About Ivy's Simply Homemade

Taylor is a self-trained chef who has spent 10 years honing her skills! Her passion for food and cooking began as a child cooking for her family and led her to change careers and pursue her dream of ultimately owning her own catering business.  Feeding people feed her soul and being able to be part of this communities' lives is what continues to drive her. 

Paige truly lights up when it comes to event planning! She loves turning ideas into unforgettable experiences. Meeting new people is one of her favorite parts of what we do, because every connection brings a fresh story, a new vision and the chance to make someone's dream a reality. 

Whether its's a cozy gathering or a big celebration, the joy is in the details and creating moments that feel magical. For Paige, it's not just about the event, it's about bringing people together, celebrating lives everyday moments, and making memories that will last forever. 

Long before Ivy’s Simply Homemade became a local favorite, a young Ivy Mellow was learning the quiet rhythm of hospitality. For more than 20 years, Ivy worked in the culinary world alongside local restaurants and catering companies along the New England shoreline. During that time, she noticed that there were few options for wholesome, prepared meals in the area, especially ones that felt like home.

Determined to fill that gap, Ivy brought her heart, flavor, and homegrown experience to Waterford, CT. In May of 2011, she and her husband Bill opened the doors to a small storefront offering fresh, homemade food to go, meals just like you’d make yourself, only without all the work.

What began as a small dream quickly grew into something much bigger. The community’s enthusiasm led Ivy’s Simply Homemade to expand beyond take-home meals into full-service event catering at some of the region’s most cherished venues.

Over the years, Ivy and her team have catered countless weddings, baby showers, anniversaries, graduations, birthdays, and everything in between, each one delivered with care, warmth, and exceptional service. The reviews truly speak for themselves.

After nearly 14 wonderful years, Ivy decided it was time to embrace a more relaxed lifestyle. Wanting to ensure her business continued in capable and creative hands, she found not one but two perfect successors. In 2025, Ivy passed the baton to Taylor and Paige, a talented duo whose combined eye for culinary craft and event design made them the ideal pair to carry Ivy’s Simply Homemade into its next generation.