Cook This Now! Chef Francis Derby’s pumpkin Basque cheesecake

There is a beautiful rhythm to the change of seasons here on Long Island, and for those who commute out to the forks — like chef Francis Derby driving from his hometown of Bellport out to Greenport—that rhythm is evident in the fields. Derby, the new culinary director at The Halyard at Sound View, is someone who truly understands the language of those farms, bringing his ingredient-driven approach and deep respect for seasonal, local sourcing to the iconic waterfront restaurant.

A Long Island native, Derby’s passion for food began early, rooted in his childhood spending time on his grandfather’s duck farm in Patchogue and later working his way through local kitchens. His career took him to Manhattan to work at esteemed places like wd~50, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, and The State Room in Patchogue, and included a formative six-month stage at the world-renowned Mugaritz in Spain. Now back home, his cooking philosophy is simple, yet profound. “If there was a cooking philosophy,” Chef Derby notes, “it’s really just letting the farms around us tell us what’s on the menu.”

“If we’re going to offer a pumpkin cheesecake here, we should make ours using locally grown pumpkins,” Derby says. “I feel that that process is really what makes our pumpkin cheesecake specific because of the farms that the pumpkins are coming from.” (Photos by Doug Young)

That commitment is evident in this week’s featured dish: his silken, custardy and intensely flavored Basque cheesecake made with local cheese pumpkin.

The inspiration for this dessert traces back to Derby’s time in Spain, where he experienced the famous burnt-crust delicacy firsthand. When asked if he had Basque cheesecake during his stage, he replied, “Yes, it was unforgettable and something I’ve chased.” He has since married that sought-after global technique with a genuinely local soul. Derby’s daily commute to the North Fork dictates the seasonal additions. He noted, “For me, a lot of what happens on the menu here is influenced by my drive through the North Fork, and right now there are just tons of pumpkins.” The process for the dessert is a full commitment to the harvest, utilizing local cheese pumpkins selected from farms like Krupski and Wickham Farm. Chef Derby insists this commitment is key to the flavor. “If we’re going to offer a pumpkin cheesecake here, we should make ours using locally grown pumpkins. I feel that that process is really what makes our pumpkin cheesecake specific because of the farms that the pumpkins are coming from.”

Derby notes that the way they handle the puree distinguishes this cheesecake from others. Instead of simply draining the moisture, they actively cook it out to concentrate the flavor. “We’ve tried hanging it in cheesecloth, but I find that when we cook the water out of it, we’re almost reducing the puree at that point, and you’re getting something a little more intensely flavored, and that water won’t throw off the balance of your finished product.”

Derby recommends reducing the pumpkin puree, which in turn removes any excess water and results in a more intensely flavored dessert. (Photos by Doug Young)

This resulting intensity gives the dessert its deep, complex flavor, which has made it a favorite at The Halyard. The pumpkin Basque cheesecake is currently on the regular menu (“it’ll run right through winter,” he notes) and will be a dessert offering on the upcoming Thanksgiving buffet. For serving, a simple topping like classic whipped cream is always appropriate, but Chef Derby suggests something richer. “For us, we do a little bit of Amaro caramel, but any version of caramel — plain caramel, whiskey caramel — I think, is a nice accent to it.”

Tips for the Home Cook

Chef Derby’s advice is rooted in precision, which is key for baking desserts as meticulous as this cheesecake:

• Know Your Oven Temperature: Above all, invest in an oven thermometer. As chef Derby advises, you need to ensure that 425°F is actually 425°F. “I would say, above all things, you should have in your kitchen, it would be an oven thermometer in your oven. I know my home oven is about 30 degrees too hot. So it’s good to know that. It’s going to help you a lot, especially with these more meticulous baking tasks.”
• Reduce the Puree: Do not skip the critical step of reducing your homemade pumpkin puree. By cooking out the water, you concentrate the flavor and ensure that excess moisture will not disrupt the careful balance of the finished product.
• Let the Farms Steer: This applies to any seasonal dessert. Chef Derby’s philosophy is to “let the farms around us tell us what’s on the menu.” By using high-quality, local cheese pumpkins (like The Milk Pail in Water Mill or Amber Waves in Amagansett), you elevate the flavor of the entire dish.

Uniquely crustless and with a distinctly caramelized exterior, the Basque cheesecake originated in San Sebastián, Spain, with Derby’s version seen here incorporating a locally sourced spin. (Photos by Doug Young)