Dan’s Taste of Two Forks Countdown: Chef Scott Kampf of Southampton Social Club

We can practically taste all the fine food and wine that is at the heart of the annual Dan’s Taste of Two Forks, where once again, under the tent in Sayre Park in Bridgehampton, it will be a celebration of local food and wine from the Hamptons and the North Fork. One of the highlights is sure to be the roasted strawberry barbecued short-rib slider with homemade cole slaw on a potato brioche from Chef Scott Kampf of Southampton Social Club, who takes a few minutes to talk about Long Island Wine Country terroir, the magic of striped bass from our waters, and supporting the East End.

What are you most looking forward to at Dan’s Taste of Two Forks?

Really showcasing our brand to the people at the event. The people who support events like this and make donations to East End projects, so the money stays out here, we want that clientele also at Southampton Social Club. I’m an East End person, I live out here, and we love helping the East End. Between this and what I do for the hospital, I’m very well vetted in the civic community. And we want to keep going forward with East End charities—that’s very, very important to us.

What’s great about being part of the East End culinary culture…

East End culinary culture is different than Manhattan. Most of the people who come in from the city don’t want city food, they want Hamptons food. It’s hard to explain to people what Hamptons food is. Hamptons food is basically just very clean, very fresh, very minimal, farm-to-table as often as possible.

Where do you find inspiration for a new dish?

Just from what the local farmers are telling me is coming, what the local fishermen tell me is running right now. We’re coming into striped bass season, and how can you not get a striped bass from the dock through the fish monger to you, the same day? You can’t beat that. Our local corn is some of the sweetest in the world, our local tomatoes, which I’m a big advocate of…as much as I can get from the local farmers and fishermen to give to you, I want to.

Thoughts on Long Island Wine Country as it celebrates 40 years…

Our terroir, we grow some of the world’s best vines. We have five wineries that are probably the top in the world. Yes, their vines came from France, but still, some of the great soil, and our climate, does very well for that.

A perfect summertime food and drink pairing for the East End…

Our local summer rosés, any of those with a light grilled fish or a slightly steamed lobster—and not all the lobsters are from Maine, we do have our own lobsters out here, believe it or not!—if you get something like that, have that out on the beach, at sunset, you can’t beat that.

If you had two forks in your hands right now, what would you like to stick them in?

I want a braised pork belly and a good porterhouse steak. I like fish, but I’m a steak guy.

Finish this sentence: The perfect meal is…

Striped bass Provençal over quinoa, with my beautiful girlfriend…and we’re alone.

Dan’s Taste of Two Forks on Saturday, July 12, 2013 is sold out.

Town Presents…Dan’s Taste of Two Forks Countdown