Dinners in the Hamptons are a summer staple, however, the last Saturday in August before Labor Day is truly special. The penultimate weekend before the fall rush provides the final blissful and calming moment of the season acting as an easy transition to autumn. And what better way to celebrate the moment than with a four-hands dinner triumphing culture and cuisine? Enter the Genesis House Hamptons in Water Mill where Genesis House chef Minchul Shin and One MICHELIN Star Semma chef Vijay Kumar combined efforts to create a distinctive, one-night-only meal for an illustrious group of guests.
East End staples Joey Wölffer, Delphine and Reed Krakoff, and Sophie Elgort and Eric von Stroh mingled and nibbled on light bites as they chatted with Monse and Oscar de la Renta designers Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim. Another corner saw bright young things Igee Okafor, Isiah Magsino, and Steven Beltrani chat over intoxicating cocktails with Hamptons publisher Lynn Scotti, designer Nina Runsdorf with artist Quentin Curry, and the Parrish Art Museum’s Monica Ramirez-Montagut.
However, as the sun dimmed, it was time for the main event which saw Elizabeth Kurpis, Micaela Erlanger, and Sarah Wetenhall dig into the elegant offerings that combined the distinctly Korean flavors of Genesis House with Semma’s Southern Indian cuisine. The resulting plates were nothing short of gastronomic poetry: red snapper encrusted with rice flour and dusted with a delectable medley of mustard, tumeric, coconut milk, and barley jook as a preamble to the mouthwatering marinated short rib (Yangnyeom galbi, a Genesis House signature dish).
Welcome remarks from Rachel Espersen introduced the evening with easy polish, as guests took in the Cocoji-inspired florals and equally impressive plates. And as the final bites of the passion fruit pudding and indulgent chocolate and mugwort desserts were taken, guests left transported into a universe brimming with flavor and elegance.
All photos courtesy of Zach Hilty / BFA.com
