MEET: THE PONY SHOW

Paula Patterson + Tony Angelicola (+ Leo the horse) at The Grange, Coxsackie for The Pony Show pop up dinner. Photo credit: Konrad Odhiambo/The Dishing.

Paula Patterson + Tony Angelicola of The Pony Show talk travel, tattoos + waste-free cooking on Hudson Valley farms.

Interview: Susie Davidson Powell
Art direction: Susie Davidson Powell
Photos: Konrad Odhiambo/The Dishing

Shoot location: The Grange, Coxsackie, N.Y.

The Pony Show. Photo: Konrad Odhiambo/The Dishing.

The Dishing talks with tastemakers in the hospitality industry + trailblazers at the intersection of food, culture + art. Today we’re with wine director Paula Patterson + chef/tattoo artist Tony Angelicola, owners of The Pony Show, a roving restaurant which pop ups on farms and in private homes all around the Hudson Valley. Paula is a prolific baker and the culinary force behind The Pony Express, a weekly meal prep service, and has a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the works with chef Jake Robins, formerly of Donna’s Italian/Clark House Hospitality. Outside of The Pony Show dinners, Tony is a full-time tattoo artist at Collar City Tattoo on River Street in Troy.

Paula grew up in New Jersey and attended the College of St. Rose for printmaking and photography; Tony spent his childhood in Rome, N.Y. and Tucson, AZ before graduating high school in Saratoga and also studying printmaking and photography along with fine arts at Sage in Troy. The pair met while working at New World Bistro Bar in Albany where Tony was a chef and Paula a FOH manager. Let’s get into it.

Hi! Thanks for talking to The Dishing. Let’s get straight to The Pony Show name. How did that come about?
Paula: When we worked together at New World Bistro Bar, Tony was the Chef de Cuisine and I was the AGM, and oftentimes when staff was looking for someone in charge to ask questions, fix something, or countless other reasons, our names would get mixed up in various ways.: Pony, Taula, Pauly, Tonya, and Pony was always a fond repeat offender. When working on what to call our concept, this came up many times as we wanted the name to tie back to our connection.

What’s on The Pony Show/Pony Express calendar this summer? 
Tony: Coming up on July 26, we’ll be at Rootin’ Tootin’ Acres Farm Dinner, Tinmouth, VT. We were asked by Angie Holl, owner of Rootin’ Tootin’ Acres, to be a part of their summer chef series in Vermont this year. Then after that we' have dinners on the farm at Forts Ferry Farm in Latham on August 22 + 23, Edible Uprising Farm on September 20 + 21, and we’re working on a future collab with Haema Hospitality too.

Can you connect the dots of your shared hospitality backgrounds + how you came full circle to launch The Pony Show? 
Paula: Going wayyyy back I began working at an assisted living/senior housing facility in high school and got to work in the dining room and kitchen. We goofed around a lot, but I learned so much about food, respect for people’s dietary restrictions and preferences, and kitchen culture from the chef there. In college I worked at several Albany/Lark Street staples and from there launched into my time at New World Bistro Bar, where Tony and I met and worked alongside so many people in the local industry who are now leading teams, running their own operations, continue to make amazing food and bring incredible hospitality. Working in the restaurant together really showcased our strengths around food service and hospitality, and we have always enjoyed cooking with, and for, each other as well as for friends and family. So this segues into my time at Peck’s Arcade where I was inspired daily by all the talent from top to bottom; Heather with her incredible love of wine growers and producers, Nick, Zoe, and the whole culinary team, Katrin running the coffee program at little pecks, Guy and Emily as mixology specialists at the Tavern, and Charlotte at the helm of the front of house team. Damn, that place had it all!

