Backyard Brine Pickles Are Coming to GrillHampton 2024

Backyard Brine chef Randy Kopke is serving his delicious pickles at this year’s Dan’s GrillHampton, the ultimate night of barbecue with top grillmasters in the Hamptons on Saturday, August 3, hosted by Baked by Melissa CEO Melissa Ben-Ishay at The Clubhouse Hamptons in East Hampton.

Enjoya selection of grilled fare from steak to burgers to veggies, as well as sweet desserts. Over 15 chefs will offer their best grilled dishes with entry including access to all the food as well as bars serving up craft cocktails, beer and wine. Clubhouse Hamptons has curated live music and a DJ set to perform during GrillHampton and an afterparty will offer late night fun.

Find more info about GrillHampton and tickets at DansTaste.com

A Chat with Backyard Brine Chef Randy Kopke

What is your cooking philosophy?

Fresh ingredients, have fun, full of flavor!

What is your favorite spot in the Hamptons?

Sag Harbor. Always reminds me of our beginnings being a vendor in the farmers market. But I have many favorite spots throughout the Hamptons.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Everywhere, everyday. From taking a drive through the farm roads on the North Fork, in our backyard garden, and my Grandfather who had the biggest vegetable garden ever! Whenever I taste a fresh string bean or rub the leaves of a tomato plant in the garden and get that scent of the plant, I get inspired to create something. I have to pickle it!

What new food trends are you seeing?

Pickle everything. Which is amazing considering I am the co-owner of Backyard Brine. I am seeing pickle lemonade, pickle ketchup to pickle cotton candy.

What is your comfort food and why?

Hmmm so many. A good cheeseburger cooked low and slow over charcoal with a chunk of Hickory wood giving it a slight smoke always make me smile. And of course topped with our pickles!

What is your favorite dish to make?

My baked clams. I love going digging for chowder clams, it makes them taste that much better knowing that I worked for it.

What do you plan to serve at the event?

Artisan pickle plates featuring our Smokey Sienna’s smoked jalapeño dill pickle. A wood smoked pickle with a touch of heat.

Check out Backyard Brine at 8595 Cox Lane, Cutchogue. 631-754-1050, backyardbrine.com