January 29, 2026
New Season for The Silo
Bringing a Culinary Icon Back to Life
By Paula Cornell
One of Litchfield County’s most iconic and beloved gems is back in operation: The Silo Cooking School at Hunt Hill Farm.
Founded by Ruth and Skitch Henderson in 1972, The Silo was the first recreational cooking school in Connecticut, the impetus for what would later become the Food Network, and a nonprofit promoting art, education, and sustainability. Culinary legends like Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Wolfgang Puck, and Martha Stewart taught here, not to mention the musicians, artists, and other well-known figures that have passed through.
Now, under the leadership of Alessandro Piovezahn, newest president and CEO of Hunt Hill Farm Trust, and award-winning chef Dino Kolitsas, director of the cooking school, The Silo’s doors stand open once again, welcoming the community to participate in classes and events.
The Hendersons had a rich background in music and arts in New York before moving to the farm in New Milford. Ruth was a writer and chef; Skitch was a talented pianist who accompanied Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, founded the New York Pops, and became the musical director of The Tonight Show.
Their passion was to create something lasting, establishing an arts and cultural hub built on farm-to-table sustainability and community service––elements that remain foundational to this day even after their deaths.
Soon after Piovezahn took over the farm in 2020, he met and teamed up with Kolitsas, who had recently opened his restaurant, Greca Mediterranean Kitchen + Bar, in New Milford.
“As a chef, the opportunity to bring to life something that was such a big part of the state’s culinary history, something with such a rich backstory—it’s an honor for me. It’s a privilege, and it’s better than winning awards,” says Kolitsas.
As they continue in year two since opening, Kolitsas and Piovezahn will focus on new classes, events, corporate and private experiences, and expanding access through livestreaming and community partnerships.
“2026 is the year of the cooking school,” says Piovezahn.
Class participants get to cook in a kitchen set in history––the same oven that Julia Child cooked in, the same floors and ceiling from the original 1820 structure, all kept to modern standards while maintaining their rustic charm. A long dinner table is beautifully set in the background, ready for the class to enjoy their culinary masterpieces.
“You could be a professional chef or someone who barely knows how to boil water,” says Kolitsas. “It’s a recreational school. You come to have fun, you learn a lot, you leave with recipes and confidence.”
They have a dozen or more chefs in rotation at any given time, including Carlos Perez, Rich Parente, and Jami Kopec, teaching classes in everything from beef Wellington to Polish pierogies.
This year is the school’s 54th anniversary, and they hope to continue for another 54 years.
“Our goal is to make it the locus for culinary activity in Litchfield County,” says Kolitsas. “We want this to be the place where the best dishes are born and the new and upcoming chefs are discovered––just like it used to be.” —thesilo.org
44 Upland Road, New Milford , 860-355-0300