Over time I got the itch to do my own thing and in 2020 I signed a lease to open a wine bar in Coxsackie down on Reed Street. March 1, 2020 is when I signed the lease — not my best work with the pandemic just two weeks out! With the restrictions of the pandemic and the chaos that ensued in pretty much every area necessary to get a business off the ground, my hands were tied. I was forced to put that dream on hold and I stayed put at Clark House where Zoe, Vic and I worked seamlessly to just get through the pandemic and come out with our heads above water. Once things began to stabilize again, I began feeling like I wanted to go off on my own, but the industry had never felt so insecure, costs continued to rise, diners were unsure of making a habit of going out, and I had just watched SO MANY restaurants close, it didn’t feel right. This was October 2022 when The Pony Show took center stage.

Tony and I started out with in-home private dinners, which is still the staple of our business, going to people’s homes, and cooking a seasonal custom dinner for the host and their guests. In our first full year (2023), I spoke with Ben and Alicia of Edible Uprising and boldly asked if we could do a farm dinner right there on the farm. They were so excited, we were so excited, and wow what an incredible magical evening. The fun has continued on to where we are today, and we’re excited to continue working with so many friends and farms this summer!

Tony: I began working in restaurants really early, around 14 years old: bussing, washing dishes, and making pizza. I grew in the ranks at various establishments, as one does, from garde manger to chef de partie to expediter and eventually to chef de cuisine. I spent some time working at New World Bistro Bar with a lot of really excellent culinarians - that place just attracted people who loved food and gave the space to create and grow. That’s where Paula and I met and I think we really connected over the joy of working hard and creating a truly enjoyable dining experience. I left the restaurant to start tattooing, something I’d been practicing and have always been drawn to. Getting The Pony Show off the ground with Paula was a sort of a trial in self-sufficiency. It was more approachable than opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant and gave us the freedom to figure out what our idea could become. 

Tony Angelicola + Paula Patterson of The Pony Show on location at The Grange, Coxsackie. Photo credit: Konrad Odhiambo/The Dishing.

Let’s dial it way back to childhood. What are some of your earliest food memories + how do they resonate with who you are or how you cook today?
Tony: My nonni and poppi would take the grandchildren to their little garden to pick beans, tomatoes, and squash for dinner - we would all sit in their garage with folding card tables and eat together with our big extended family. The spread would be pasta, greens, salad, bread and cheese. Nonni always had soup made from the leftover meat and vegetables to take home. My family came from Italy without much other than their family and the desire to live a good life. Growing vegetables and foraging has always been synonymous with cooking in my family and it taught me to really appreciate what can be made with very little.  Utilizing every bit of vegetable and meat that we prepare is really important in our process, it honors those that spent so much time and energy growing the food that we eat. I think being mindful of that cost is what guides our process of coming up with menus and preparing food in general.

Paula: As kids, my mom always took us strawberry picking and peach picking, and those were always some of the best days. Hands completely covered in sticky sweet fruit juice and sand and bugs, the whole car smelling like the juiciest fruit you could dream up the whole way home. We would always stop at Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck, NJ on the way home from peach picking, and get cider donuts and candy and all kinds of fun treats. This market was always such a fun experience for me because it seemed like they had EVERYTHING. They were always really nice to us as kids, too, which in hindsight was REALLY nice of them because we were sticky little maniacs running rampant through their store. My dad always had a garden every summer, growing tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, fresh herbs, and I’m sure other things but that’s what I remember most. I remember so many times neighborhood kids coming by and helping themselves to my dad’s tomatoes, which made for a light harvest on our end but looking back it was really a fun staple to the neighborhood where everyone could enjoy a handful of summer produce while riding bikes, building ramps, fishing by the lake, etc. We always had fresh veggies from the garden on the table with dinner and produce has always been such an important part of the summer months to me!

Still today, nothing is better than picking fruit or veggies out in the field and getting to take them home and create with them. I do as much of my “shopping” as I can at Edible Uprising, the Troy Farmer’s Market, Honest Weight Food Co-Op, Golden Harvest, Staron’s Farm, and the Chatham Berry farm. The Chatham Berry Farm feels a lot like Delicious Orchards did to me as a kid, just a big farm market with everything you could imagine, plants, flowers, and beautiful displays. Working with local, fresh ingredients is the best, and living where we do gives us access to so much. It’s really wonderful. 

