“Our area offers a lot of tavern food and contemporary New American restaurants, so a new concept with a significantly different flavor profile has been particularly appealing to people here in Livingston Manor,” explains Cam Shaw, co-owner of Threshold Korean Catskills Kitchen, a restaurant that opened mid-November in Sullivan County. The new dining experience offers contemporary takes on traditional Korean dishes common to the mountainside regions surrounding Seoul, through locally sourced ingredients.
“The Catskills are on the same latitude as Korea, so they share average temperatures and rainfall, and the terroir grows similar types of vegetables and plants—it felt fitting to create a place that connects Korean and Catskills agricultural communities, evoking a distinct sense of both places,” she says. “That’s how we developed our name; we kept playing with the idea of being a portal between the two regions—but it also works because we’re located at the edge of town, and the town is at the edge of the Catskill Park; the threshold.”
The concept originally developed between Shaw and chef/co-owner Thom Chun, a longtime friend with whom she worked in restaurants in New York City and Chicago for more than a decade. (Shaw’s husband, Pete Choo, is a third co-owner.) Prior to Threshold, Chun, who started as a line cook in college, was chef de cuisine at Oiji Mi, a Michelin-star Korean restaurant in the Flatiron District.
“Thom and I have always been in discussion about how we would run our own restaurant—what we would offer, how to treat people, the hospitality experience, food presentation, how to treat staff and build culture, and where we might find an opportunity,” Shaw explains. “When we first talked about doing this here in Livingston Manor, we felt a little trepidation about making such traditional food in a place so rural, but the response from pop-ups was very encouraging, so we invested in the full restaurant.”
The choice to create distinctive takes on traditional dishes stems from the heritage shared by Chun and Choo, who were both American-born to parents who emigrated from Korea. On the seasonally changing menu, you’ll find a short selection of radically affordable dishes featuring ingredients that are sourced as locally as possible while remaining authentic. Produce is procured from Somewhere In Time Farm in Parksville, who will also do some custom growing for hard-to-find Korean ingredients next year; trout and roe come from Livingston Manor’s Beaverkill Trout Hatchery; and whole chickens are obtained from Snowdance Farms, also in town.
Popular dishes include the tuna bite ($6) with chojane, sesame, and radish sprout; the half chicken ssam ($29) with mixed rice, sesame leaf, romaine, cashew ssamjang, kimchi, and braised potato; and the vegetable fritters with soy tofu dipping sauce ($11). Each iteration of the revolving menu will have vegan options.
Shaw also helms the beverage program which includes wine ($12 to $14 per glass) as well as beer and cider ($7) all from New York, plus cocktails on draft. But their selection of Korean sool is a highlight. “Sool is the general word for Korean alcohol, and we have a very cool importer run by the first South Korean master sommelier in the world,” Shaw explains. “He started importing very high-quality, small-production craft beverages to the US, so we’re able to offer drinks like makgeolli, cheongju, and soju created through traditional brewing and distilling methods.” Makgeolli and cheongju are rice wines ($9 to $13 per glass) and soju is distilled from rice wine, often referred to as “Korean vodka” ($12 to $18).
Threshold’s nod to modernized tradition carries into their dining room decor, with a moody, old Hollywood vibe that’s better suited for date nights and apres-ski gatherings than for families with young children. “We were very conscious of avoiding the aesthetic of an American stereotype of Korean spaces; Seoul is a metropolitan city so its design is diverse,” Shaw explains. “We wanted to create a space that feels very cozy, but not like someone’s living room—something more transporting.”
Deep green custom booths with navy leather detailing crafted by MC Studios draw inspiration from both art deco design and the ginkgo motif of the restaurant’s branding. Walls are lined with original art created by Hanna Chun, chef Thom’s mother, who is an accomplished Korean traditional artist.
“It’s important to us that you feel comfortable here, whether you’re a tourist visiting for a day or a local looking for a place to regularly have a reasonable night out,” she says. “In the city, what bummed me out most was going to places that made you feel like you were lucky to be there. We want everyone to feel like they’re getting fresh, quality food whether it’s a girl’s night out for under $30 each or groups going all-out for a special occasion. All are welcome.”
Threshold is open from Wednesday through Saturday, 5pm until 10pm and Sunday from 5pm until 9pm. Find them at 430 Old Rte 17 in Livingston Manor.
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This article appears in December 2024.
