Career Journey
Shared-Use Community Kitchen Affords these Women Entrepreneurs a Pathway to Culinary Success
March 2026
Photo Courtesy (Cropped): Hao Bao Now
By Elizabeth Druback Celaya
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It’s no secret that the Hudson Valley Region of New York is a hotbed of culinary innovation. Home to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and a rich history of farming and local food, the area draws chefs and foodies alike to partake in the region’s unique alchemy of ingredients. But it’s also no secret that starting a new food business is hard and expensive, deterring many from pursuing their dreams. Enter Hudson Valley Open Kitchen (HVOK), a shared-use community kitchen and incubator for aspiring culinary entrepreneurs, operated by the nonprofit Hudson River Housing.
HVOK offers several fully equipped commercial kitchens and an attached cafe available for rent by the hour for startups in the food and beverage industry. From jam makers to caterers to budding restaurateurs, HVOK is a place to try their hand at creating a new venture at an affordable rate. For the entrepreneurs using HVOK, it’s also a place to craft a business on their own terms — one that allows them to prioritize family, wellness and balance.
That’s the case for both Xiaowan Yang and Jennie Gaffney, two kitchen members currently making their mark at HVOK. |
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Xiaowan Yang Pursues Her Culinary Dream
Xiaowan is slight, with an open, innocent face; though it doesn’t take long to realize she is full of courage and tenacity. It’s a common trait among the female members of her family, she tells me, especially her grandma: “That’s where my spirit comes from.” Xiaowan leads the pop-up and farmers market venture Hao Bao Now, but her journey started years earlier in China, where she grew up making memories with her grandparents. “I was with my grandparents all the time," she says. “My grandpa was always playing instruments (he played with the Beijing Opera) and drinking tea, and my grandma was making food, delicious food. That’s my best memory.” At age 27, Xiaowan left China to pursue a dream of working in the culinary arts after years of working for a tech company left her unsatisfied. An online search told her that the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park was the best culinary school in the world, and that was all she needed to know. In 2019 she landed in the U.S. and enrolled in the CIA’s Baking and Pastry Arts program. “My English was terrible,” she explains. “I had friends in the U.S., but not at the same school, so I was by myself essentially.” |
Xiaowan (Left) with Her Husband at the Beacon Farmers Market
Photo Courtesy: Xiaowan Yang |
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Fun Facts
Hao means good in Chinese, making the business Good Bao Now in English!
Hao Bao Now’s business logo has special meaning. It takes inspiration from a headdress worn in traditional Beijing Opera by female warriors. In the center is the image of a bao bun. The logo ties Xiaowan to her grandparents, as her grandfather was a musician with the Beijing Opera and her grandmother is the fierce inspiration for Xiaowan’s tenacity and career in food. |
The memories of her grandmother’s kitchen sustained and inspired her. Feeling homesick, she would often cook the dishes she remembered from home and began introducing her traditional recipes to new friends. Bao, a soft, steamed bread that is used as a vessel for a variety of fillings, was always on the menu. “Bao is one of the most authentic Chinese foods. It’s our daily food,” says Xiaowan.
With a mission of introducing more people to Chinese home cooking, last year Xiaowan took the leap to launch her business, using the Hudson Valley Open Kitchen as her home base. Part of the decision to become an entrepreneur was based on her new role as a mother. Now married to a U.S. citizen, Xiaowan knows she will be staying in the U.S. long-term, and as her family grows, she wants to have a flexible schedule that maximizes the time she can spend with her daughter.
The Hudson Valley Open Kitchen has allowed Xiaowan to test serving her food as a pop-up restaurant and at local markets. Hao Bao Now typically offers six different bao, which form the foundation of her menu. Noodles and other traditional dishes like congee round out the offerings for now. Xiaowan has her eye on putting her pastry degree to use by introducing the U.S. market to Chinese desserts.
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Xiaowan’s Favorite Green Bean Pork Bao Filling
(Grandma’s Recipe)
Method: 1. Chop the green beans and potatoes into small cubes. Mince the garlic. 2. Heat up the canola oil in a wok, and brown garlic. 3. Add the pork and stir fry until the water evaporates and the meat is cooked through. 4. Add the green beans and potatoes and stir fry with the rest of the ingredients until softened. Use it as bao filling after it cools or just eat it as is. |
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Jennie Gaffney Cooks Up Delicious Dishes Packed with Healthy Ingredients
Jennie Gaffney only found her way to the kitchen after high school, when she quickly discovered she loved experimenting with food. “I didn’t grow up around food,” she explains. “I grew up with a single mom, and processed foods were often on our table out of necessity.” After attending Le Cordon Bleu in Dallas, Texas, Jennie made her way back to the Hudson Valley and landed stints at high-end spots like Mohonk Mountain House and Buttermilk Falls Inn, where she was executive chef. Along the way, she also attended a health coaching program at the Institute for Integrated Nutrition. “That’s when wellness and what I could do in the kitchen started to co-exist for me,” she shares. That combination of experiences planted the seed for what is now Conscious Cuisine, a healthy meal delivery service. Jennie tested out the idea as a side hustle while working her full-time gigs, but she made the decision to go full-time on her own in the summer of 2024. “The HVOK allowed me to do that,” she asserts. Now, Jennie spends her time developing mouth-watering menus that combine wellness with great-tasting food. New menus are released every Wednesday, with deliveries on Mondays across a three-county area. “I want the menus to be fun, something people can look forward to,” she says. “My aim is to give people variety for their busy weeks.” |
Jennie Gaffney (Founder of Conscious Cuisine)
Photo Courtesy: Jennie Gaffney |
Conscious Cuisine Touts "Only Recognizable Ingredients"
Photo Courtesy: Conscious Kitchen |
Conscious Cuisine’s clients hail from all walks of life. They include an elderly man who lost his wife, a super-busy mom of twins, and a businessman with a long commute to New York City who doesn’t want to rely on takeout. Packed in glass or disposable packaging, health and sustainability are top priorities for Jennie. “Everybody needs and aspires to have healthy, well-thought-out food that fits their lifestyle and is accessible, but it’s such a challenge, even for me,” she adds.
Jennie also wants to create a business that meets her needs. “I needed to make my business work for me, for how I want to live my life.” In addition to meal prep, Jennie offers cooking classes, private chef dinners, occasional retreats, and micro-weddings. Having the flexibility of being her own boss and having access to HVOK have made that possible. For now, Jennie’s doing most of the work on her own, with some occasional help. “I just want to keep enjoying it!” she says. |
Hudson Valley Open Kitchen’s mission is to provide every kitchen member with the tools and access needed to make local food widely available to everyone in our community.
See What's Cooking
Follow Hao Bao Now on:
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Find Hao Bao Now at their pop-up at the Beacon Farmers Market on Sundays.
Follow Jennie on:
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
Contact Jennie via email or at: (845) 476-5598
Find Hao Bao Now at their pop-up at the Beacon Farmers Market on Sundays.
Follow Jennie on:
Contact Jennie via email or at: (845) 476-5598
Elizabeth Druback Celaya is a seasoned community development professional with over 20 years of experience dedicated to preserving and strengthening communities through social innovation and meaningful change. Deeply passionate about localism and small business, she thrives on discovering hidden gems and uncovering the rich stories and history woven into the fabric of each place she visits. A lifelong dancer, Elizabeth began ballet at age three and has recently rekindled her love for the art form as an adult. Outside of work and the studio, she finds joy in motherhood, tending her garden, and getting lost in a good book. Follow Elizabeth on Instagram.
