Sullivan County’s Sims Foster and Kirsten Harlow Foster provide unique culinary and hospitality experiences through their properties with Foster Supply Hospitality.

It’s incredibly important that Sims Foster and Kirsten Harlow Foster maintain the historical integrity of the properties that they’ve acquired.

“In many cases, we’re taking over old buildings that have had many lives before us. So we dust them off and honor the history of the building and the roots of that place,” Kirsten says.

The duo, who were semi-finalists in the James Beard Awards “Outstanding Restaurateur” category in 2023, equate each property to a “child” of the Foster Supply brand. While there’s a common thread that connects them all and makes them recognizable as the brand’s property, they each have their own unique identity and personality.

The Anatomy of a Foster Supply Property

In addition to having their own design and conceptual brand, each hotel also has its own culinary identity that is tied to the historical roots of the building. For example, the Arnold House is a tavern that is over 100 years old, so the culinary offerings include tavern-fare – you can find burgers, wings, and dips on the menu.

Sims and Kirsten Foster.

Kenoza Hall, located on Kenoza Lake, is rooted in a reemergence of Old World Continental cuisine. The culinary team offers elevated classics such as oysters Rockefeller, citrus maple salmon, and gnocchi Parisienne.

The DeBruce, which was a James Beard semi-finalist in the “Outstanding Restaurant” category in 2024, boasts a tasting menu that is inspired by the mountains. The menu’s theme is “time and place,” which means that it differs based on what’s in season and available to the chefs.

Finally, Bittersweet at Hemlock Neversink boasts a plant-focused menu in which local ingredients take center stage, emphasizing the wellness themes throughout the hotel and spa. You can find healthy and flavorful dishes on the menu, including buckwheat with wild mushrooms, salmon and grilled asparagus, and bittersweet chocolate mousse with puffed amaranth.

Bittersweet breaks the mold of a typical spa restaurant, offering a fresh, exciting menu that doesn’t compromise on healthiness and changes daily – enhancing the fluidity and excitement of each stay.

The DeBruce. Photo by Lawrence Braun.

Celebrating 10 Years of the Arnold House

This is the first time that Sims and Kirsten are celebrating an anniversary for any of their properties. Typically, they’re too busy opening a new one.

“I think a decade is a very anchoring moment,” Sims observes. “We’re very focused on the history of the Arnold House and understanding our place in that lineage. We’re celebrating the Arnold House as much as we’re celebrating Livingston Manor and how the community has changed over the years.”

Kirsten shared that they leave “love notes” for guests at each hotel when they check in that contain their name, room number, Wi-Fi password, and similar information. Most recently, Foster Supply’s marketing team sent an email to Sims and Kirsten that was full of “love notes” from previous and current employees of the Arnold House and guests that have stayed at the hotel.

“I got all choked up, and I’m getting choked up now thinking about it,” Kirsten admits. “I think of all the people who have joined us and inspired us to keep going – and it’s pretty magical.”

Kenoza Hall. Photo by Lawrence Braun.

Feeding the Community

Kirsten credits Foster Supply’s wide array of cuisines to Sims’ restaurant experience. He has opened over 40 restaurants, bars, and hotels in his career and has worked his way through every service-level job in the restaurant business.

Kirsten, on the other hand, has worked on setting up small, rural micro-lending companies in developing countries, advising foreign officials on economics and health policy, and serving as an advisor to the U.S. Treasury Department.

Throughout both of their careers, Sims and Kirsten have been inspired by a common thread: making a difference in the communities surrounding them.

Sims was born and raised in Livingston Manor in Sullivan County, so the idea of coming home and utilizing his hospitality knowledge in his home communities was incredibly appealing.

“The inspiration was to come home to do what I had learned and love to do in the place that I love most,” Sims says. “I think our perspective is more on the unique side in that we wanted to make an impact on the communities in our area.”

This inspiration led Sims and Kirsten to start their nonprofit, A Single Bite + Catskills Food Hub.

A Single Bite nourishes and educates neighbors in Sullivan County with wholesome, healthy food through its community Family Meal Program and a school-based “Real Food” Education Program.

“Our kids are fifth-generation Sullivan County residents. We’re here because we want to be here and be immersed in the community,” Kirsten shares. “Our nonprofit allows us to get a little deeper into the community and into the areas that we previously felt like we weren’t able to touch.”

Sims agrees and shares that Sullivan County has historically struggled with food insecurity.

“One in five kids in Sullivan County are food insecure, and Sullivan is one of the poorest counties in New York State,” he explains. “We’re in the business of feeding people, and a quarter mile away there’s a family that can’t feed their children – that’s not a world we can reconcile easily.”

With the resources of Foster Supply Hospitality, The Family Meal Program has served over 160,000 meals to date and has become a reliable resource for families in need of support. The organization works with food service directors in many of the school districts throughout Sullivan County, as well as local farms to source produce and other goods.

“As founders, we’re super proud, but of course, it requires a lot more than just us to make it successful,” Sims says.

Hemlock Neversink. Photo by Sasithon Photography.

Looking forward

Foster Supply Hospitality shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. It has acquired three buildings in Newburgh that it’s looking to turn into a full-scale spa with multiple restaurants and a banquet space.

“We have a house there now, and we’re learning about that community,” Sims explains. “We think there’s a lot of potential for that community, and we want to be part of expediting the revitalization in any way we can.”

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