Restaurant Review

Panacea (pronounced pan-uh-see-uh) is the newest restaurant in Amenia, NY. The name has Greek roots and means “the cure all” or the “remedy.” Panacea owners Jake Somers and Khendum Namgyal (who are also engaged!) purchased the building, which previously served as Serevan, a Mediterranean restaurant, from chef Serge Madikians. 

They were operating on a pretty tight turnaround; Jake and Khendum purchased the building in June, renovated the space, and officially opened their doors for business on July 27. 

Originally from different spots in New York, Jake and Khendum both have extensive experience in restaurant hospitality. Jake has been working in restaurants in varying capacities since he was a teenager, and Khendum, who went to college for art and design, has worked both in restaurants and as a representative for Interra, a wholesale food distributor. 

The couple met when they were both working at Union Square Cafe in New York City in 2018. They bonded over similar interests and their shared dream to one day own their own restaurant. A few short months ago, a friend contacted them to let them know that Serevan was up for sale. Excited, Jake and Khendum rented a car and drove up from Brooklyn that weekend to tour the property.

“The second we pulled up the driveway, we fell in love,” Jake said. And it was just that simple. Jake put notice in at his job and spent the next ten days splayed out at a table at his local coffee shop creating the business plan and working through all of the necessary paperwork. Shortly thereafter, they were in the space in Amenia knee-deep in restorations and planning a menu. 

On the menu

Panacea has a menu that changes almost weekly and is based around seasonality. Because Khendum worked for a distributor prior to opening Panacea, she already built strong relationships with many local farms. As such, Panacea sources from nearby Maitri Farm in Amenia, Paley’s in Sharon, CT, and Hepworth Farms in Milton, NY. They’re looking to expand this list further and source from as many local places as they can. 

Khendum is the in-house pasta pro and makes all of Panacea’s pasta fresh daily. Currently on the menu, they have three pasta dishes: a rigatoni dish that comes with applewood bacon, shallot, black pepper, egg yolk, and pecorino romano; tonnarelli, which comes served with little neck clams, summer squash, charred corn, basil, and ricotta salata; and malfadine, which comes served with fresh tomato, garlic, fresno pepper, panko, and grana padano. 

As far as the main options go, you can find a smash burger, chicken milanese, catch of the day, and butcher’s cut steak on regular rotation. It’s important to note that the menu will continue to change with the seasons, and ingredients may be swapped out depending on what’s available. 

“We’ve left things open ended so we can pick what’s tasting the best,” Jake explained. “I don’t like being tied to things when we have access to so much local produce.” 

A life centered around food  

“My soul is tied to it,” Jake said when I asked him what his favorite part about the restaurant industry is. He began working in restaurants at a very young age and was immediately hooked on the adrenaline rush he felt when working in the kitchen. 

Khendum had a very different approach to food. She grew up with a lot of different food allergies that made it difficult for her to enjoy food. She studied art in college, but found that cooking was where her passion truly was. “There’s no one I trust more in the kitchen than Jake,” she said. 

To be working alongside one another now is one of the greatest feelings for them both. “I ran into the kitchen last Friday and shouted, ‘Khendum, we have a restaurant!’” Jake laughed. “It feels really great to be able to interact with everyone and give the space new life.” 

One of the biggest things Jake and Khendum were concerned about was staffing, but they were lucky to find a wonderful team. “We have the dream team. I would take this team out of any team anywhere,” Jake said. 

In an ode to their fellow restaurant workers, Monday nights are going to be industry nights, where other restaurant and hospitality staff can come in and get a discount on their meal. Jake and Khendum chose Mondays because they knew that many other local restaurants are closed on that day. “It’s a nice way for us to give back and support others who are in our field,” Jake said. 

Panacea Provisions 

Soon, you’ll be able to take home your own piece of Panacea, as Jake and Khendum are working on fine-tuning their provisions business. Items to be sold include Khendum’s homemade pasta, various sauces, Jake’s homemade jam, housemade vermouth – which is made with the grapes that they grow on the property! – and other merchandise. 

Jake is also looking to offer a knife sharpening service and perhaps later on, even teach classes on the subject. 

Speaking of classes, they’re also eager to open their space to host various events during the slower winter season. Some ideas that they’re floating around include pasta making and wine pairing. As they expand their space, they hope to host weddings, parties, and other gatherings in the garden. 

Another big dream is to host externs, or students who participate in a temporary training program in a workplace. Jake did an externship in France and it was one of the most pivotal moments in his culinary career. He hopes to provide the same kind of unique, inspirational experience for students at Panacea. 

“They would live on the property, work in the restaurant, go on farm tours and visits with us, and see what it’s like to run a restaurant,” he said. “Seeing the beauty behind the scenes is a magical thing.” 

Indeed, they hope to expand the program and make it international. Khendum’s family is from the Himalayas and her cousins own multiple restaurants and hotels in the region. As such, she hopes to have an exchange program of sorts with culinary students there as well. 

“It’s six acres of property, so there’s a lot of room for us to grow. We see a great future here,” Khendum said. 

“We are here and we are for everybody,” Jake added. “Serge was here for 20 years, I want to double that.”  

Panacea is open Thursday through Monday at 6 Autumn Lane, Amenia, NY. Make a reservation on Resy here or call Panacea at (845) 373-9800. Follow them on Instagram @nypanacea.