A farmer, a Michelin-starred chef, and a fireman walk into a bar. There’s no punchline; this was part of an actual scene during the opening week at Chatham’s new dining hot spot, Bimi’s Canteen and Bar. And it’s the exact type of community commingling the owners were hoping for when they opened in early June.

“We’re a Hudson Valley restaurant,” says Ellen Waggett, who runs Bimi’s with her husband Christopher Landy. “By that I mean we serve food with locally sourced ingredients, as much as possible, to the eclectic community we’re in—from first responders, to business owners, to local celebrities.”

The pair have owned Bimi’s Cheese Shop next door for the last 10 years, where they sell cheese sourced from both global and local purveyors, along with counter-service sandwiches, espresso, and more.

The idea to open a restaurant began as a suggestion from the building’s landlord. For self-proclaimed opportunists Landy and Waggett, it doesn’t take much more than a bright idea and a brainstorm to get momentum going on new projects. “We both have entrepreneurial spirits,” Landy says. “So when the space became available, our landlord suggested we expand. And when opportunities are presented, we tend to jump on them.”

Landy and Waggett began renovating the storefront in January 2020 — so, you know what happened next. “The journey was hard, with a lot of delays between COVID and supply chain issues,” Waggett says. On top of that, both the owners each have their own separate careers. Landy is an Emmy-award winning lighting designer who has done work for MTV, NBC, Oprah, and other top names in showbiz, and Waggett has been at NBC for 15 years as a production designer, working on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and many other shows. “We create experiences for a living, so of course that’s something we’d bring to our businesses,” she says. And with a show-must-go-on mentality, they designed distinctive atmospheres in the streetside Canteen and downstairs bar.

Rustic brick, warm lighting, and wood tones create an inviting vibe at the Canteen; that warmth extends to the bar, which has more of a speakeasy feel. “When we opened the cheese store, it was important to us to make it friendly and unintimidating — cheese isn’t a fancy experience, it's a delicious experience,” Waggett says. “So we wanted the same feeling at the Canteen: fresh, elegant, delicious food in a welcoming atmosphere that you can enjoy whether it’s your birthday or just a Tuesday.”

They brought on Chef Josh Kelly, a Chatham native with a profound appreciation of fresh, local food, who’s worked as a culinary director and executive chef at establishments in New York and Colorado Springs. Beverage Director Andrey Matseyev, formerly of New York City’s Restaurant Daniel and Cafe Boulud in the Berkshires, manages the bar, where you’ll find creative cocktails and a curated selection of wines.

The restaurant officially opened on June 3 with a limited menu that includes three mainstays: macaroni gratin with candied tomatoes, bacon lardons, and cheese; a bouillabaisse in a rich saffron-tomato broth; and a burger made with Grimaldi Farms beef plus broiled raclette, shallot jam, and heirloom tomato.

“So far, we’ve sold out every night. The three standards will stay, but the menu will eventually expand,” Waggett explains. “We’ll also have some basic categories — listed as The Steak, The Pork, The Fish, and so on — that aren’t set, to give our chef the opportunity to change with the seasons, the week, or based on what’s available at farms or markets.”

Meet the Farmer/Purveyor/Maker events are on the horizon, as is private event booking. And of course, the duo is already planning their next venture: a gelato shop one door over, also under the Bimi umbrella.

“Bimi’s is named after my mother; it was her grandmommy name,” Waggett says. She explains that Bimi was an international attorney, so the family traveled often. “Her favorite thing to do was find markets wherever she traveled and buy local cheese and wine to bring home to enjoy with friends. Years ago, I found a letter she wrote when I was five, in response to me asking if cheese only came from France. She said she’d find all the places with good cheese for me. I didn’t remember the note, but we had already ended up naming the shop after her, so it was fitting.”

“She was pretty incredible and touched so many people’s lives,” Landy adds. “And through the shop and Canteen, she still can.”

Bimi’s Canteen and Bar
19 Main Street, Chatham, NY
(518) 938-1415
Thursday through Monday, 5-10 p.m. Reservations are highly encouraged.

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Written by
Melissa Esposito