Kate Neugold is the co-owner of Marygold’s on Main, The Foundry Kitchen & Tavern and Good Old Days Pizzeria & Cocktail Den, all based in Newtown. This Woodbury based mom of two operates these three spots in town along with her husband, Chef Clark Neugold. I had the chance to talk to Kate, not only about what she’s helped create at the former Newtown Inn, but about being a mom, her background, and how she handles it all.
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in Woodbury?
I was born in New York, my family moved to CT when I was in middle school, and I grew up in New Fairfield. We have lived in Woodbury for 3.5 years and we love it!
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
We have two children Ruscher, 3 and Evelyn 1.5
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
I was a competitive Irish Dancer for 13 years. I danced with the Grey School of Irish Dance in Newtown, for a long time before transferring to a NY school. It was a fun time, my mother started her own business selling Irish Dancing gear so we would travel all over the Northeast, and Canada competing and selling products. I have great memories of competing and then getting behind our booth and selling shoes, clothes, gear to customers…I learned so much about running a business at such young age. My parents worked so hard and it was definitely a unique experience!
Favorite things to do with your kids?
I love getting outside with them. We love to go hiking, play outside, go running. We have a “mini farm” at our house and we love to play with our goats, or visit my in-laws farm in Goshen. I love being in Nature with my children, teaching them to be kind to animals and discovering life outdoors. I hope to finally get some time this summer and start bringing them to the beach more, that is my happy place!
Favorite spot in Newtown?
There are so many amazing spots in Newtown. Because my life is just work and kids right now (I have no social life ha!) I basically live at Marygolds or Foundry. And any other activity revolves around the kids. We spend a lot of time at Fairfield Hills, Everwonder and we love the Newtown Community Center. We also love to get take out from Jewel of Himalaya.
Best thing about being a business owner in Newtown?
I love being a business owner. Having the freedom to be my own boss is something I never take for granted. I have had so many jobs before working in this industry and it was always the worst working for someone who gave me no freedom to be a part of something bigger. Clark and I try really hard to give our employees a lot of freedom to be their own boss, make decisions, be creative and come to us with ideas. I am really proud of that aspect of being a business owner. Seeing employees grow and rise up the ranks, and really embrace their roles and succeed is probably one of the best feelings in the world, it makes me so proud and happy for them! We are especially lucky to be a business owner in such a supportive town. I really love the sense of community and support that we receive from everyone. It’s just a lovely place to work and be a part of.
Greatest gift about being a mom?
Oh wow, I could write 10 pages on this one. Being a mom changed my life in a way I could never even put into words. Having children is truly a miracle and there is not a minute that goes by that I am not in awe of them. I love everything about being a mother to Ruscher and Evie. I think the biggest thing I appreciate is seeing life through their eyes. Watching them learn, grow, discover and seeing the pure joy and amazement is the biggest gift. It reminds me of all the little tiny things everyday that are truly amazing that, as we get older we seem to forget or ignore. They have reawakened me and I feel so alive and in tune with life when I am with them. They are my joy!
Can you share a bit about your background and your path to co-owner of The Foundry, Marygold’s, and Good Old Days Pizza?
Well to be honest, becoming a restaurant owner (when we purchased the Foundry) was a bit of a shock to my system! I studied art in college and worked in galleries in Hawaii and South Carolina for 6 years, and then became a full time yoga teacher. So stepping in the the restaurant industry flipped my world upside down. Clark and I had always talked about owning a restaurant. I feel like I have always had an “entrepreneurial spirit” and he was an experienced Chef, and we both really wanted to be our own boss. I spent many years selling art and working in customer service so we felt like one day, we would be a perfect team. When the opportunity came up for Foundry we knew it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and we could not turn it down. So I dove in head first and learned so much, so fast. I am very grateful for it, it has changed our life and I have learned and grown SO much these past few years! As time went on, we just knew we wanted to own many restaurants. I love working with Clark, we work well together (most days). My ultimate dream is to own a Vegan cafe/restaurant and focus more on food that heals (which is my true passion).
To say that you have a lot on your plate right now, would be a huge understatement! How do you find balance and still check off all your daily to-do’s?
We have a lot of help…it has taken me three years to finally feel comfortable leaving our kids with someone, its hard and scary! But we have my mother, my mother in law and two sitters. That is the only way I get anything done. I work at night and I spend my days with the kids. It’s a great balance right now. And I definitely have never had a day where I check off all my to-dos. I just do my best to do things any free moment I get.
Best mom hack that makes life run more smoothly?
I always try to “reset” the house, playroom, kids rooms before everyone goes to sleep. When we wake up, it feels really nice to have an organized clean home to start the day. I work better when things are organized so the chaos from the day can be overwhelming, this is a great way to start the day. And …not drinking. We gave up drinking a while ago and it has transformed our life. It is the biggest lifestyle change we made, and I am grateful every single day for it.
Keep up with all the latest happenings at the Neugold’s three restaurants in town by following along on social media:
Marygold’s on Main: Instagram or Facebook
Good Old Days Pizzeria & Cocktail Den: Instagram
The Foundry Kitchen & Tavern: Instagram & Facebook