Martha Stewart says there were “no challenges whatsoever” in bringing her storied brand to life as a restaurant. And one would expect nothing less from the entertaining expert, who is well known for her perfect planning, with 100 books to her credit. Using her 1925 farmhouse in New York State as the template, Stewart and her team debuted The Bedford by Martha Stewart in Las Vegas in 2022, and will be opening her second location this fall at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut.
Martha's new restaurant is intended to give diners the feeling of being entertained in her country estate.
The Bedford by Martha Stewart“Finally, finally!” the icon exclaimed when I expressed pleasure that her second outpost was coming to New England. While a restaurant was always in the back of her mind, Stewart said, “I just never was ready to do it.” But upon entering her eighth decade, the time was finally right. “I was totally ready,” when Caesars made the proverbial offer she couldn’t refuse, she said.
The timing couldn’t be better for a Connecticut destination for Stewart’s legions of fans – word just came out that Clarkson Potter is rereleasing Stewart’s first book, Entertaining, which she wrote at Turkey Hill, her former farmstead in in Westport, Conn. “[Turkey Hill is] where I developed most of my early recipes, and all of them are in that book,” Stewart says. “I considered myself a real Connecticut farmer, cook, and caterer at that time.” Originally printed in 1982, the book is so beloved that it will arrive in October without any changes or updates.
Big Martha's pierogis, a recipe handed down from Stewart's mom, will be a menu staple.
The Bedford by Martha StewartThe Connecticut connection is what appealed to Foxwoods management when they approached Stewart, says Jason Guyot, president and CEO of Foxwoods. “She is such a New England brand that opening a Bedford here at Foxwoods is going to do unbelievably well,” he says. “She is a relevant voice for Millennials and Gen Z, and then someone like myself, a Gen Xer. She really crosses all demographics.”
Of course, Stewart is a global icon, but her Connecticut time was foundational, she says, and that will be reflected in the new restaurant, with the design and format bringing in New England touches while taking advantage of the bounty of local food. “It will absolutely emphasize locally sourced ingredients,” Stewart says. “New England has very good organic farms. We will be using as many of those as we possibly can. It will embody both Foxwoods and my vision for creating culinary offerings that that are innovative and world class.”
Fresh local ingredients are planned throughout the menu.
The Bedford by Martha StewartThomas Joseph, Executive Vice President, Culinary, Martha Stewart, has been critical in linking up the vision for the Bedford with the Foxwoods team and Marquee Brands, which owns the Martha Stewart brand, Stewart says. “I have really good partners in my company and at Marquee,” she explains. “[Joseph is] so much fun to work with.”
The focus on local and fresh fits very well with the Connecticut location and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which owns Foxwoods and has a farm that provides a lot of produce, says Guyot. Not only that, but the resort is not far from the Connecticut shoreline, he adds, where “fishing boats are still coming in and out every single day… That abundance will be reflected in how the final menus are curated.”
The Bedford is just the latest step in Foxwoods’ growth as a restaurant mecca – after opening Hells Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay, the casino resort built a studio to film the hit TV show onsite. And Masaharu Morimoto will bring his ramen concept, Momosan, to the property in spring 2025.
That’s just the start, Guyot teases, noting that further collaborations with Stewart are on the horizon. “We'll have more special announcements in the near future regarding other things that will have a Martha touch.”
