Tom Carlin

OWNER/EXECUTIVE CHEF

Tom Carlin, chef/owner of the historic Gladstone Tavern, has had a rich and impressive history in the New York and New Jersey culinary worlds.

Born in Manhattan and raised South Orange,NJ Tom graduated from Rutgers University in 1984 with a BA in Fine Art. But it wasn’t long before his love of—and appreciation for—all things gastronomic won out.

He began his career on this side of the Hudson, apprenticing at a number of fine restaurants before jumping into Manhattan.  

His first NYC gig was at Jonathan Waxman’s, Jam’s, a wildly popular spot for California cuisine in the 1980’s.

Over the next 25 years, Tom worked alongside many renowned American chefs, including Tom Colicchio (Craft and Bravo’s “Top Chef”), Alfred Portale (Gotham Bar & Grill) and Barry Wine (The Quilted Giraffe).

Tom then headed to the bucolic Gladstone-Peapack area, where he earned an “Excellent” rating from The New York Times as Chef at Rudolfo Restaurant in 1997.

In 2005, Tom and his team took possession of a 160-year-old landmark building and began an impressive makeover. Upon opening the Gladstone Tavern, the restaurant received rave reviews, including The Star-Ledger (7/23/06), which praised its “straightforward regional American” fare and noted, “it's easy to see why the Gladstone Tavern is drawing a crowd. The place is fun …”