Dayton, Ohio Area's Premier Dining Experience In A Small Town Setting

Betty Peachey, President and Co-Owner

Prior to founding the cafe on February 8, 1994, she was a corporate accountant for eighteen years. After being encouraged to find an occupation that allowed her creative and artistic side to develop, she opened the cafe. Her love of entertaining, food and interior design as well as an entrepreneurial spirit, led her to pursue a career in food service. Now, instead of “counting beans” she “cooks beans”.

Betty is self-taught in culinary arts. Her Mennonite heritage growing up in Belleville, Pennsylvania gave her lots of cooking practice. After high school, she migrated to another Mennonite community in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she graduated with a B.S. in accounting from Eastern Mennonite University. The values of integrity, honesty and quality from her background have contributed significantly to the immense success of the cafe.

In 1998 her son Nick, a trained chef, came to work at the cafe. He is now the executive chef and co-owner of Coldwater. His unique, creative sprit gave the cafe new energy. Betty considers it a rare privilege and extremely rewarding to be able to work with her son.

Betty lives with her “girls”, canines Mandy and Dottie, in her historic “jewel box” home in Tipp City. Aside from food, her other passion is gardening. You can often find her outside at the cafe or at home planting, grooming, dead heading and watering. At home, Betty has created a unique backyard retreat with cozy charm which combines her love of cooking, entertaining and gardening. “I’m a lucky person,” Betty says, “I have everything I need to be happy right here.”

Nick Hoover, Executive Chef and Co-Owner

Nick’s passion for cooking started at a young age, when one of his favorite activities was helping his aunt in the kitchen. In high school, he was a Top 20 finalist in the Johnson & Wales University National High School Recipe Contest for a bronzed swordfish with a tropical fruit black bean salsa.

Nick’s love of cooking spurred him towards a Culinary Arts degree from Sinclair Community College and continuing education classes at the Culinary Institute of America. He has also expanded his knowledge and enjoyment of fine wines and has been to several wineries in Napa Valley, California.

Nick joined the staff of Coldwater in 1998, and has become famous for his desserts, especially cherry almond bread pudding and his signature five layer carrot cake. Nick continually seeks out the freshest and best ingredients, and loves to try new techniques and food combinations.

He lives in Tipp City with his wife, Andrea, and their daughter, Essie.