Our Team
Kathy Stephenson | Co-Founder, Chef
Kathy began her culinary career when she stepped from her home kitchen into the cook tent of Jonathan Rapp, volunteering at the first night of Dinners at the Farm in 2006. That Fall she interned at River Tavern in Chester, was soon hired, and developed her skills under James Wayman and Chris Flayhaven. She spent the next 17 years cooking at River Tavern, managing Dinners at the Farm, and catering. She also assisted in the creation, opening, and early management of River Tavern's sister restaurant OTTO.
Kathy is thrilled her journey has led to the opening of her own business and is confident that COOKED will represent both her personal commitment to local ingredients and her relationships with the farmers who are key to the dishes she creates.
kathy@cookedmarketplace.com
Teresa Findlay | Co-Founder
A passionate food-lover and cook, Teresa has traveled to many parts of the world taking cooking classes along the way. From Chateaus in France to the International Culinary Institute in NYC, she's explored the ins and outs of many culture's cuisines. Through COOKED she shares her enthusiasm for top notch counter service experienced in locales like Harrods in London and Tin Building in NYC.
teresa@cookedmarketplace.com
Manuel Poguio | Executive Chef
Manuel grew up surrounded by family, food, and cooking. He studied the ways his grandmothers cooked-one at the stove, the other around the fire. With his knowledge, he began his culinary career in Chester, CT at Restaurant Du Village. In 2008 he joined the team at River Tavern and worked his way up to Executive Chef by the age of 34. Throughout his 14 years there he enjoyed mentoring fellow staff, assisting in menu development, and refining his creative and technical skills.
He's proud to showcase his skills and international flavors at COOKED as Executive Chef.
manuel@cookedmarketplace.com
Tara Belcher | Manager
Tara Belcher is a true foodie. She learned about the wonders of cooking (and feeding people) from her talented mom and Italian grandmother. She then honed her skills as her life brought her around the globe to food and wine related jobs in New Zealand, England and France. More recently, her multiple talents have shone as the face of River Tavern in Chester, where her managerial and social skills created many wonderful farm-to-table dining experiences for its patrons. Tara is eagerly looking forward to doing the same at Cooked Marketplace.