Chef Adam Kaufer, owner of Grace & Grit, isn’t just a prolific toque; he’s an exploratory one, too, who manages to successfully combine his love for what’s hyperlocal with the joy of travel through tastebuds. That innate sky’s-the-limit creativity was forged not in the kitchen, though, but in the design world.
He grew up in Rockville Centre and attended the BOCES Cultural Arts Center, now known as the Long Island High School for the Arts, in Syosset before getting a degree in jewelry and light metals from the Rhode Island School of Design.
“Growing up, my mother did not cook. But she was really good at making reservations,” he laughs. “We ate at restaurants a lot and I really liked restaurant food. When I was in art school, I was like, ‘Well, I can’t afford to go to restaurants!’ So I started teaching myself to cook at RISD.”
He approaches the kitchen with an artist’s point of view, thinking about color, texture, brightness, and contrast. The way aromatics can both tease and taunt your senses with the most wonderful kind of give and take before that first bite brings it all together.
Chef Adam Kaufer of Grace & Grit with his wife, Melanie Mott. (Photo credit: David Benthal)
Kaufer will be bringing his brand of culinary treats with a worldview to the Southforker Taste of Westhampton Beach on June 20. Who else is pulling out all the stops and bringing some serious savory (and sweet) bite and beverage action this year? Our list is growing by the minute:
- Aki’s Kitchen
- Atlantis Banquets & Events
- Bake Me Healthy
- Borghese Vineyards
- Casa J Tequila
- Cuisine By Colleen
- Fauna
- Flora
- Grace & Grit
- Goomba Johnny PIzza
- Jamesport Vineyards
- Justin’s Chop Shop
- Justin Vineyards
- Land and Sea Smokehouse
- Lewis Cellars
- Oysterponds Shellfish Co.
- Painters Restaurant
- Palmer Vineyards
- Paumanok Vineyards
- Pellegrini Vinyeards
- Poboy Brewery
- Sannino Vineyard
- Seaside Grill
- Seastar Ballroom
- Sweet Vegan
- Sydney’s “Taylor” Made Cuisine
- Take Two Brewery
- Tonino’s
- The Village Cheese Shop
- Twin Fork Beer Co.
- Westhampton Beach Brew & Grill
- Uncle Giuseppe’s
As is tradition, plenty of toe-tappin’, shoulder-swayin’ live tunes provided by funk master band In the Groove.
Tickets for the event start at $135 for general admission. This is a 21+ all-inclusive event.