The Pony Show dinner on the farm at The Grange, Coxsackie.

You’re keen travelers often checking out restaurants and bars from Charleston to Chicago. Where do you draw inspiration for The Pony Show menus?
The Pony Show menus are like our creative outlet. We get to prepare the food that we dream up and are only limited by availability of components. Inspiration often comes from places we’ve been, but it’s through the lens of our perception rather than a literal translation of food we’ve tried — a summary of our experiences - the smells, the vibrancy, the colors, the feelings invoked. The menu almost always comes from the things we’re excited to make with one another at home. When we put something on our menu, we really like to highlight what is being grown fresh and locally, so we try to let the components speak for themselves and process them in a way that elevates their flavors.

In addition to our frequent jaunts all over the US, the past 6 months, we were able to visit Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as the Penedes Region and Barcelona in Spain. Everywhere we go, we’re looking at how people eat, the incorporation of local and regional foods into day-to-day meals, and we love bringing back inspiration from everywhere and folding it all together. Social media has also been a huge source of inspiration - we are constantly sending each other food reels from restaurants or private chefs, taking notes on what desserts we might want to try whipping up or different plating ideas, and it’s helpful to tie in our real life inspiration in different ways too.

Many of your pop up dinners are held in farm settings like urban Edible Uprising Farm in Troy or rural event space, The Grange, in Coxsackie. What’s the draw to farm locations and is access to farms and local produce important to your business focus? 
We like working with local farms as venues because it brings our guests as close to the source as possible. Being able to sit among the fields of flowers and vegetables that are on the table is a full circle experience, and we like to bring awareness to people about sourcing as much as possible. Farms are so important for local communities, and it’s easier to work with and source from farms than people think! Making this connection with a seasonal spread and friends has often brought the realization to people that there are so many local farms to work with, and the quality you’re getting when you shop and cook with local ingredients is next level.

The Pony Show. Photo: Konrad Odhiambo/The Dishing

Tony, you’re both a chef and a tattoo artist, and Paula, you held management roles at Clark House Hospitality (Lucas, Donna’s, Troy Wine Co., Troy) as GM + VP before stepping sideways into the company-wide Wine Director role. Obviously that’s a perfect food/wine combo for The Pony Show but can you tell us about the “Cook + Tattoo” dinner parties you sometimes host?
Tony: The tattoo dinner parties are a really funny juxtaposition that we pretty much exclusively offer to friends. The menu is a prep heavy mix of snacks and some seasonal vegetables and miniature versions of some of our favorite dishes and it’s so much more casual than our usual offering. I can’t really help out with the food, as tattooing takes up almost the entire time we spend with our hosts. I try to make something small for everyone that wants to get a tattoo and I put just as much thought and effort into it as if we were at the tattoo shop. I do a bit of traveling and tattooing, so I have a whole setup and process for making it happen en plein air, so to speak.

(Paula, I have to ask if you have any tattoos? And Tony, how many do you have and is there a favorite?”
Paula: I have zero! Tony has countless tattoos — he’s covered from neck to toe! Tony: My favorite is my full backpiece by tattoo artist Todd Noble.

Let’s talk about local tastes. What are 3 of your favorite places to go for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the 518 (anywhere Capital Region or Hudson Valley) and maybe a memorable dish you’ve either had or often get at each?
OK — the Shining Rainbow. Their fried chicken with garlic is a go-to. Casa Susanna we’ll always go for the seasonal aguachile or tartare, and the squash blossom tetelo. And we don’t often go out to breakfast (we love cooking breakfast together at home) but if we are traveling our favorite is the Foxfire Mountain House breakfast spread - nothing compares.

