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Il Buco’s Donna Lennard and chef Francis Mallmann have a celebratory empanada tap. (Photo credit: Doug Young)

The phrase “Never meet your heroes, they’ll surely disappoint” doesn’t apply when eating one of Francis Mallmann’s empanadas mendocinas at a picnic table in Amagansett with the acclaimed Argentine chef across from you. As a photographer primarily focusing on food photography, I always noted to my editor and longtime industry colleague Amy Zavatto that chefs enjoy talking to photographers, so why not write and photograph a column that includes those casual musings? That’s how ‘Cook This Now’ has flourished, and it’s now finishing its second season in digital and print formats for Southforker.

Having the backing of a somewhat new but revered publication allowed me to reach out far beyond my comfort zone when it came to sourcing recipes and the chance for an in-person chat or Zoom (chef Eric Ripert and Susan Spungen both participated this year, to name a few heavy hitters).

A story years in the making, writer/photographer Doug Young finally got his chance to sit with famed chef Francis Mallmann at Il Buco al Mare in Amagansett. (Photo credit: Doug Young)

Francis Mallmann seemed a pivotal turn for me, a “How is this happening?” moment where you must believe in kismet. My first stop on that journey began in East Quogue in 2014 while working on a Q&A with chef Lucia Soria at the sorely missed restaurant, Station. This unforgettable spot seemed ahead of its time with its open-air dining concept surrounded by a lush, tall garden and South American-influenced menu with simple dishes of creamy burrata, salty prosciutto, local asparagus with basil, mint, and lemon, finished with a hazelnut crunch. I then learned that Soria (Uruguayan born and raised in Argentina) launched her culinary career with Francis Mallmann, eventually landing in coastal Uruguay and later in the capital of Montevideo with her restaurant, Jacinto.

A trip to Uruguay in 2016 for a travel story brought me to the upscale beach town of Jose Ignacio, where Mallmann’s acclaimed El Garzon was on my list to hit while there. But the Soria-recommended and popular La Huella, housed inside a wood and straw ranch on the Atlantic Ocean, stood out and reminded me of Montauk’s laid-back beach style.

Jumping ahead to 2019, I learned the team behind La Huella (Argentine chef Fernando Trocca and Uruguayan restaurateur Martin Pittaluga) planned to open a seasonal restaurant, Mostrador Marram, on the shores of the beautiful Marram Hotel in Montauk. Helmed by chef Stefano Mastracchio (check out the paella recipe here) and his team and managing partner, Bambou Pittaluga (son of Martin), this charming, unpretentious, yet delicious spot hit a bump in the road in 2020 when the COVID 19 pandemic prevented them from returning for a second season.

Donna Lennard to the rescue. The visionary owner and founder of the Il Buco family of restaurants was asked by Trocca to “keep the space warm,” she mentions in her softcover book, Il Buco Trent’anni: More Stories & Recipes (available at Il Buco Vita in Amagansett). After establishing a self-described “beachhead out East” with the pop-up at Marram, the Hamptons denizen opened Il Buco al Mare in 2021, bringing a local seafood and farm-focused restaurant to Amagansett and some damn-good ancient grain focaccia.

This year brought Il Buco its 30th anniversary since the flagship restaurant opened on Bond Street in NYC. Lennard celebrated this milestone joyfully at her Amagansett outpost with a ticketed, intimate dinner with her friend for over 20 years, Francis Mallmann. It seemed the stars aligned, and my opportunity to meet the James Beard award-winning pioneer of open-fire cooking had arrived with a dose of destiny.

Not so fast. Getting in with these very busy people takes a lot of networking and approval. Luckily, my friend Natalie Donghia, the shop director at Il Buco Vita next door to Al Mare, knows how to get things moving and help doors open. My immediate camaraderie with Donghia began with photo shoots and published stories about Lennard’s business partner and painter Antonello Radi, and the inspiring table settings sold at the shop (check out this story from 2023).

Those archived ‘tearsheets’ were sent to Mallmann’s PR team (along with an impassioned letter from Donghia) to get a recipe from the dinner and a sit down with him and Lennard before the event. I was in, but it was a tight window.

Young learned how to fold a perfect empanada from Mallmann himself. (Photo credit: Doug Young)

Renowned cookbook photographers Gentyl & Hyers were on the list to cover the event, and overlapping was a concern. Scouting wasn’t necessary, as I knew from my previous shoots that the quiet backyard with the whitewashed picnic tables was my best bet. Donghia, my stylist in arms, helped create a charming setting (with exclusive commemorative ceramic plates designed by Radi, also available at Vita) perfect for photos, empanadas, wine and casual conversation.

An early arrival allowed me a few moments in the kitchen with il Buco al Mare’s executive chef, Amelia Kirk, and chef de cuisine, Grecia Medrano, who helped execute the menu focused on seasonal ingredients, many grill-cooked and charred in signature Mallmann style.

With a dough folding lesson using a napkin, Mallman’s inherent love of teaching was tangible, and his friendship with Lennard was infectious during our conversation, with many memories shared that did not make it into the finished piece (which you can read here). When Francis went to inspect the meat cooking on the open grill, he was immediately in his world, and for a full circle moment, so was I.

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