#1770house

[thehamptonsbest-blog]

The Hamptons’ Best Chefs: Kevin Penner

Chef Kevin Penner - a veteran of Hamptons kitchens and personal chef extraordinaire - tells his Hamptons story, and shares his philosophy and tips on expanding your palette.

@TheHamptonsBest: What brought you out East? How long have you been working in the Hamptons?

KP: I came out to visit in the early 90s and I was intrigued. There was a good food culture out here, with Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franeyand other people living in the Hamptons. Back then, there were more farmers than farm stands, it wasn’t as crowded, and it was more of a retreat from the city than the extension of the city it is today. I thought it was a good atmosphere. In 1992, I was recruited to open Della Femina in East Hampton (now East Hampton Grill) by the opening managing partner, Drew Nieporent of Nobu. I was there until the end of 2000, when I was the founding chef at 1770 House before going out on my own.

THB: Where are you from originally? Was cooking always a part of your life?

KP: My family always had gardens, and my mother did canning. That was pretty typical in Iowa City, Iowa - the university town I’m from. I went to the University and cooked my way through - that’s how it started, really. After that, I moved to Seattle, where I  worked as pastry chef for Nordstrom. Then I went to Chicago where I was on the team at Charlie Trotter's and Cocco Pazzo.

THB: How did you get out on your own, working as a private chef?

KP: I figured at some point either you open your own restaurant or you do private work… It’s very hard to be profitable in the Hamptons, and after 30 plus years of being in restaurants, I realized I felt limited by the menu. By cooking privately you can do literally anything; Indian, South Korean, Thai - and really challenge your skill and learn new things.

KP: What’s a recent meal you’ve created?

THB:I recently did a completely vegetarian menu with lots of flavors and textures, not boring at all. It was all spice-based cuisine, very Northern Indian-inspired, using cashmiri chili powder, curry leaves, garlic, onions. It’s a much bigger toolkit to work with - with endless permutations. It’s rewarding and exciting.

KP: When you aren’t cooking, what do you like to do?

KP: When I’m not cooking, I’m usually thinking about it. Or in the gardens. I’m doing some canning right now, lots of San Marzano tomatoes. Swiss chard stems can be pickled, and I’m making hot sauce. A garden can provide year-round food products to use. I also like fishing off the point in Montauk - not so much surf casting, usually on a boat. Depending on the time of the year, I like to get out to Napeague, or the cranberry bogs, and forage around.

THB: If you would ever leave Long Island, where would you relocate?

KP:If I went anywhere else, I would go somewhere with a longer growing season. No matter where I go, I want to be near a big garden and to be a part of that experience. I look at cooking as an extension of raising plants or animals.

THB: You like to explore the flavors of the city. Any restaurant recommendations for us in New York?

KP: In the city, the most interesting area to me right now is Queens. The variety of cultures and types of cuisines is so diverse. It’s endless. I enjoy going to explore the Hunan and Sichuan provincial foods of China, and they are well represented there. Manhattan is not as friendly a place for restaurants - there are great ones, obviously - but that experience doesn’t intrigue or inspire me as much. I’m always looking for spices and flavors I haven’t had yet. My recommendation is for everyone to learn that there is no such thing as ‘Chinese’ or Indian or Italian or French food. That’s way too simple and binary. It’s all nuanced, and based on the locally grown crops regionally.

THB: I’m sold. How do we book you? Are you hard to get?

KP: Depending on the time of the year, it can be very hard to book me - other times I have more availability…. The best way is to go to my website at chefkevinpenner.com and send me a message there. Check out my blog, too, for lots of pictures and descriptions of my recent dishes.

[roxymanning]

Another amazing NYC and Hamptons trip in the books! We love going back to our east coast home where we lived right after we got married and before our little one 👧🏼 And it makes it even sweeter to take her back and show her our old home ❤️ Some highlights of NYC included dining at @ilmulinonewyork where we ate our favorite frutti de mare 🍝 Then on a post-dinner tour of downtown, including stopping by our old apartment. Memories! Of course, we had to lunch at the @centralparkboathouse before it closes 😢 which is our mother-daughter tradition every time we go to the city. Then we went to her first on Broadway show, @phantomopera which was amazing. Then @faoschwarz which has also become my daughter’s favorite 🧸 It was a quick 24 hours in NYC before we headed to East Hampton, where we stayed with and got to hang with our dearest friends. Dining at @1770house, boating to Claudio’s, hanging out at the Amagansett beach, and Bray making a new bestie 🐶 were some of the highlights of the Hamptons jaunt. It’s never long enough, but we will be back soon. Until then, ✌🏼 out New York! #hamptons #nyc #newyorkcity #easthampton #amagansett #chanel #phantomoftheopera #phantombroadway #ilmulino #centralparkboathouse #redcarpetroxy #roxymanning #rcrtravel #redcarpettravel #travel #moms #daughters #mommymoments #broadway (at New York City) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChKyUDJJCsJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[raivenshantel]

For what it's worth, Alexis, I always thought "Hampton's Hoes" was quite catchy. -Johnny Rose @1770house @hamptonjitney (at East Hampton, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSruOpnlecbbufDk8suAXHrLo280CidauKFkeg0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[christophermasonnewyork]

Just a hint of orange🍊... #themanilove @ralphgibson #hotchocdoc #blackistheneworange en route to @1770house to celebrate our engagement! #justwhatthedoctorordered #loveislove🌈 #bizarreobsessionwithorange🍊 #christo4masonphotography📸 (at East Hampton, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/CC6TAxInLnR/?igshid=1dsuav31gfgws

[pnonyc]

Meatloaf dinner night at the best hidden tavern out east! #meatloaf #1770house #easthampton (at The 1770 House Restaurant and Inn)

[newamericanstyle]

Still Al Fresco dining by candlelight #1770house #easthampton #Summer #holidayweekend

[newamericanstyle]

Al Fresco dining tonight #1770house #easthampton #Summer