Our Story
With a history dating back to 1817, Chelsea Square was built to house the General Theological Seminary and has been the backdrop to some of New York’s most unique and memorable events. Located in Chelsea, the stunning brick and stone buildings are surrounded by lush private gardens, creating a beautiful oasis in the heart of the city.
History of the venue
In 1819, Clement Clarke Moore, a professor at the General Theological Seminary who is best known as the author of the poem which begins, "Twas the night before Christmas," gave a large parcel of land – an apple orchard – to the Church on condition that a seminary be built.
The land stood on the west side of Manhattan close to the Hudson River. East Building, the Seminary's first home, was erected in 1827 and was joined in 1836 by West Building, built to house 60 students. The Seminary's location in New York City quickly proved to be a great asset and defining characteristic.
At its center is the jewel of the Dean's design, the Chapel of the Good Shepherd. Between the 1930's and 1960's, several other more modern buildings were added, including a new library.
Throughout its history, the General Theological Seminary has followed its mandate to be a seminary of the whole church, a vision that has broadened to include all in our community, the City of New York, our country, and our world.
Our Values
We Are Passionate
Chelsea Square takes pride in delivering quality and value for our clients through a 'hands on' approach.
We Celebrate Differences
We believe in being yourself. At Chelsea Square, we celebrate and welcome diversity in all forms and want our team and visitors to feel at home.
We Care
We focus on sustainability and support the communities we call home. We care about our positive impact on the world.
Key People
Derek Hunt
Culinary Director
Derek leads the RHC culinary team and has joined us after holding the Culinary Director position within many of New York’s most reputable hospitality organizations including Ole & Steen, Dean & DeLuca and Bowery Group. He has a passion for the personal and professional development of his team and those around him. Derek is committed to social responsibility to create an equitable and sustainable future for his community. Food is both his passion and his vehicle to make change in the world.
Leslie Russell
Venue Manager, GTS
Leslie has been working in the hospitality industry for 25 years. She has experience in restaurant operations, Off-Broadway experiences and 18 years of planning spectacular events curated for each client and their specific vision. She is excited and honored to be working at such a beautiful and historic venue—combining her personal expertise with the venue's built in benefits to create gorgeous events of all kinds. She is so happy to partner with RHC so that the venue and the caterer work together to create a seamless experience.
Nick Giordano
Event Director
Nick has catered hundreds of New York’s most notable events of all types and sizes, and he loves working closely alongside his clients in planning unique occasions tailored specifically to the unparalleled event spaces of Chelsea Square.
Pierre Woods
Service Director
Pierre brings over 15 years of hospitality experience to RHC. By recruiting talent and conducting in-depth service training at Chelsea Square, he ensures our dedicated staff provide consistent, high-level service for each event.
Chelsea Square & RHC
Chelsea Square is proud to partner with RHC to bring modern dining, creativity and exceptional service to all our events.
Knowledgeable and passionate, RHC delivers deliciously different food and drinks with stunning execution. From beautiful canapé receptions to elegant weddings and exquisite charity galas. Whatever the occasion, our team has the experience to bring something truly unique to every guest's plate.
Events Inquiry
WELCOMING BOOKINGS THROUGH JUNE 2024
Due to anticipated construction, we are unable to consider events beyond June of 2024.
We look forward to opening our calendar as we learn more about our improvement schedule.
