Hudson Valley Hospital Honors Chef, Architect and Physician at Farm-to-Table Fundraiser

Sep 11, 2013

Cortlandt Manor, NY

a man holding a monkey

They come from different backgrounds, but they are all leaders in their fields, and each has contributed much to NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital.

On Friday, September 27 from 6- 11 p.m. NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital will honor three men at its "Harvest of the Hudson Valley" farm-to-table fundraiser at Glynwood Farm in Cold Spring. This year’s honorees are: Chef Peter X. Kelly, Joseph Pallante A.I.A and Elliott Sumers, MD. The evening will feature cocktails, dinner and a silent auction.

"We are very grateful to each of our honorees for all that they have contributed to the Hudson Valley Hospital Community," said John C. Federspiel, President of NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital. "While some of our honorees have only recently joined us, others have served our community for many years. Each is accomplished in his own field, and each in his own way has served our hospital and the community, whether helping in the development of our demonstration kitchen or providing the best treatment to our patients."

In keeping with its new initiatives to promote healthy eating, NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital this year is holding a unique, farm-to-table event in place of its annual Gala. Proceeds from the event will go toward the construction of a demonstration and teaching kitchen that will work to educate young and old on the importance of nutrition in health.The goal is to help people learn to prepare healthier meals at home.

Both Chef Kelly and Joseph Pallante, the architect of the Hospital’s Cheryl R. Lindenbaum Cancer Center and Pataki Conference Center, have been integral in helping to plan and design the new demonstration kitchen. The teaching/demonstration kitchen is the final piece in a multi-faceted plan to highlight nutrition as an integral part of healthcare. In April 2012, the Hospital opened its "Seeds for Health" Organic Garden, followed by the opening of a Farmers’ Market that same year. In 2013, the markets were expanded to twice a month and the Hospital implemented a new food service, Cura Hospitality, which features locally sourced foods as well as from scratch cooking.

A participant in HVHC’s Farmers’ Markets, Glynwood Farm has provided the community with educational and sustainable farming programs since 1929 and has worked to strengthen our regional food system throughout the Hudson Valley.

Tickets to "Harvest of the Hudson Valley" are $600 and seating is limited. For further information and to reserve tickets, visit hvhc.npgdev.com or call the Hospital’s Foundation at 734-3526.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital honorees for 2013 are as follows:

Peter X. Kelly

Celebrated chef and a winner of Food Networks’ Iron Chef challenge, Peter X. Kelly owns some of the most renowned and acclaimed restaurants in New York State. Xaviars at Piermont, The Freelance Cafe and Wine Bar, Restaurant X and The Bully Boy Bar, as well as X2O Xaviars on the Hudson have all received popular praise and the industry's most coveted awards and accolades, which include The New York Times highest rating (Extraordinary), The Mobil Travel Guide Four Star Award, The Dirona Award, Restaurant News Dining Hall of Fame, Wine Spectator's "Best of Award of Excellence," Zagat's Survey (29 out of 30), New York State Restaurateur of The Year 1998.

Born in Yonkers, New York, the tenth of 12 children, Peter began working in local restaurants at the age of 14. In 1983, Peter's culinary interests led him on a pilgrimage to France,and to the pursuit of perfection in the culinary world. At 23, this self-taught chef opened Xaviars in Garrison and began his journey to success. Peter Kelly has been featured in numerous national publications including: New York Magazine, Esquire Magazine, Crain's, USA Today, W Magazine, Food Arts, Gourmet Magazine, Wine Enthusiast, Food & Wine and Bon Appetit.

Peter has been invited to cook at The James Beard House, appeared on the Food Channel TV Network, as well as numerous appearances on CBS and NBC. Peter has also been nominated for the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef Northeast. In 2007, Peter appeared on the Food Networks’ Iron Chef America and beat Bobby Flay in Battle "Cowboy Rib Eye", He also played host to Anthony Bourdain on his "No Reservations" program, introducing Tony to the beauty of the Hudson Valley.

