In the village of Rhinebeck, Sean B. Nutley has created a destination where customers can buy kitchen equipment, cookware, bakeware, tools, gadgets, linens, housewares, and accessories. The shop was originally opened with Gregory Triana in High Falls in 2004, making its way across the river six years ago. bluecashew Kitchen Pharmacy now has the design and product imprint of Nutley’s romantic partner, JT McKay, who works by day as creative director at China Grill Management in New York City.
JT has taken on a larger role at bluecashew since January, when Triana made the decision to relocate to Miami in the near future. He helps with product choices and merchandising, fills in when Sean has work obligations away and is involved with the store’s new interior restaurant division. Among their first projects was the redesign of the main dining room at Terrapin restaurant across the street. “We were pretty vocal that it had to be redone, since it looked like the ’90s, and too much like a church, which it was,” says Sean. “This was important because Josh [Kroner, the chef] was going to do more market-to-table dinners.” The partners redesigned the dining room to better convey its farm-to-table philosophy.
Sean and JT, who met at the Burning Man art festival almost five years ago, have settled into Sean’s home in Accord. When they’re home, they are full cooking partners, making their favorite grilled pizzas, pastas, salads, and a house specialty of boneless chicken thighs with anchovies, garlic, and capers. They typically decide what’s for dinner that day. “They joke at Adam’s that they see me daily,” Sean says.
But when it comes to a garden, it’s JT’s exclusive domain. “I try to keep [Sean] out,” he says, “because, of all the things I do, this is the most rewarding.” Sean accepts what’s off-limits. In their partnership, divisions of labor at work and home make for a delicious recipe.
