Patrick Spadola
Certified Mushroom Forager and Gardener
Patrick lives and forages in a thick forest on the edge of the Shawangunk Mountain Ridge. Shongum Shadow is a play off where he grew up as "Shongum," is the phonetic spelling of Shawangunk. Starting at 8 years of age, Patrick has always been fascinated by cooking and how it brings friends and family together. He's come a long was from burning pancakes in the early morning weekend hours to growing and foraging his own ingredients. Thanks for supporting him in his journey by visiting this page and reading his blog.
Education
2023 - 2028
Certified Mushroom Foraging
In the summer of 2023, Patrick got certified to forage wild edible mushrooms to make his meals even more nutritious. This certification is the only one that's recognized in New York and requires re-certification every five years.
2020 - Present
Backyard Garden
Patrick built his first garden in 2020 and his second in 2021 to provide fresh produce for all his kitchen creations. He continues to plant, weed, and maintain these gardens with the help of his fiancé, Monica.
2007-2011
SUNY at Albany
Major: Finance and Urban Planning
Minor: Financial Market Regulation