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Christina Padrazo inside Stella, The Treatery dessert truck. (Credit: Lee Meyer)

If you’ve been to a catered event on the North Fork the past few months, there’s a chance you’ve encountered “Stella.” The adorable 1964 Shasta trailer, brimming with confectionery delights, is the traveling arm of The Treatery, a catering business owned by Long Islander Christina Padrazo. The Treatery is known for its cookies, gelato, grilled cheeses, lobster rolls and hot chocolate. 

Until now, fans of The Treatery’s sweet and savory offerings have either had to hire Padrazo to bring Stella for parties or be lucky enough to find them at an event. That’s all about to change as Padrazo is gearing up to open a brick-and-mortar shop for The Treatery next to Duffy’s Deli in Jamesport.

“The trailer life is awesome,” Padrazo said. “But it’s super taxing! I have a lot of help in terms of transport. I love the vineyards and farms and that’s what I envisioned for the trailer. But when thinking about the store, I wanted to feel a little more grounded.”

Another reason Padrazo wanted to open a storefront was to give more people the opportunity to try her creations, noting that the trailer is primarily for private events.

“People don’t necessarily get to enjoy the trailer all the time, so I want it to be a hub,” she said. “The [North Fork] became my home, a very comfortable area, and I wanted a home base.”

Padrazo has been around the food business her entire life. Her grandfather, who came to the United States from Sicily, owned La Grotta restaurant in Commack for 30 years. She grew up around fresh vegetable gardens, cooking with an outdoor pizza oven and always had the itch to be involved with food, even after going to college for marketing.

While Padrazo worked in the corporate space for a while, she never felt fulfilled. A chance trip to Texas seven years ago inspired her.

“I saw a girl selling flowers out of a Shasta,” she recalled. “She looked super peaceful. She was in her element. Food and flowers are two of my favorite things. And I said, ‘One day I am going to get a ’64 Shasta.’”

Padrazo started preparing desserts and baked goods as a side business and planned to go full-time and quit her corporate gig. She gave her notice — and then Covid happened.

“I started making cookies like a savage animal,” Padrazo joked. “We’re in a pandemic, I don’t have a job. It was crazy.”

And, in the midst of the madness of the pandemic, Padrazo experienced a great loss after she had an ectopic pregnancy. The tragedy is what prompted her to go after her dream of having a full-time business.

“I almost died,” she reflected. “But that’s when I decided — you literally have one life to live. So I scoured the internet [looking for a Shasta]. I found a woman in Texas with a similar story to mine. It was like kismet. I was able to get the trailer transported from Texas and that’s how The Treatery really started.”

In addition to weddings, The Treatery has been a big hit with mothers and children for parties.

“I work a lot with moms,” she said. “I’m super passionate about doing stuff with children.”

The Treatery’s upcoming storefront feels like a culmination of everything Padrazo is passionate about. In addition to a menu filled with her fan-favorite cookies, doughnut and gelato sandwiches and grilled cheeses, there will be build-your-own cakes, a bloom bar to pick florals, cake toppers and candles for different occasions. There will also be local gift items from North Fork businesses she has worked with, as well as small children’s parties.

Padrazo will also offer coffee from Ace Coffee, cold brew, hot chocolate and a new item she’s particularly excited about: cookie pies. 

The store is currently under heavy construction for a planned mid-September opening. Padrazo and her father, Dan, have been hard at work renovating the space. It will have The Treatery’s signature pink motif, places to sit and eat and quirky wallpaper and lighting that goes along with Padrazo’s funky, enthusiastic aesthetic. 

“This isn’t going to be your typical bakery,” she said. “I’m hoping when you come to the North Fork, you pop in and visit.”

Check out The Treatery on Instagram.

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