"Carrot-Palooza", "The Basil Brothers"
and his Veggie Garden at the Taggart Table…
Chef Colin Ambrose was born in Chattanooga Tennessee, grew up in Winnetka Ill. High school, New Trier East, was a little north of Chicago. Colin’s dad was a grain trader on the Chicago Board of Trade. After graduating from Utah State, in Logan, UT, Colin contributed to the start up at trade publication, Topshelf, a restaurant/beverage magazine and later as a magazine sales manager for Hearst in the advertising department for Connoisseur Magazine in New York. Later, in the mid 90’s, Colin worked on stagiaire at the famous Aureole Restaurant, in New York, run by Charlie Palmer, as well as Vida in Los Angeles, Bayona in New Orleans, Aqua in San Francisco and finally Union Square Café in Manhattan.
Colin Ambrose is an East End restaurateur well known for taking little-known coffee shops and turning them into celebrated dining destinations. Though his original restaurant, Estia (Amagansett 1991-2006), has been sold, he still retains Estia’s Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor. Colin has appeared in many national publications, including: Newsday, Bon Appetit, Red Book, Family Circle, and The New York Times. Colin is also a favorite with Long Island’s East End papers and magazines, with The East Hampton Star, The Southampton Press, and Hamptons Magazine featuring him regularly. He has been interviewed on The Today Show with Katie Couric, appeared alongside Sara Moulton on her live show on the Food Network, and taped a spot for ABC’s Rebecca’s Garden. Finally, Colin has also been featured on National Public Radio. He has also been an active member of New York’s first C.S.A. (Community Supported Agriculture) at Quail Hill farm since 1993 and the James Beard Foundation since he was invited to cook there in 1996, he has returned to cook with other chefs (Charlie Trotter and Charlie Palmer) since that time.,
Many of Mr. Ambrose's ingredients have come from an organic garden (the land donated by Lorne Michaels) behind his restaurant in Amagansett, and run by him and a few other notable chefs. They earned their nickname “The Basil Brothers” because of their devotion to fresh herbs. The garden serviced Mr. Ambrose, Chef Gerry Hayden, Dennis McNeil, Charlie Palmer and Rick Moonen until 1998. These garden products are responsible for many of Mr. Ambrose's creative dishes, including the often-ordered two-hour salad, made from greens picked two hours or less before they are served at Estia. In 1999, when Mr. Ambrose opened his second Estia’s location, he began a chefs garden on the Sag Harbor property just outside the kitchen door that continues to contribute to his creativity and his menus today.
Food and art trades hands, at Estia’s, developing unique and special friendships. Today, both Estia locations (Sag Harbor and Estia’s Back Porch Café in Darien CT.) have become a place to feed all cultural sensibilities, with many creative connections, in seaside communities filled with cultural creatives.
Estia's Little Kitchen opened and remodeled in 1999, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner year round.
“You know a restaurant is good when you see Top Chef Master Kerry Heffernan at a table.” ...Kate W. (...Yelp review)
Chicago, IL
Richard J. Scholem of The New York Times states that "Mr. Ambrose is a creative East End chef toiling in a very modest milieu."
Learn more about Colin at
http://estias.com/weblog/
Estia's Little Kitchen
1615 Sag Harbor
Bridgehampton Turnpike
Sag Harbor, New York 11963
http://estias.com
and
Estia's Back Porch Cafe
1020 Post Road
Darien, Connecticut 06820
http://estiascafe.com
Chef Colin Ambrose has had the friendly courtesy to share some creative thoughts with Frank Duffy from the Taggart Table…
The Taggart Table: So, what was breakfast today?
Colin Ambrose: Steel cut oatmeal with raisins and a cup of green tea from my favorite baker the Kneaded Bread in Portchester NY. I visit the bakery at least 3 mornings a week to purvey my breads for Estia’s Back Porch Café, the bread is fantastic, the experience is priceless for me.
Taggart: Family roots, ancestors?
Colin: My Grandfathers made profound impressions on me at an early age, 2 very different men committed to their communities and their families. Jules Andre, my Mothers father escaped from Russia in the 1930’s and made his way to New York to open the cities first ski shop “Andre”. He was intelligent, handsome, sophisticated and a successful small businessman. I’ve always wanted to be like him.
My fathers Dad, Dr. Stephen H. Ambrose was a country Doctor. He was tough as nails, had an unpenetrable exterior, worked whenever it was necessary, served his community so well that the medical center at the University of Wisconsin in Whitewater is named after him. Grandpa Doctor scared the crap out of me most of the time. As a family man, he was my hero, his garden was endless and I was allowed to spend my days there, no rules, no requirements, often harvesting for my Grandmother (both of my Grandmothers were excellent cooks). Stephen H. Ambrose was an American born in Southern Illinois, a veteran of World War 2, a real mans man.
Taggart: When there is creative endeavors and inspiration in the family, I wonder where it comes from. Sometimes I think it’s inherited. Any creative family stuff to share? Current or in the past? Read about N. C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth and Jamie Wyeth. All very talented painters/artists. (Father, Son and Grandson).
