Dan's Grill Hampton 2025 Was a Night of Sizzle, Smoke & Celebration

The heat and the meat were both on at ClubHouse Hamptons as Grill Hampton, presented by Wilmington Trust, returned for another unforgettable evening of food, fire, and fierce competition.

Hosted by Food Network personality, restaurateur, and bestselling author Michael Symon, the event delivered a mouthwatering mix of culinary competition, lively music, and unmatched summer energy — all part of the acclaimed Dan’s Taste Summer Series.

“I love events where food is the focal point, and this is all about food, cocktails and fun,” Symon said. “There’s 15 great chefs here putting out great food, and I’m excited to walk around and taste everything. Great food has to be a personal reflection of the chef. A lot of times young cooks, or young chefs, look at recipes, they try to replicate other people’s food. But when the food comes from you, or maybe something that you grew up on, or a twist on something you grew up on, or reflects your heritage.”

Top chefs from across the tri-state area — and beyond — gathered for a high-stakes showdown, each offering their best grilled creations to a crowd of enthusiastic guests and a panel of celebrity judges.

Master Purveyors was the meat sponsor of the event and provided all the high quality protein for the chefs.

“We’re honored to have been the official lead sponsor of Dan’s Grill Hampton,” Mark Solasz or Master Purveyors said. “Our family spent generations sourcing, providing the finest meats, and they’re thrilled to see some of the region’s most talented chefs bring them to life on the grill.”

“It’s an absolute pleasure to be here,” Chef Manny Voumvourakis of Smok Haus, both a sponsor and a 2024 Top Grill Master winner, was. “The Dan’s Taste group, Schneps Media, just a wonderful organization to partner up with to expand our brand, and let everybody know throughout all of Long Island and New York that we put our heart and soul into making craft barbecue.”

With over 15 participating grill masters, the night turned into a meaty marathon.

“We just like to have fun,” Chef Matt Chappelle of The ClubHouse, also a 2024 Top Grill Master Winner, said. “This is a great event. Our relationship with Dan’s Papers is great, so it’s a great event. It’s a good promotion for The ClubHouse and to have a bunch of people just come here. And I love being creative, and premiering something that I’m passionate about.”

Guests enjoyed unlimited access to food and beverages, including cocktails, beer, and wine from featured sponsors.

“There’s a big cocktail culture here, but I think people really love some discovery wines as well,” Carolyn Kapuvari of Cantina Puiatti said. “ I think people are just enjoying discovering wines from Northeast Italy. And of course, the warm summer nights in the Hamptons, these are just perfect for those.”

VIP attendees were treated to early access, private cabanas, and an exclusive stocked bar, while the rest of the crowd arrived in waves.

“It’s my passion to cook for people,” New York City Firefighter Chef Joseph Chiodi said. “If I’m home alone, I won’t even cook for myself. It’s more that I like pleasing people. This is amazing. Huge crowd. We’re expected to have 800 to 1000 people. It’s been a long day. We started early, but it’s been fun. I have my family with me, helping out all my closest people, everybody I trust, and it’s been great.”

While the dishes were the stars of the show, the beats weren’t far behind.

“Cooking is a big culture in the fire department,” New York City Firefighter Chef Charles Nieves said. “Unfortunately, on our lunch breaks – well, we don’t get any lunch breaks, so we have to cook in the firehouse. It’s part of the daily routine of being a firefighter.”

Legendary DJ Theo kept the party pulsing throughout the evening, spinning live sets that had the crowd dancing under the stars.

“We’re certainly happy to be out here,” Fire & Smoke BBQ NY chef Samuel Alleyne said. “This is our second time being out here. Great chefs, great atmosphere. We’re certainly happy to come out here and serve some great, amazing brisket on an amazing summer day. What more can you ask?”

The party didn’t end when the voting did — the night continued with a VIP afterparty at Common Ground East, turning Grill Hampton into an all-night celebration of food, music, and community.

At the end of the evening, Wilmington Trust’s Maggie Immordino Borner announced the winners. Chef Chris Notaro of Notoko Sauce was awarded the Dan’s People’s Choice Top Grill Master 2025, an honor voted on by the event’s guests. As part of the prize, the winners received a $500 gift card from Fresh Direct.“It means everything to win,” Notaro said. “I’m so thankful I couldn’t have done it without my team one up above and honestly, just the passion My mother taught me how to cook, and then I took it from there. I went to culinary school in Florence, all the work and the effort and the leap of faith that it took to get here, it means everything to see everybody enjoying the food here. You can get any of our sauce or multiple locations already, almost 30 stores in our first three months. And you could buy it on www.notokosauce.com, or if you want to book a private chef event with me.”

The Celebrity Award winner was Green Hill Kitchen, a beloved barbecue restaurant located on Front Street in Greenport.

“We are so happy to be here,” Chef and Pitmaster Maribel Ochoa of Green Hill said. “A lot of customers came to our table and enjoyed what we served. It’s our great team that makes this win possible.”

Participating chefs represented a range of cuisines and styles, including bringing everything from classic Southern barbecue to globally inspired fusion to the grill.

“I’m a big steak eater, really big. It has to be juicy. Has to have, maybe, a little kick to the sauce,” Judge Jacqueline Smith from LOL Fashion Dump and Celebrity Judge said. “This is such a unique experience. I love the area. Everybody I’ve met so far is amazing. I had just a really, really good time hanging out here, eating good food, good vibes all around. To everyone, my advice for good food is, if you love it, go back and try it again.”

Other judges noted the importance of service and vibe, in addition to food quality.

“There’s a lot of food bloggers here, and they’re all judging based on food quality. I’m judging on experience,” Judge Tom Kelly, a comedian from Massapequa, said. “I’m judging on how I feel walking up to your tent. I’m also judging on the quality of the food. When I go to a restaurant on Long Island, I look for who makes me feel welcome. How does the food look, what’s the vibe of the other people on the line? Food is about the experience, too.”

“Dan’s Papers has engaged with some of the most impressive, most respected executive chefs in the world, many of which are out here in the Hamptons to enjoy the great wines, the great produce, great proteins, and they love to cook out here,” Dan Shaughnessy of Wilmington Trust said. “We’re having a blast. And if you’ve missed all the Dan’s Taste events, don’t miss the White Party at RGNY on Aug. 16.”

RGNY had a table going at Grill Hampton, giving Grill Hampton partygoers a taste – literally – of what’s to come at the fifth and final Dan’s Taste event.

“it’s a nice little preview for what we have coming with the White Party,” Aiden Martin, a server at RGNY, said. “For right here, we have a few different options. We have a white, which is our Sauvignon Blanc, our rosè, and our Siletto Lindo, which is our red blend. So we have a little bit of everything on display right now, sort of an introduction to what we have. Obviously, if they want to learn a little bit more, come visit the tasting room.”

Also sponsoring the event were Adamas, Blue Moon, Bushmills, Cantina Puiatti,  Dobel, Fishers Island Lemonade, Fresh Direct, Corona, Manhattan Beer & Beverage, Pellegrino, Miss Jessie’s, GSM, Preferred Events, NEC, East27 Creative, Golf Insights, Jo Jerusalem, Suburban Propane and Long Island Ice & Fuel.

Grill Hampton 2025 marked another successful chapter in Dan’s Taste Summer Series, blending East End charm with big-city culinary flair.

As always, the event was held rain or shine, with no refunds — but with perfect weather and a sold-out crowd, the night proved once again why it’s one of the most anticipated events of the summer.

To buy tickets for the Dan’s Taste White Party, which will be held on Aug. 16 at RGNY Vineyard in Riverhead, visit DansTaste.com.