Buddy was a ship’s cook in the Navy, and it was there that he honed his culinary skills and first created his prized lasagna recipe. His love for the kitchen never left and he decided to make the restaurant business his life-long career. After running restaurants and bars for years in the upstate New York area, he and Cate moved to Bolton Landing with their three sons, where they opened Cate’s Italian Garden.
Cate Foy
While working as a hostess at another restaurant, Cate spotted a property across the street that was for sale and talked Buddy into buying it and turning it into Cate’s Italian Garden. The now-legendary restaurant has been in business for more than 24 years and is a beloved institution in Bolton Landing. She was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and was unable to work last summer, but this year Cate is back, in remission and determined to keep working in the business she loves.
Edward “Buddy” Foy Jr.
Buddy Jr. grew up in the restaurant business along with his brother Jesse. Entrepreneurs by nature, Junior and his wife, Jen, decided to take a swing at the then-nascent Internet world and start their own company. After 10 years of working in that intense world, they sold their company and moved back to Bolton Landing to raise their two daughters. That’s when the siren’s call of the restaurant business beckoned again. They invested everything into The Chateau on the Lake, a private residence that was converted into their fine-dining restaurant. Junior and Jen want their daughters to work at the Chateau. This was how Buddy Jr. was raised, and he thinks it’s a great way to teach the kids about a solid work ethic, family unity and getting ahead.
Jennifer Foy
Although she’s a native “Jersey girl,” Jennifer’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from Italy before she was born. While their second language may have been English, their first language at home was food! Jen’s mother, Sylvia, is an excellent cook and set the foundation for Jen’s love for memorable meals. Jen met her husband in New York City, and after 10 years in the high-stress corporate world, they decided to leave the city and open a family-run restaurant in Bolton Landing. They purchased a house on Lake George around the corner from her in-laws and converted it into their dream high-end restaurant. Jen loves entertaining and her desire is to have her customers feel like they are guests in their home, while being served in a fine-dining atmosphere.
Jesse Foy
Jesse started working in his parents’ restaurant Cate’s Italian Garden when he was 13 years old. The youngest of Cate and Buddy Sr.’s sons, he moved back to Bolton Landing after college and worked there for 12 years, ultimately helping to run it with them. But when Jesse asked his parents to make him a partner at Cate’s and they refused, Jesse struck out on his own. He bought Diamond Point Grille four years ago, putting his life’s savings into it. Starting a new restaurant is always tough, and Jesse has been struggling to make Diamond Point Grille a success since it opened. The short summer season has been barely bringing in enough money for him to provide for his family year-round, and he has decided to give Diamond Point Grille just one more season before he decides to keep the doors open or close them for good. Jesse has been married to Jessica for 12 years, and they have three sons.
Jessica Foy
Jessica has known the Foy family since she was a child; her aunt used to work at Cate’s Italian Garden! She and Jesse went to grade school together and dated in high school. After Jesse moved back to Bolton she and Jesse reconnected, and they’ve been married for 12 years. Jessica works as a teacher, and her income helps get their family through the long off-season. During the summer season, Jessica helps out at Diamond Point Grille part-time.
