Let’s cut to the chase: Pangaea’s Fine Dining restaurant did not make it out of the pandemic. We never imagined it would come to this, but we have had to be ever on our toes these past couple of years. With each pivot we made, and by observing what our little village needed, it became clear that Pangaea Fine Dining, as we knew and loved it, could not return.   The Café In late 2020, we joined forces with Angelica, owner/founder of The Roasted Bean Espresso Bar, to experiment running a café during the day and a restaurant at night in the same space. However, with Angelica’s success, and o ..read more

It has been over a year of unknowns, curveballs, and pivots. We have for sure not stopped spinning our heads, but here is an easy guide to what this news means for your dining experience with Pangaea. The post VT Lifts Emergency Restrictions appeared first on Vermont Fine Dining ..read more

As we round the corner on a full year of this new existence, we wanted to check in. It has been hard for everyone. The service industry has turned itself upside down, everyone is learning new ways to connect and support while keeping each other safe. Many of you might be experiencing the sensation of hitting a pandemic wall, if you have not already (we sure have, plenty of times). But we keep finding ways around it, over it, and through it. We could never have predicted this course when we decided to close the restaurants for a month in March of last year, but here we are: still learning, stil ..read more

If you’ve been in to 1 Prospect any time this fall/winter, you’ve seen the smiling eyes behind the mask that is Angelica Harrison. Running a one-woman operation, Angelica’s business, The Roasted Bean Espresso Bar, has been churning out some of the best espresso drinks this little Village has seen. Earlier this summer she was located next door to Marigold’s Pizza and when they shut down for the winter, we decided to spark up a partnership here, pairing her bean slinging prowess with our affinity for a classic French Patisserie baked good and it’s been a match made in heaven. We sat down for a c ..read more

This has been…a year. For everyone everywhere who is scraping their way through, we applaud you and we’re here with you. From navigating a pandemic that shook the foundations of the industry, to rising to the task of creating a more racially and socially equitable community, however small our imprint in that endeavor may be, we and the Bennington community and the world have had to pivot. And pivot again, and again. We are still on our heels and no one is really sure where they will land or quite what solid ground feels like anymore. Lani, Bill, and Nick in Fine Dining In July, we suffered a ..read more

Nick has been working as the executive catering chef with Pangaea for our past two catering seasons and boy have we reaped the benefits. A joy in the kitchen, always ready to pick up the slack or make someone smile, and a creative knack for truly spectacular dishes, Nick talked to us about how he unexpectedly came to the kitchen. Pangaea: Tell us who you are and where you’re from. Nicolas Brunina: My name is Nicolas Brunina, born and raised here in Bennington, VT. P: How did you get your start in the food service industry? NB: I started my cooking career at Geannelis’, where Allegro is now. I ..read more

Pangaea is family. We have always said it because it has always been true. From our employees who build us up in every way to our regulars who bring a little spark of joy to every day, we owe everything to our people. That’s why around this time of year we are so adamant about giving back to our family, by treating them to a little joy of our own, all together, but outside the work place. It is one of our favorite times of the year to spend an evening with all of our employees, not clocked in, not under the guise of server or chef or bartender, but as all our individual and fantastic selves sh ..read more

Pangaea: Tell us who you are and where you’re from. Megan Held: Megan Held, and I’m from Pownal VT P: How did you end up working at Pangaea? MH: I started working at Pangaea when I was a senior in high school through [an internship with] the CDC (the Career Development Center). P: Where did you go after the CDC program? MH: I went to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. I graduated [May 2019] with a baking and pastry degree. P: What drew you to desserts, to baking and pastries? MH: I grew up in the kitchen with my mom making desserts for any family function. My favorite th ..read more

Nancy is a freelance writer, with a broad range of knowledge of the wine world. She writes restaurant reviews for Sante Magazine and recently published a how-to book on making mead. Nancy has held several wine tasting dinners at Pangaea and previously ran the Bennington Wine Meetup. Since this interview, Nancy started her own, come-to-you wine tasting business called “Couch + Cork.” Look for a follow up post with a review of her fantastic in-home wine tasting service! Pangaea: Tell us who you are and where you’re from. Nancy Koziol: I’m Nancy Koziol. I’m from the New York city area. I came up ..read more

Mariam Shah is a graduate of Bennington College, an artist, and a phenomenal chef who specializes in traditional Pakistani cuisine. She is the founder of garam garam, a traveling “pop-up restaurant.” Pangaea: Tell us who you are and where you’re from. Mariam Shah: Mariam Shah, from Pakistan. Artist, Chef, ex-teacher, ex-actor, go-getter, hard worker, ass kicker! P: What brought you to Bennington and what made you decide to stay? MS: After ten years of teaching art, working as the department head, acting and never having attended college, I found myself burned out and in need of a big change. N ..read more