Raise a glass, grab a fork…or two! The ultimate food-and-wine events of the year are back—Dan’s GrillHampton presented by Pat LaFrieda will take place on Friday, July 11, and Dan’s Taste of Two Forks presented by Farrell Building Company returns on Saturday, July 12. Now entering its fourth year as the leading foodie festival of the Hamptons summer season, the weekend at Sayre Park in Bridgehampton will again celebrate the best of the East End’s bounty—from top restaurants to leading wineries, breweries, purveyors and more—all served up under a new name: Dan’s Taste of Summer.

“The phase itself excites me,” says Nick & Toni’s Executive Chef Joseph Realmuto, who has participated in each Taste of Two Forks since its inception in 2011. The very words conjure images of local culinary wonders soon to come. “The first thing that pops into mind is the great products like heirloom tomatoes, corn, lettuces and, of course, the great seafood. We are surrounded by some of the best farms—like Balsam, Quail Hill, Amber Waves Farm—who have the most unbelievable vegetables, besides being able to grow our own right behind Nick & Toni’s.

“Also the freshness of the fish that hits the back door is the best quality one could ask for, and now we have Dock to Dish, which has opened the doors to availability and freshness,” he adds. “What more could a chef ask for, and the Taste of Two Forks gives us the opportunity to showcase some of these great ingredients.”

RELATED: CHECK OUT THE TASTY HIGHLIGHTS FROM GRILLHAMPTON AND TASTE OF TWO FORKS 2013

GrillHampton takes the concept of culinary showcase to another level as it once again pits eight New York City chefs against eight counterparts from the East End in a combination of heated cooking competition and tasting event. With a panel of food-savvy judges and GrillHampton guests themselves casting votes last July for their favorite dishes of the night, Team Hampton reigned supreme overall, Rumba Rum Bar’s David Hersh took home the People’s Choice honors, and New York City’s Elizabeth Karmel of Hill Country Barbecue won Judges Pick. Hersh and Karmel will be back to defend their titles, but they’ll be facing a hungry lineup of new chefs and those returning from the first battle.

“Revenge is sweet,” says Billy Oliva, Executive Chef of Delmonico’s of Southampton. He will be coming back with victory on his mind, but also a sense of anticipation shared by the guests who look forward to seeing chefs from acclaimed restaurants up-close and personal. “[A] great part of these events is getting to see our returning customers and interact with them in fun and unique settings,” Oliva says.

This year’s esteemed panel of GrillHampton judges includes celebrity chef Marc Murphy of the newly opened Kingside, Landmarc and Ditch Plains, and a regular judge on Food Network’s Chopped. Also look for Dan’s Papers’ own Dan Rattiner, plus more judge announcements to come. And the host of the epic grilling battle will be Robert Irvine, star of Food Network’s Restaurant Impossible, who’s known for inspiring chefs to bring out the very best in themselves.

Taste of Two Forks has always been known for its A-list hosts—Marcus Samuelsson in 2011, Jean-Georges Vongerichten in 2012 and Bobby Flay last summer—and this year ticketholders will get two for the price of one…hosts, that is. Bringing their co-hosting duties from Food Network’s The Kitchen to the big tent in Bridgehampton, Katie Lee and Geoffrey Zakarian will preside over the evening filled with the finest food and drink the North Fork and South Fork have to offer.

Synonymous with the Hamptons lifestyle, cookbook author and entertaining expert Katie Lee has called the Hamptons home for over a decade now, and Zakarian is certainly no stranger to Dan’s Taste of Summer, having hosted the first annual GrillHampton last year. “It’s like the Rolls-Royce of food under one tent,” said Zakarian, who has been balancing his new role as Culinary Director for The Plaza in between his role as Chef/Partner of The Lambs Club and various TV duties.

In addition to the dozens of restaurants, Taste of Two Forks also showcases the abundance of local artisanal purveyors that help make the East End a true foodies paradise. Participants will include Amagansett Sea Salt Co., Anke’s Fit Bakery, Hampton Coffee Co., and Joe & Liza’s Ice Cream. To wash down all the delectable treats, East End–based wineries including Bedell, Castello di Borghese, Jamesport, Jason’s, Lieb, Macari, Martha Clara, One Woman, Palmer, Raphael and Suhru will be pouring.

Can’t you just taste summer already?

Dan’s Taste of Summer kicks off with Grillhampton on Friday, July 11, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Sayre Park, 156 Snakehollow Road, Bridgehampon. General admission tickets are $120 (inclusive of all food and beverages). 

Dan’s Taste of Two Forks is Saturday, July 12, at Sayre Park, 156 Snakehollow Road, Bridgehampon. Taste of Two Forks VIP tickets are available for $240, including early admission from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; General Admission (GA) tickets from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. are available for $160 (inclusive of all food & beverage). 

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit DansTaste.com.

Grillhampton Restaurants (more to come!)

Team Hamptons

Peter Ambrose (Peter Ambrose Events)
Emanouil Aslanoglou (Old Stove Pub)
Tom Schaudel (A Mano)
Billy Oliva (Delmonico’s)
David Hersh (Cowfish & Rumba Rum Bar)
Victor Tapia (The Palm East Hampton)

Team NYC

David Standridge (Market Table)
Harold Moore (Commerce)
Gabe Thompson (Epicurean Group’s dell’ anima, L’Apicico, L’Artusi)
Elizabeth Karmel (Hill Country Barbecue)
Paul Denamiel (Le Rivage)
Michael DeFonzo (PJ Clarke’s/Clarke’s Standard)

Taste of Two Forks Restaurants (more to come!)

75 Main (Southampton)
Bay Kitchen Bar (East Hampton)
Deli Counter (Southampton)
Delmonico’s (Southampton)
Doppio Artisan Bistro (Sag Harbor)
First and South (Greenport)
Fresh Hamptons (Bridgehampton)
Fresno (East Hampton)
Georgica (Wainscott)
Gosman’s Dock Restaurant (Montauk)
Grana Trattoria Antica (Jamesport)
Gurney’s Inn (Montauk)
Harbor Bistro (East Hampton)
Jedediah Hawkins Inn (Jamesport)
Mercado (Bridgehampton)
Nammos (Southampton)
Navy Beach (Montauk)
Nick & Toni’s (East Hampton)
North Fork Table & Inn (Southold)
Osteria Salina (Bridgehampton)
Race Lane (East Hampton)
Sarabeth’s (NYC)
Smokin’ Wolf BBQ & More (East Hampton)
Southampton Social Club (Southampton)
The Bell & Anchor (Sag Harbor)
The Frisky Oyster (Greenport)
The Living Room Restaurant (East Hampton)
theRIVERHEADPROJECT (Riverhead)
Topping Rose House (Bridgehampton
Trata (Water Mill)
Westlake Fish House (Montauk)