Dan's Taste of Summer Countdown: Chef David Piacente, Gosman's

Dan’s Papers newest Taste of Summer event, ClambakeMTK at Gurney’s Montauk, premieres on Saturday, July 30. It will be the largest oceanfront food and drink fest ever to hit Montauk. Gosman’s Chef David Piacente will be there and he wants to seduce you. As he says, “This is my fifth season at Gosman’s, and if you haven’t tried us out since then, you should, because we are truly serving the freshest seafood around. My team and I are working extremely hard to make Gosman’s a must stop while in Montauk.”

What fuels your creativity as a chef?
As a chef, I’m constantly learning. I love traveling and working in restaurants to inspire myself. You see and try things that you know are delicious and want to put your style and personality into them.

What local ingredients are you using right now?
Fluke, lobster, clams, oysters, and local greens.

What do you think of the Montauk Fishburger?
I haven’t tried one, but if it’s made fresh and the kids like it, then it’s a good thing.

What’s your cocktail of choice this season?
I love manhattans made with really good bitters and Bing cherries.

Which of your dishes would you most like to serve to another chef?
My new octopus dish. It’s totally made for chefs.

How has the gluten-free eating trend affected your menu?
I have a ton of dishes that are naturally gluten free. I train the staff to know them, because everyone asks. I feel that I have been ahead of the fad, because I cook that way at home anyway.

What are you most looking forward to at Dan’s Taste of Summer event, ClambakeMTK?
I’m looking forward to seeing my other chef friends at the event. Once the season starts I lose contact with everyone.

Please complete this sentence: My mother would not approve of my love for foie gras but she would approve of the flavor I get from brioche cream.

I could survive on a desert island if I just had: shellfish and Champagne.

Dan’s Taste of Summer kicks off with Dan’s GrillHampton hosted by Adam Richman on Friday, July 22 and continues on Saturday, July 23, with Dan’s Taste of Two Forks presented by Farrell Building Company hosted by Alex Guarnaschelli and Katie Lee, both on the waterfront at Fairview Farm at Mecox in Bridgehampton. VIP tickets for GrillHampton are $185 and offer early access to the event beginning at 7 p.m. General Admission, from 8 p.m.–10:30 p.m., is $135. VIP tickets for Taste of Two Forks are $295 and offer early access beginning at 6:30 p.m. General Admission, from 7:30 p.m.–10 p.m., is $185.

The oceanfront food and drink fest ClambakeMTK at Gurney’s Montauk hosted by Marc Murphy and Eden Grinshpan premieres on Saturday, July 30. General Admission for ClambakeMTK, from 7:30 p.m.–10 p.m., is $150. VIP tickets are $250, and include access to the after-party from 10 p.m.–12 a.m.

Dan’s Harvest East End, the can’t-miss food and wine classic, hosted by Geoffrey Zakarian, is Saturday, August 20, at McCall Vineyard and Ranch in Cutchogue. VIP tickets for Harvest East End are $285 and offer early access beginning at 6:30 p.m. General Admission, from 7:30 p.m.–10 p.m., is $135.

A portion of this year’s ticket proceeds from GrillHampton and Taste of Two Forks will benefit All For The East End (AFTEE), a 501(c)(3) that showcases and provides support to the more than 1,000 charity organizations in the five East End towns. A portion of proceeds from Harvest East End benefits Long Island Farm Bureau and HRHCare.

To purchase tickets and get more info on all Dan’s Taste of Summer events, visit DansTaste.com!