Editor’s Note:
A parent of a child with celiac disease contacted us with concerns that the original version of this story was misleading.
The Valley Indy reached out to the owner and we’ve clarified several parts of the story, better explaining what’s “gluten free” in the business.
We also changed the headline to better represent the business.
Farm-to-table cooking and locally-sourced foods are the mainstay of a new cafe in downtown Derby.
Elected officials, family members, and customers were on hand Saturday morning to celebrate the grand opening of Seasonal Sweets & Catering.
The business opened last month at 101 Elizabeth St., in the Plaza on the Green. It’s in the space formerly occupied by The Gourmet Cafe.
It features a variety of breakfast items, fresh baked goods, soups, salads, and sandwiches.
Shelton resident Jim Calkins, the executive chef and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, owns the business with his wife, Michelle Calkins. She is the executive baker.
Jim Calkins said he uses “all seasonal ingredients.” The baked goods prepared on site are gluten and nut free. There’s a vegan menu, too.
More on the gluten-free baked goods:
There is no flour kept on premises. Instead, the businesses uses a gluten-free replacement. Bread in the store is purchased from a third party and not baked on premises. No gluten products go inside the store’s ovens. The business complies with industry standards to prevent cross-contamination, the owner said.
For more info on the gluten-free baked goods, see the owner’s comment in the post below.
“We’ve been seeing a lot of gluten allergies,” Calkins said.
The business also teams with local farms.
“We’re sourcing from six local farms,” he said.
Example — the apples and cider comes from Beardsley Cider Mill and Orchard in Shelton.
The restaurant features locally sourced organic coffee and unique, hand-made blends of tea, Calkins said.
“We also have hand-crafted chocolates that are 100 percent nut free,” he said.
Calkins said his wife spent more than three years developing a vegan line of cupcakes.
Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto welcomed the new business owners.
“I celebrate these two Sheltonites, and I’m happy to have them here,” she said.
“All good entrepreneurs get their training in Shelton and then they come to Derby,” said Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce President Bill Purcell.
“I’m at a loss here,” Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti quipped.
Here’s a look at the cafe’s winter menu (partial). Click here to visit the Facebook page. Article continues below.
Lauretti wished the Calkinsluck in their new venture, and congratulated Dugatto on the business opening.
State Rep. Jason Perillo, R‑Shelton, said he has known Jim Calkins for several years.
“Best wishes for continued success,” Perillo said.
“We want everyone to know where their food is coming from,” Jim Calkins said. “People don’t know where it comes from, and that’s scary to me.”
The site has been the home of several restaurants in the past few years, most recently The Gourmet Cafe, which operated there from 2012 to 2014.
Former Derby Mayor Tony Staffieri, an owner of Plaza on the Green, said he has been sampling the fare and gave a thumbs up to everything he has tried so far.
For information visit the business here on its Facebook page.
