After 13 years of working and thriving in the New York City restaurant grind, Jared and Tara Braithwaite wanted a change. Always a goal to have their own place, Jared, a Toronto native and Culinary Institute of America graduate, wanted to keep cooking but craved a less pounding pace. Tara, a native of Nashville, was ready for the challenge of finding and intentionally creating a restaurant, confident that “people really want to be happy.”
When the former Hoot Owl in Pine Bush became available in 2023, it felt like a chef-driven space and offered the Braithwaites the right conditions to create One With Land (whose acronym OWL is a playful nod at the previous tenant). From his tenure cooking at Colonie in Brooklyn, Jared also brought established relationships with Hudson Valley purveyors (all proudly listed on the OWL website). This made their choice to stay in New York (rather than return to either of their former homes), a natural decision.
When One With Land debuted nearly two years ago, Tara felt that it was important to “get the doors open and find our people” and Jared thought it important to be confident and believe in what you put out there.
Eating is so important
Tara, with a background focused on emerging brands in wellness, fashion, retail, and hospitality, lovingly redesigned the interior to create an experience that highlights the significance of space and its ability to “transform your experience of the everyday.”
The exterior is freshly painted barn red with a roadhouse vibe. But head inside and anyone familiar with the former restaurant will be surprised by the reveal of the renewed interior. This iteration of the 1856 building is curated with details designed to complement the dining experience and show that guests are valued. The soothing atmosphere reflects Tara’s mantra that “eating is so important” and puts one in the mood to be present with the experience ahead.
Texture, Temperature, Acidity
Jared’s New American cooking has a decidedly Italian influence. Don’t think red sauce, think regional, ingredient-driven dishes rooted in simplicity and seasonality. He wants diners to recognize the food at OWL but gives it a twist with lesser-known yet approachable ingredients that make people feel as if the food is “not boring,” and not something that they could make at home.
“Cooking constraints like seasonality and a desire to offer consistency, [rather than feeling like obstacles] helps direct our approach.” These guidelines plus texture, temperature, and acidity drive Jared’s cooking philosophy and technique.
At the top of the menu: To Share dishes ($5-$14) include crostinos and croquettes with toppings that change according to nature’s rotating bounty. Recently, there were sugar snap croquettes, a light, sweet-and-savory reflection of late spring. In the heart of summer, they are prepared with truffle and green garlic aioli.
Small plates ($14-$21) really highlight the texture, temperature, acidity credo. The shaved celery salad is satisfyingly crunchy and fresh while toasted walnuts and medjool dates add chewiness and weight; fresh basil and sharp parmesan provide the acid and umami.
The watermelon salad includes sweet chunks of cool, crunchy melon tossed with charred shishito peppers atop a layer of creamy ricotta, topped with crunchy pepitas all bathed in warm brown butter. Definitely save some sourdough to sop up every last bit of this sense-stimulating layer of flavors and textures.
Large plates ($21-$32) include two pastas, a fish, chicken, burger, and a pork chop that Jared says “represents me as a chef.” The meat is brined and grilled then rubbed with spice. But this is not an everyday pork chop. Very generously sized, served with sweet and tart apricot mostardo, and piled high with peppery grilled greens, my 17-year-old niece who lives with one of the best home cooks I know (my brother) declared it “the best pork chop I’ve ever eaten!”
Local steelhead trout, cooked medium (an accomplishment itself), is artfully plated and served with melt-in-your-mouth braised leeks, umami-rich bagna cauda is also acidic, while creamy pistachio and parsley add texture and vibrancy.
Wine, also a passion for Jared, strives to not only complement the food but also to introduce you to something new. There are local choices from Fjord Vineyards and Wild Arc among others, as well as Italian, Croatian, German, and a smattering of other new and old-world offerings. There are 10 or more options by the glass from $12 to $17 and a full list of well-curated wines by the bottle is available to complement your dining experience.
We finished with a substantial slice of Grandma’s olive oil cake—lightly sweet, garnished with raspberries, elderflower, and whipped cream—on theme with the layered textures and contrasting yet complementary flavors, until the end.
Jared and Tara emit a quiet calm and confidence and the radiance of people who believe in and love what they do. While patiently acknowledging that “it takes awhile” it feels as if One With Land has found its people and its menu. There is a consistency in the offerings, but the dishes are still filled with pleasurable surprises. The duo has gained the trust of long-time Hoot Owl regulars of the space, weekenders, and food adventurers alike. Tara and Jared’s personal and professional partnership is a powerful combination that takes great care behind the scenes in order to create not only delicious dishes but also a satisfying culinary experience that makes one want to return again soon.
One With Land is open Thursday-Sunday, 5pm-10:30pm.
One With Land
26 Awosting Road, Pine Bush
(845) 524-4219