In addition to Peter’s entrepreneurial spirit, he has also been an active participant in causes to benefit dozens of charity and community organizations from Nyack Hospital Pediatric Center to Westchester Food Patch. Most recently, he has donated his time and passion help in the creation of the demonstration/teaching kitchen at NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital.

Joseph Pallante

With more than 20 years of experience in architectural and interior design for healthcare, commercial and residential projects, Joseph Pallante has designed projects throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area.

Joseph received his Bachelor of Architecture degree with honors from The Pratt Institute School of Architecture in 1991 and worked for GSC Architects in Brooklyn until 1996 when he took a position at Shaynak & Thalmayr Architects and Planners in Manhattan. In 1999, Joseph became a partner at that firm and was in charge of various healthcare projects throughout New York City and Westchester. In 2001, he started his own firm, Pallante Design LLC in Hoboken NJ.

In 2012, Pallante Design received the AIA-Newark Suburban Chapter Award for Design Excellence for The Pataki Center, a conference center created for the NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital. Some of his firm’s more noteworthy projects involve NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital, where he designed the new Medical Office Building and Cheryl R. Lindenbaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Most recently, he has been deeply involved in the creation of the new Teaching and Demonstration Kitchen.

Joseph holds a certificate from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and is a member of the American Institute of Architects. He is currently licensed in New York and New Jersey and is a LEED Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction.

A resident of Millstone Township NJ, Joseph has volunteered his time there as the Commissioner of the Little League Girls Softball Program. Her has coached softball and baseball there for the past six years. He and his wife, Michelle, have two daughters, Evalyse and Gianna, and a son, Joseph Jr. Besides his love of architecture and design, Joseph is an avid skier and wine maker and shares those pleasures with his friends and family.

Dr. Elliott Sumers

Dr. Elliott Sumers has practiced Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at Hudson Valley Hospital since 2003. He attended the six-year Integrated Premedical-Medical program at The University of Michigan, earning a BS Magna Cum Laude and an MD with Honors. He was elected to the AOA Medical Honor Society. As a medical intern at The University of Michigan Hospital, he was awarded a Bronze Beeper for Outstanding Teaching of Medical Students.

Dr. Sumers was a Resident and Chief Resident in Diagnostic Radiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School and did fellowships in Interventional Radiology at NY Hospital Cornell and Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Long Island Jewish Hospital.

He currently serves on the Board of the Hudson Valley Hospital Foundation and is a former Trustee of The Horace Mann School, and The Putnam County Historical Society. He was an Organizer and Founding Director of The Pascack Community Bank. Along with his wife, Dr. Anne Sumers, he co-founded the New Jersey Children’s Museum. Dr. Anne Sumers is an eye surgeon and team ophthalmologist for The New York Football Giants. The Sumers reside in Montrose, NY. They have two sons: Benjamin. 25, who is in graduate school in at Stanford University, and Ted, 24, who is an embedded software engineer in San Francisco.

Dr. Sumers is an avid skier, cyclist, golfer, skeet shooter, and recently won a Sleepy Hollow Country Club Squash Doubles Championship. An ardent naturalist and conservationist, he is profoundly committed to the plight of endangered primates. He is currently working actively with the Orangutan Foundation International to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned orangutans in Borneo.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital is dedicated to serving the health care needs of the community and to providing quality, comprehensive medical care in a compassionate, professional, respectful manner, without regard to race, religion, national origin or disease category. Offering state-of-the-art diagnostic treatment, education and preventive services, the Hospital is committed to improving the quality of life in the community. In fulfilling this mission, the Hospital will strive to continuously improve the care provided and develop and offer programs, facilities, systems and alliances that most effectively respond to community health care needs. NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital is located on Route 202 (1980 Crompond Road) in Cortlandt Manor, New York. Call 914-737-9000 or visit hvhc.npgdev.com