Dan's Taste of Summer Countdown: Chef Jason Kallert, Beach Club Montauk at Gurney's

Dan’s Papers’ newest Taste of Summer event, ClambakeMTK at Gurney’s Montauk, is on Saturday, July 30. It will be the largest oceanfront food and drink fest to ever hit Montauk. Chef Jason Kallert of the Beach Club Montauk at Gurney’s is looking forward to the LDV Hospitality event during ClambakeMTK. As he says, “All of our NYC restaurants will be there, and it will be amazing. We will all be doing a version of a clambake, obviously very different, and I plan to make a spectacle.”

What fuels your creativity as a chef?
Mainly food that I love to eat. I love trying new ways of cooking the foods I love to eat, but always keeping the roots of the dish intact.

What local ingredients are you using right now?
Living on the East Coast is great because you always have fresh fish, and many types available, and also I am from New Jersey, and love tomatoes and corn. In season you will always see those items on one of my menus, and in my home.

What is your local beverage, or cocktail, of choice this season?
Definitely going with ice-cold Corona, rosé is played.

Which of your dishes would you most like to serve to another chef?
Any type of BBQ I make.

How have eating trends affected your menu?
When creating menus in restaurants, it’s always about your market, not about yourself, which a lot of chefs seem to forget. In the summer, on the East End, with the clientele and with the weather being humid, I definitely stay light and away from carbs, not altogether, I just use them sparingly.

I could survive on a desert island if I just had…
Corona, tortilla chips, guacamole (made only by me).

Dan’s Taste of Summer kicks off with Dan’s GrillHampton on Friday, July 22, and continues on Saturday, July 23, with Dan’s Taste of Two Forks presented by Farrell Building Company, both on the waterfront at Fairview Farm at Mecox in Bridgehampton. The oceanfront food and drink fest ClambakeMTK at Gurney’s Montauk premieres on Saturday, July 30. Dan’s Harvest East End, the can’t-miss food and wine classic, is Saturday, August 20 at McCall Vineyard and Ranch in Cutchogue. For tickets and more information on all Dan’s Taste of Summer events, visit DansTaste.com!