Chef Olivia Tiedemann loves flipping the bird to convention. Here are the Hamptons culinary experiences that get her thumbs up, from classic lobster rolls to elite farm stands.
When chef Olivia Tiedemann first arrived in the Hamptons to start the personal chef gig that would indirectly lead to explosive Instagram stardom, her first impression was awe.
“Coming from a very different lifestyle, driving up there for the very first time, where everything was so perfect,” reminisces Tiedemann, now as famous for her punkish, bird-flipping, F-bomb dropping persona as she is for her elegantly plated dishes and the decadent pastas she whips up from scratch at midnight. “Pulling up to my client’s house; this huge, immaculate beachfront mansion. It was very magical.”
Tiedemann is hardly alone; the Hamptons – a cluster of luxurious seaside resort towns on the eastern end of New York’s Long Island – have long fascinated visitors, who flock to the area for a summertime escape to a world of white linen, cocktail parties and impossibly lavish estates.
But Tiedemann appreciates the Hamptons for more than its prestige: “There’s something interesting about the Hamptons, and I’m not sure scientifically what it is,” she says. “But the sun sets there and mirrors off both sides of the water, because it’s a very long, narrow island. So the light there is different, and the sunsets are different; the sky will be entirely pink. It’s very unique.”
And even better in the autumn, as the leaves turn technicolour and the crowds disperse. “Nobody’s there anymore,” says Tiedemann. “The autumn is kind of a secret time where places are still open – lots close in the winter. Last summer, I stayed through the autumn, and it was really cool to go to all those places without having to see five million people. There’s little wine bars and vineyards that are really scenic and pretty. And they need business during that time. I almost don’t even want to tell the secret of how much nicer it is.”
The food scene in the Hamptons is tied to the bounty of the Atlantic coast – lobster and clams reign supreme – as well as the island’s thriving farm culture. Farm-to-table experiences abound, as do glamorous restaurants with dishes (and patrons) ripped straight from the pages of a celebrity magazine. But there are down to earth delights as well – chef-approved.
Here are Tiedemann’s top culinary experiences in the Hamptons – in summertime and beyond.
