Hamptons Magazine: Fast and Not So Furious

8/12/2019 Hamptons Magazine: Fast and Not So Furious

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BYSHANTANUSTARICK

(KITCHENSURFING);TIMHOWARD(SALAD)S

igned, sealed, deliveredIm yours.

Stevie Wonders classic hit could be a

modern-day anthem for those tired of

enduring bumper-to-bumper Friday afternoons

on Montauk Highway or waiting in interminable

lines at their favorite gourmet market to buy a

pound of lobster salad and a bottle of ros.

Modern technology and good old-fashioned

entrepreneurship have merged to offer a range of

delivery services that can provide virtually any

necessity or whim without lifting a fingerexcept

for a few online clicks to get somebody elses

wheels in motion.

Years ago [the Hamptons] was serene. It wa snt

a secret but it was quiet. Now traffic is outrageous

and simple tasks like grocery shopping become

troublesome, says Lexi Stolz, founder of South

Fork and Spoon (455-0837, southforkandspoon.

com), a weekend preparation and food concierge

service. She has witnessed firsthand new arrivals

trying to navigate unfamiliar aisles of local stores

and the ensuing frustration. And picking up a

quick bite is virtually impossible. To spend an

hour in traffic to grab a couple of burgers is outra-

geous, says Stolz.

Delivery services offer more th an convenience,

though. Megan Schmidt, founder of The Good

Farm Delivery (thegoodfarmdelivery.com) and

12-year resident of the East End, says, I wanted to

find a way to connect more people with their food

and to become part of the food economy. Her

hyperlocal online farmers market brings the best

CLOCKWISEFROMTOPRIGHT:Fresh producefrom Wyse Organics; nioise salad

from Madeline Picnic Co.; guests toast

at a party created by Kitchensurfing.

continued on page 90

Fast and NotSo FuriousEAST ENDERS ARE FINDING ACCESS TO

LOCAL GOODS AND SERVICES ARE EASIER

THAN EVER AND JUST A CLICK AWAY.

BY MATTHEW WEXLER

88 HAMPTONS-MAGAZINE.COM

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PHOTOGRAPHY

BY

TOMV

ICKERS(KITCHENSURFING)

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of the farming community and food artisans to

her customers doorsteps with an ever-changing

and easy-to-navigate online ordering system.

Farmers benefit as well, harvesting only what isneeded for fulfillment, thereby strengthening the

food system and local economy.

The trend is catching on, both because of its

ease and Schmidts keen eye for selecting high-

quality and hard-to-get products. Launched only

last year, the service now delivers up to 40 orders

per weekmost by Schmidt herself. Zucchinis,

tomatoes, and spinach are big sellers, but those

with a more adventurous palate (including a bevy

of private chefs) have gone crazy for specialty

ingredients like shallot scapes, organic blue andgolden oyster mushrooms, apple blossoms, and

three types of local eggs from Browders Birds and

Iacono Farm. Those with a sweet tooth can take

advantage of Schmidts access to limited-edition

flavors from Joe & Lizas ice cream, including

watermelon sorbet and spicy Mexican chocolate.

Whi le many people want to get hands -on in

the kitchen, an equally large contingent is look-

ing for fresh Hamptons f lavor without the hassle.

To fil l tha t niche, private chef Alla n Wyse and

global and organic food entrepreneur Erik

Bruun Bindslev launched Wyse Organics (917-

446-9237, wyseorganics.com) in 2012. The delivery

service offers precooked meals that riff on the

popular sous vide cooking method. Prepared

foods using local and seasonal ingredients are

sealed in air-tight plastic bags and flash-frozen.

Thi s met hod removes oxy gen (avoidi ng f reezerburn), pasteurizes, and maintains the integrity

of the dish. Customers are a stonished that its a

frozen and reheated product. The texture and

the color are there, says Wyse, whose recipes

are inspired by the local har vest. Dishes like pea

& fava bean soup and the newly launched vege-

taria n green chili retain their vibrant hues, while

extensive recipe testing yields a toothsome

ricotta mac & cheese. The company recently

bumped its delivery service to seven days per

week; as long as you can boil water, a home-

cooked meal is close at hand.

