Dan's Taste of Summer Countdown: Chef Guy Reuge, Mirabelle

Dan’s Harvest East End, the can’t-miss food and wine classic, will be held on Saturday, August 20, at McCall Vineyard and Ranch in Cutchogue. Chef Guy Reuge of Mirabelle (in Stony Brook) and Sandbar (in Cold Spring Harbor) has a unique perspective on coastal farm-to-table cooking on Long Island. Reuge hails from the Normandy region of northwestern France and his restaurants are often cited as two of the best restaurants on Long Island. In fact, Mirabelle celebrated its 30th anniversary as such in 2014. Reuge shares, in his mellifluous French accent, that, “I like for your reader to continue appreciating the constant efforts that chefs make to contribute to their happiness. I also like for them to open their eyes to this beautiful array of bounty that Long Island has to offer. It’s a place that I cherish very much and like to share with others.”

What fuels your creativity as a chef?
My passion for ingredients triggers my imagination.

What local ingredients are you using right now?
Local oysters, great fluke, spring mesclun, and herbs from my garden

What’s your local beverage, or cocktail, of choice this season?
I rarely drink cocktails but I like it when one of our barman comes up with an idea that can please my palate. Sparkling Pointe sparkling wines and especially rosé, as the summer approaches, is a drink of choice for me. I’m not a beer drinker but a fresh pilsner from one of our local breweries is always perfect on a hot summer day.

Which of your dishes would you most like to serve to another chef?
I care less about a dish than about the perfect execution of it, especially if it’s for another chef…which is always scary.

How has the gluten-free eating trend affected your menu?
It’s interesting that you call the gluten allergy a trend because it’s exactly that. I, however, will admit that gluten tends to keep you bloated and therefor a little lethargic, but the exaggeration of this kind of diet has reached new proportions. Give it another year and something else will come up. I feel sorry for the bread makers.

What are you most looking forward to at Harvest East End?
The event itself, the massive amount of people gathering there, reconnecting with old friends, and what an excuse for a great party!

Please complete this sentence: My mother would not approve of my…
food being served for so many people but she would approve of the dish I feature and help me to serve it.

I could survive on a desert island if I just had:
A case of ham sandwiches with great butter and cornichons, water to survive, and sparkling rosé, as long as I’m not alone on this island.

Dan’s Taste of Summer kicks off with Dan’s GrillHampton hosted by Adam Richman on Friday, July 22, and continues on Saturday, July 23, with Dan’s Taste of Two Forks presented by Farrell Building Company hosted by Alex Guarnaschelli, both on the waterfront at Fairview Farm at Mecox in Bridgehampton. The oceanfront food and drink fest ClambakeMTK at Gurney’s Montauk hosted by Marc Murphy and Eden Grinshpan premieres on Saturday, July 30. Dan’s Harvest East End, the can’t-miss food and wine classic, hosted by Geoffrey Zakarian is Saturday, August 20, at McCall Vineyard and Ranch in Cutchogue. For tickets and more info on all Dan’s Taste of Summer events, visit DansTaste.com! A portion of this year’s ticket proceeds from GrillHampton and Taste of Two Forks will benefit All For The East End (AFTEE), a 501(c)(3) that showcases and provides support to the more than 1,000 charity organizations in the five East End towns. A portion of proceeds from Harvest East End benefits Long Island Farm Bureau and HRHCare.