly Way, including culinary demonstrations and presentations for resort guests. In addition, he hosts two weekly culinary classes for Inn guests at the nearby Billings Farm & Museum in the museum’s newly launched Learning Kitchen. Featuring simple yet inventive dishes made with the Kelly Way Gardens’ bounty and Billings Farm specialty dairy products, the demonstration classes take place on Wednesdays through August 28 from 10:30am-12:30pm for $45 per person. On Thursdays until August 22 at 10:30am-12:30pm Chef Ryan leads an interactive, hands-on cooking experience at the Learning Kitchen teaching straightforward recipes also with produce from Kelly Way Gardens and Billings Farm fresh dairy products. The class is $75 per person.
Most recently Beaudoin spent one year at Ocean House in Watch Hill, RI as food forager and director of culinary education. There he procured local products and ingredients for the resort’s four seasonal restaurants, two year-round restaurants and retail shop. He also conducted cooking classes and culinary demonstrations for the community and resort guests. Past experience includes four years as an executive chef at Red Stripe American Brasserie in Providence, RI. In an effort to learn about where the fresh food he was sourcing came from, Beaudoin worked as a fishmonger as well as with an organic vegetable farmer and a pastured livestock farmer. In doing so he combined his skills as a trained chef to fully comprehend and implement the farm-to-table dining. Beadouin is originally from Massachusetts and now lives in Woodstock, VT.
As the special events chef, Jason Schmidtke is directly responsible for all hot and cold food preparation for banquet and catering functions, including proper portion, cooking methods, procedures and plate presentation in accordance with the resort’s banquet recipe standards. In addition, Schmidtke will assist with banquet menu development, recipes, layout and pricing. Before joining the Woodstock Inn & Resort, Schmidtke was a sous chef at Leon’s Fine Poultry and Oysters in Charleston, SC. Additional resort experience includes The Sanctuary Hotel in Kiawah Island, a Forbes Five-star and AAA Five Black Diamond Property, and the Peninsula Grill at Planters Inn, a Relais & Chateaux Property. He also worked with James Beard nominated chef/restaurateur Ken Vedrinski at Trattoria Lucca and Coda del Pesce both in South Carolina. Schmidtke hails from Trempealeau, WI and now resides in Woodstock, VT.
About the Woodstock Inn & Resort
Located in idyllic Woodstock, Vermont, The Woodstock Inn & Resort defines country sophistication in one of New England’s most charming and popular year-round vacation destinations. The 142-room, AAA Four Diamond Resort and a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts LVX Collection, offers award-winning dining in two restaurants, ranked among the finest in New England. The Woodstock Inn & Resort is owned and operated by The Woodstock Foundation, Inc. Proceeds from Resort operations support The Woodstock Foundation and Billings Farm & Museum education and conservation programs.
About Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Preferred Hotels & Resorts℠ is the world’s largest independent hotel brand, representing more than 650 distinctive hotels, resorts, residences, and unique hotel groups across 85 countries. Through its five global collections, Preferred Hotels & Resorts connects discerning travelers to the singular luxury hospitality experience that meets their life and style preferences for each occasion. Every property within the portfolio maintains the high quality standards and unparalleled service levels required by the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Integrated Quality Assurance Program. The iPrefer℠ guest loyalty program, Preferred Residences℠, Preferred Family℠, Preferred Pride℠, and Preferred Golf™ offer valuable benefits for travelers seeking a unique experience. The Woodstock Inn & Resort was distinguished in the 2018 I Prefer Members’ Choice Awards as one of the top ten hotels in North America that deliver high quality standards and exceptional, personalized experiences to its members. For more information, visit PreferredHotels.com.