What’s your go-to drink (cocktail or N/A) and where can you get it made really well around here? 
Tony: Rum punch! From Hamlet & Ghost (Saratoga Springs)
Paula: sparkling wine from anywhere with a cool list; locally, Lil Deb’s Oasis (Hudson) never disappoints

Let’s talk style: Do you have a favorite clothing brand or workwear brand?
Tony: Uniqlo for comfort, Carhartt for durability, P&Co. for fashion.
Paula: I wouldn’t go to any work event without Redwing boots and Muji socks on my feet, as for the rest I’ve been leaning into linen this year. Quince has been a great brand so far

How about music: What are you listening to currently (at work/at home)?
Tony: Oh man, it’s been a lot of Gillian Welch & David Rawlings at home, Amyl and the Sniffers and the Chats at work. The Australian punk scene has really pulled me in.
Paula: It’s a solid mix of Noah Kahan, The 1975 and of course my go to high school emo playlists that I’ll never retire: Taking Back Sunday, Chiodos, Thursday, Dashboard Confessional.

Tony Angelicola. Photo: Konrad Odhiambo/The Dishing

Imagine it’s your day off, reservations aren’t an issue, you can get in anywhere. How would your day or night unfold… Where would you go for dinner? How about after?
Lil Debs for dinner, Backbar to follow. If we’re feeling extra lazy, we’re taking the Amtrak to and from.

The strains of industry work are well known from long shifts to hustle culture and the legacy of the pandemic. What’s your approach to workplace well being? What do you do for comfort or to relax?
Paula: We enjoy taking our dogs for long walks as often as possible, and we both hit the gym multiple times a week. Not to be missed: Happy feet at Rainbow Nail Salon on Central Ave. if you really need someone to rub your feet.
Tony: It’s important to have a work life balance that we have both certainly overlooked in the past. Making sure to have creative time, restful time, and time outside and in nature is vital to workplace well being, and we always like to make sure that our team does the same.

Since the pandemic we’ve seen a shift in dining trends, people dining early or staying in. At the same time, there’s a well-documented loneliness epidemic. What do you see for the future for third spaces (restaurants/bars)?
Tony: People tend to be leaning more towards places that are more casual and consistent where you can have a great meal and equally great experience, not too stuffy, and friendly. Everyone loves a place like that. 
Paula: Post pandemic I have seen a lot of restaurants become less detail oriented and I’d love to see hospitality return to a place where it was. Many places lack great service, and I wonder if that’s a part of the reason people are staying in; maybe it feels less special to go out these days, I’m not sure. The people connection is so important and I’m eager to get that feeling back into restaurant walls. We’re always looking for inviting hospitality, where you feel like you fit in right away and everyone’s excited for you to be there. We’re hopeful for more of that.

OK, spill the tea, Paula. In May 2025, you announced your departure from Clark House as you’re planning the opening of your first brick-and-mortar wine bar/restaurant with executive chef Jake Robins (Donna’s Italian, Troy, Food Studio, Hudson) in the former Carmen’s space in Troy. Can you give us the backstory on how that came about and current scoop on the name, your shared vision, and projected opening? 3, 2, 1… go!
Paula:  That’s right, Jake and I are working with Russ and Jody Brooks who are rehabbing the former Carmen’s Cafe into our dream restaurant, First + Adams. After our time working together at Clark House, Jake and I feel confident in our partnership and are so excited to bring a great restaurant to Troy! We will continue along the same ethos I’ve shared with The Pony Show, as this is important to Jake as well (and a foundation of our work together), which is working with local farms and sourcing as seasonally and locally as possible, bringing the community together by including everyone and working with as many people nearby as we can. We are excited to further our relationship with Edible Uprising, as well as with other local farms such as St. Croix Farm, Kinderhook Farm, and Samascott Farm as we develop the program. We have a lot of construction ahead, but are hopeful for a late fall / early winter opening! 

Thanks so much for talking to The Dishing and I’m looking forward to collaborating down the road .

(*This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.)

The Pony Show x The Grange. Photo credit: Konrad Odhiambo/The Dishing.