Now Open

Oak & Reed is a new restaurant located in Middletown, NY in the beautiful Hudson Valley. Our focus will be to bridge the gap between elevated comfort food and contemporary cuisine, with an inspired beer and wine list. Ingredients will be locally sourced and sustainable with an emphasis on supporting our local farms and businesses. 

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Joseph Moore

Born in Middletown, NY and raised in Bullville, Joe has deep roots in the area.  After graduating from Johnson & Wales University in 2009, Joe was quickly named Sous Chef for Siena Restaurant, an establishment that has received numerous accolades from Rhode Island Monthly as the best Restaurant in Providence, RI. However, the urge to return back to New York was too strong and Joe soon found himself at Café Centro in midtown Manhattan. New York City broadened his awareness and appreciation for fine dining and a few years later, he made the switch to Westchester County Country Clubs, exclusive member’s only clubs with affluent clientele.   It was there that he honed his abilities and pushed the boundaries of his own cooking and the dining programs of the Clubs for which he worked.  Joe looks forward to showcasing his talents at Oak & Reed.

Laura Moore

Also born and raised in Middletown, Laura met Joe on a cold November night at a pop-up dinner that he was hosting in his parents' house.  He sealed the deal with his food and six years later, the two were married in August of 2018 at Grace Episcopal Church in downtown Middletown. With more than ten years of experience in Advertising Account Services, Laura has continuously proven to run flawless advertising programs, putting clients' satisfaction at the top of her list; a direct correlation to the food service industry. She holds a marketing degree from Pace University’s Lubin School of Business, and she studied Advanced Management and Marketing at the University College Cork, Ireland.  She is eager to bring her sense of hospitality to Middletown. 

Trace Martin

Born in Baltimore, MD and raised in the small town of Port Deposit, Trace started in the kitchen at a young age and when he turned 17, found himself fully immersed in the culinary world. It was then that he realized he needed to further his education and soon graduated top tier of his class from The Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts. The last three months of his education were spent as an intern at Cafe Centro, a fine dining French restaurant in Midtown Manhattan (where he met Joe). As his career developed, he gained invaluable experience and exposure at a variety of establishments including a hip-jazzy restaurant in Brooklyn, NY and a high end Country Club in Westchester, NY.  Trace has spent a lot of time in Middletown with both Joe and Laura  and considers the City and its suburbs a home away from home.  He is excited to share his expertise and knowledge with our customers. 

The Oak & The Reeds

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We chose to name our restaurant after this Aesop's Fables classic for its moral depiction of resilience.  It is incredibly relevant as the City of Middletown has made great strides towards revitalizing the area, sparking a Renaissance in the Lower Hudson Valley.  It also represents how we as a restaurant conduct business, with humility and flexibility.  After all, it is our City too and we take pride in serving our neighbors.

A very large oak was uprooted by the wind and thrown across a stream. It fell among some Reeds, which it thus addressed: “I wonder how you, who are so light and weak, are not entirely crushed by these strong winds.” They replied, “You fight and contend with the wind, and consequently you are destroyed; while we on the contrary bend before the least breath of air, and therefore remain unbroken, and escape." - Aesop (Townsend version), 1919

Painting by Achille Michallon

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