The t rends seen on the Ea st End are part of a

People are genuinelyinterested in eating welland understandingwhere their food comesfrom. Were here tofacilitate that.

ELANA KARP

bigger e-commerce boom that has escalated over

the past decade. Plateds (855-525-2399, plated.

com) cofounders, Josh Hix and Nick Taranto,

knew it was just a matter of time before it expanded

to highly perishable goods, and had the determi-nation to be one of the first players in the food/

tech space. The companys ready-to-cook meal

boxes are now accessible to 80 percent of t he con-

tinental US. According to culinary director Elana

Karp, the business model allows for the test

kitchen to work closely with our fulfillment

centers to source the highest quality and fresh-

est ingredients, she says.

Each week, Plated offers seven chef-designed

recipes. The recyclable cardboard box is packed

with nontoxic freezer packs, essential ingredi -

ents, and easy-to-follow instructions to prepare

A custom table setting byKitchensurfing. BELOW: South Forkand Spoon offers everythingfrom grocery delivery to themedgourmet meal packages.


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PHOTOGRAPHYBYSHANTANUSTARWICK(KITCHENSURFING)

continued from page 90innovative dishes like pork tonkatsu with yuzu

cherry salsa and mizuna, or olive oil-poached

tuna with three-bean salad. Theres such a great

trend right now where people are genuinely inter-

ested in eating well and understanding where

their food comes from, Kar p says. Were here to

facilitate that.

For those looking for the ultimate hands-off

delivery, Kitchensurfings (kitchensurfing.com/

hamptons) second year in the Hamptons offers a

private chef marketplace to create anything from

an intimate family dinner to a backyard barbecue

block party. Our service distinguishes itself

through its wide network of private chefs with dif-ferent culinary backgrounds and cuisine styles, in

addition to affording the ability for full menu

customization, says CEO Chris Muscarella. The

package price covers an on-site chef, high-quality

ingredients, clean-up, and gratuity. Bespoke

offerings include chef Nick Suarezs Backyard Pig

Roast, which presents a farm-fresh Heritage pig

cooked in a portable La Caja China roasting box

and sides of local honey-roasted sweet corn,

brunswick baked beans, and summer salad. But

imaginations run wild in the summer sun. We

have had more than one request for

nyotaimori, which is when sushi is served on a

(consenting) womans body, says Muscarella,

and weve fulfilled those requests!

Sometimes simplicity reigns supreme, and

Madeline Picnic Co.(353-8923, madelinepicnic.

co) merges easy-access delivery with what makes

the Hamptons so special: a summer picnic.

Madeline McLean launched the business thisJune, and customers quickly star ted clamoring

for her quaint burlap totes brimming with tartines

and salads. Instead of trudging to multiple spe-

cialty shops, picnickers can meet Madeline at a

predetermined location in Southampton, Sag

Harbor, or Amagansett. McLean grew up in

Colorado, studied in Paris, and brings an interna-

tional perspective to the demand for easy access

and locally sourced goods. The farm-to-table/

farm-to-fork demand is higher now and people

are seeking that out, which is really good. AndIve seen picnics as a trend across the US, says

McLean, a self-proclaimed picnic fanatic.

Whether its a personali zed fa rm box, easy-to -

prepare dishes, simple lunch, or full-on feast,

whatever East Enders want, there is someone to

deliver it. Gifting such serv ices in lieu of a haphaz-

ardly chosen bottle of wine has also become de

rigueur. Even in a pinch, passionate providers like

Lexi Stolz ca n source whatever a client may need.

Ironically, pet owners seem to have their furry

friends needs under control. Nobody has called

me in an emergency about their dog, says Stolz,

but theyll call me for wine or milk. H

FROMTOP:Wyse Organics classic summerdishes; chef Chuck Valla serves a

Kitchensurfing dinner.


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Hamptons Magazine: Fast and Not So Furious