Dan's Taste of Summer Countdown: Scott Kampf of Southampton Social Club, Union Cantina & UBB
This year Chef Scott Kampf sets a Dan’s Taste of Summer record by serving up food from not one, not two, but three different restaurants at Dan’s Rosé Soirée—Southampton Social Club, Union Cantina and Union Burger Bar (UBB)! Kampf will also be competing at GrillHampton, dishing the deliciousness at Taste of Two Forks, and preparing some sweet treats at the inaugural Dan’s Chefs of the Hamptons.
First words that comes to mind when you hear “Taste of Summer:”
The start of summer!
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Don’t think you know everything you’ll learn something new all the time.
You can invite three people, living or dead, to your dinner party. Who are they, and what would that meal be?
Anthony Bourdain, my wife, Darra Goldstein and Julia Child. Anthony Bourdain because of his vast life, the vast traveling, the endless knowledge—I would love to learn what he saw, through his eyes. It’s a shame that he ended up having a lot of demons. We all have demons, but it’s just whether or not you keep them at bay. My wife, of course, because I love her. Every day of my life with her is always good. Julia Child was a big influence on me learning how to cook. I couldn’t afford to take people out to dinner, so I felt being a Renaissance man and learning how to cook was the way to go. And she was on TV at that time in my life, and I learned five sold dishes, and that’s where it started. The meal would be a simple grilled vegetables, Great steaks and chicken. It wouldn’t be all about the meal, it would be about the people and conversations.
What are your hobbies, passions and interests outside the world of food, wine and work?
Skiing and the beach. Skiing I do with my family during holidays, and enjoying that time with my son, my daughter and my wife is fantastic. But there’s other times I go with a good friend of mine, where I actually climb and ski the mountains and I live in a tent in the back country. We go and find a great mountain in Canada, upstate, in New Hampshire, and what’s great about it is the solitude, being in the middle of nowhere, just you and nature. And that also applies to the beach, it’s very solitude-ish—even if you’re with others you’re in your own little world.
What’s your comfort food and why?
I love cereal. After working hard in kitchen all day I really want something simple.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My children. Professionally, I have to say being recognized and asked to be on Iron Chef America, even though is was a sous chef on the team, was a great accomplishment. And another one was when I was asked by Chef [Gordon] Ramsay to be a rescue chef on a show called Kitchen Nightmares. And of course Southampton Social Club, Union Cantina and Union Burger Bar—we’ve stood the test of time in the community, and we have only great things to come.
If you were not in the food or wine business, what would you be doing?
I don’t know.
What has surprised you the most about the East End culinary scene?
That it has really become a scene and not just places for the summer crowds to consume something to eat.
It’s your last weekend on earth—what’s the menu?
Darra’s chicken cutlets, Yukon Gold potatoes, roasted asparagus, cereal, cookies and milk.
We just handed you a glass of bubbly. Now please make a toast to summer on the East End:
Let’s toast to a happy and sunny summer!
For more on Chef Scott Kampf’s restaurants, visit unioncantina.net, unionburgerbar.com and southamptonsocialclub.com. For tickets and more information on all Dan’s Taste of Summer events, visit DansTaste.com.
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