Church St. Catering owners bring unique menu and experience to each event
By Mike Danahey
Jeanne D’Angelo and Bridget Bullard came into this world as cousins, became fast friends, and
since 2019 they have been business partners in a creative culinary endeavor, Church St. Catering.
“We have always spent a lot of time together, and whenever we spoke about work, we would realize
each other’s talents,” Bullard said. “We knew that we would work well together because
we have very similar temperaments and work ethic.”
Both also have extensive, impressive restaurant industry credentials.
D’Angelo worked at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan for almost 17 years. She made her way through
the ranks to become banquet sous chef and the first woman saucier in Waldorf history. Bullard managed
Ca’Mea, a prominent restaurant and boutique inn in Hudson, for almost 15 years and has a level two
sommelier certification.
Combining their talents, the two came up with a plan for Church St. Catering that included giving the
business a name that pays homage to their family, and their nana, Chickie, in particular.
“We came up with Church St. Catering because nearly every member of our family has lived on
Church Street in Leeds at one point or another. We are now quite spread out, but Leeds is home to all of
us,” Bullard said.
In fact, a long-running Leeds establishment plays a role in the development of Church St. Catering.
Bullard said that before her and D’Angelo’s family permanently moved to the upstate hamlet
in the early 1970s, they had spent every summer in Leeds and stayed behind at The Inn at Leeds.
“Subsequently, we have spent our entire lives frequenting The Inn, formerly The Irish Center. We
have luckily been able to further this long-standing relationship by helping each other in
business,” Bullard said. “We use their kitchen as our commissary, and we work together
whenever possible.”
That includes frequent “takeover” nights and special holiday-related events at The Inn,
where Church St. Catering prepares the menu available to diners.
The duo also bought a food truck in 2021. They customized the vehicle so that it stands out at some
places and blends in at formal events.
“With the truck, we’re able to bring a full kitchen to any event, and that is so helpful.
We’re also able to work at different breweries, farmer’s markets, food festivals and a host
of other fun events,” Bullard said.
As for the fare available from Church St. Catering, Bullard said D’Angelo’s training and
experience allows them to step outside of the box whenever possible.
“We don’t like to limit ourselves to one type of cuisine. We also love trying new
things,” Bullard said. “All that being said, it should be mentioned that Jeanne initially
found her love for cooking from her nana, Alda D’Angelo, and so she does have a natural affinity
for Italian food.”
For events, after an initial conversation Bullard and D’Angelo have with clients, D’Angelo
customizes a menu based on what the client is seeking.
“We keep in mind location, season, number of guests, special requests, set up and other factors.
We continue to fine tune the menu until it’s exactly what the client wants and all the logistics
for the event are covered,” Bullard said. “Jeanne puts this same effort of curating every
menu into all of our events, big or small, including what we offer at The Inn at Leeds.”
Running a catering business has not been without challenges.
The first year Church St. Catering had its food truck, D’Angelo and Bullard had to replace the
engine and transmission. That took almost three months to do. During that time, they went back to their
roots and provided delivery service.
“Mechanical expenses coupled with rising food costs are always going to be something we have to
work through. We try to handle these challenges with patience and logical thinking,” Bullard said.
“We’re also very lucky to have a wealth of support from our family and friends, many who are
business owners themselves and have helped guide us through some tough spots. We certainly
wouldn’t have made it this far without our family.”
What the cousins enjoy about running Church St. Catering is that every day, every event is always a bit
different.
“This means there is always going to be an opportunity to learn and grow. We take away something
from every event that we can learn and be better from,” Bullard said. “There’s also
something wonderful to be said about working with clients, getting to know them and helping them execute
their vision on these special occasions. From our smallest events to the largest, we’ve made so
many new friends along the way.”
We don’t like to limit ourselves to one type of cuisine.
We also love trying new
things.
Bridget Bullard,
Co-owner, Church St.
Catering
