Dan’s Taste 2021 Chefs: Taylor Knapp, PAWPAW

Beloved within the East End culinary scene for his work with Peconic Escargot and PAWPAW, Taylor Knapp will be representing the latter at the 2021 Dan’s Chefs of the North Fork on Saturday, July 10. You won’t want to miss what he’s cooking up for the special occasion.

First word (or words) that comes to mind when you hear “Taste of Summer?”
Warm berries, picked from the field.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?
The woods, shores and other wild places on Long Island.

What’s your favorite dish to prepare, and do you enjoy eating it as much as preparing it?
Roasted Long Island duck—love to eat it myself!

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Don’t do it until you get it right, do it until you never get it wrong.

Share your funniest, most unforgettable or oddest kitchen incident.
A cook once poured an entire pot of stock down the drain, but kept the veggies and bones because he thought that’s what we were cooking.

Who do you most admire in the food and wine world, and why?
Tom Colicchio seems to have good moral fiber, though I’ve never met him.

What is going to be the “next big thing” on the East End food scene?
Pot, apparently.

What are your hobbies, passions and interests outside the world of food, wine and work?
Farming, reading, being with my son.

What’s your comfort food, and why?
Chicken and dumplings. Does it get any more comforting?

If you were not in the food or wine business, what would you be doing?
Snail farming.

What recent travels have you taken that have inspired you?
Hudson, New York is brimming with great restaurants.

What is your go-to karaoke song?
“Naive Melody” by The Talking Heads.

It’s your last weekend on earth—what’s the menu?
Oysters, tartare, bone marrow, escargot—basically most of the menu at Blue Ribbon Brasserie.

For tickets and more information on all Dan’s Taste 2021 events, visit DansTaste.com. And to learn more about PAWPAW, visit pawpawpopup.com.