Kristin Klock

founder + owner

Kristin’s culinary career began in San Francisco, where she worked as an event planner for four years until it dawned on her that only in the kitchen would she find her true passion. After receiving classical training as a chef, she started a Bay Area business as a personal chef and small-event caterer.

About a decade later, Kristin’s hometown began calling her back. In 2011, she answered the call and returned to Rochester. In no time, Root Catering (then called Chef k2) became one of Rochester’s elite caterers. Kristin and Root Catering now focus on custom, creative menus that celebrate the region’s culinary bounty.

Kin is the second piece to her ever evolving, hospitality empire.

Ryan lewis

bar manager

Ryan comes to Root / Kin after several years serving as a local bartender. He admires Root’s culinary achievements and brings the same personality and attention to detail to our bar program. He works with clients to select beer, wine, and cocktails from our seasonal offerings.

On a day off, Ryan’s day is routine. Two cups of black coffee, a walk with his dog, eggs for breakfast, at least two podcasts, and sharing a meal and wine with family and friends in the evening.

Nicole Talen

events manager

For the last decade, Nicole has paired her creative eye with her logistical brain to passionately plan and execute weddings and social events throughout Western NY and the Finger Lakes. She brings that same level of expert execution to Kin as she brings events to life, precisely managing the details and diligently ensuring everything runs smoothly. 

Nicole loves a hot chai latte, a fresh stack of post-it notes, a well-organized spreadsheet and, let's not forget - a killer margarita! Her two little kids keep her busy and are always teaching her new ways to see the world.

Gabriella Hamel

events coordinator

Gabriella was born and raised in Williamson, NY. She attended Nazareth College where she earned a Business Leadership Degree. While attending high school and college, Gabriella always had her hand in the hospitality field. In 2024 one of Gabriella’s internships was through Kin where she continued to learn and experience the hospitality and business field. At the end of 2024, she accepted a position at Kin and looks forward to working with the same great people, serving people in the community, and growing in her field delivering the best experiences for her clients.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and two dogs. She also loves new places to hike, spending time outdoors, and listening to a large variety of music. Her other passion is dance. She started dancing at a young age and continued to add many styles of dance through high school. During that time, she added Ukrainian dance to her portfolio and now teaches young children Ukrainian dance which is both challenging and rewarding.

Kate Cassels

sales manager

Kate began working in the restaurant and service industry at the age of fourteen. In 2013 she co-founded a local bakery that focused on dietary needs and unique designs. She first served at Root Catering in its infancy and has come back to join the management ranks for both Root Catering and Kin Event Space.

When she’s not behind the scenes ensuring the success of both companies, she can be found in her small home sewing studio or out and about with her family of four!