Colin: The women in my life, as a boy were nurturing, they made dinner not because it was trendy or fun but because it was their honor to do so. Everything I ate as a boy was perfect, we wanted for nothing. It was honest food that my family enjoyed together, cooked from scratch. In my Grandmother Andre’s Montclair New Jersey kitchen the basics included borscht and black bread from Frank & Eddie’s, her favorite market in the village. In Whitewater my Grandma “Cee Cee” balanced my Grandfather’s tough exterior with laughter however, her kitchen was a production facility, often serving lunch for 12 or more on the porch. These are my favorite food memories, harvesting tomatoes for her then watching her organize a meal for all to enjoy. My mother brought influence from both of them into our kitchen on Abbotsford Road in Winnetka, she would make Hustpot (Dutch cuisine, mashed potatoes infused with creamy roasted carrots and shredded beef) one night and meatloaf the next, always on the table at 6:15pm, hot and delicious.
Taggart: If I pick you up in 10 minutes, for lunch, where do we go?
Colin: Harbor Market, Paul Del Favero is an old friend and possibly the best chef in my neighborhood.
Taggart: You grew up outside of Chicago and graduated from Utah State University, majoring in Advertising Design. Any creative reminiscing there?
Colin: Scouting was big for me, I was in the Boy Scout program until Senior year in High School. I was regularly chosen to organize meals for campouts and often got carried away, choosing to roast turkey’s in Weber grills on river banks.
In my sophomore year, at USU my girlfriend Dayna was an excellent cook, that’s when I was put into action as a sous chef and started to learn.
Taggart: Where was the early training in your career?
Colin: Buying my first restaurant Estia in Amagansett was a business decision made based on my knowledge of front of the house operations (I’d been a bar manager and focused on successful restaurant operations at Top Shelf). After the first season ended and the chef was clearly making more income than I, it became clear to me that I needed to learn to cook. A phone call to Charlie Palmer whom I’d met at a San Pelligrino event at the opening of Daniel in 1999, opened the door to my first stagiaire, I was training in New York’s top kitchen as a visiting owner, I think it confused everyone, but Charlie and me.
Taggart: At a young age, did you know you wanted to be a chef? If you were not a chef, what would you be doing?
Colin: I knew I didn’t want to do the same thing everyday. I knew I didn’t want to wear a tie and that it was good for me to have calloused hands. Just prior to my first Estia purchase, my Dad offered to partner with me on a 200 acre farm in Northern Wisconsin, he was suggesting raising goats for cheese. I considered it, but quickly realized that my new bride Jessica would be much happier with easy access to a beach.
Taggart: What was the interest or the appeal to come to New York, and the East End?
Colin: My new bride, she’s always been happy on the East End (except in March).
Taggart: Tell us about “Carrot-Palooza“
Colin: Interest in the idea of growing better, sweeter carrots. Also a goal of bringing the chef and farmers in my area together at the Little Kitchen.
Taggart: Any favorite soups? Favorite Veggies?
Colin: Love arugula, Cioppino Verde. (A stew of fish and shellfish cooked in this case, usually with arugula puree, wine, spices, and herbs.)
http://estias.com/weblog/category/recipes
Taggart: You do use pesto? Lots of fresh basil in your area.
Colin: Arugula pesto, love it with bread and goat cheese.
Taggart: Favorite cheeses? Favorite spices?
Colin: Coach Farm Goat Cheese, Miles and Lillian Cahn were regulars for years in Amagansett and taught my children and me to love goats and their cheeses.
Taggart: Any favorite seafood or shellfish? Plenty to pick from on Long Island.
Colin: Flounder, little neck clams, bay scallops.
Taggart: Name a few popular dishes on your menu.
Colin: Potato crusted flounder, inspired by Charlie Palmer's great scallop sandwich.
Taggart: Why is everyone taking
pictures of their food? (A chef’s perspective)
Colin: Because they’re nervous and crave attention.
Taggart: Do you spend leisure time in NY? Restaurants? Theatre?
Museums, Galleries?
Colin: Yes, I love New York restaurants, leisure time is a problem for me, but I have time to work on that. Blue Hill is sublime. (75 Washington Place)
Taggart: Whats your favorite area of New York or Long Island? (besides the East End)
Colin: Lately I’m drawn to Hudson, NY.
Taggart: With time, I think you have influenced and inspired the American culinary atmosphere.
Colin: That’s very nice of you to say. Can I put that on my headstone?
Taggart: What is your favorite vacation spot?
Colin: Anywhere that I go with Jessica and my kids that allows me to wander through markets, farms and restaurants while they giggle on a beach.
Taggart: Name a few creative and inspirational heros:
Colin: (The late) Gerry Hayden, Jules Andre, Dan Rizzie, Dan Barber, Eric Fischl, Ernie Banks.
Taggart: What ticks you off in the kitchen?
Colin: Cooks who stand still, cooks who smoke on my dime, dishwashers who only wash dishes.
Taggart: The Long Island restaurant atmosphere has come a long way. Serious variety, serious choices, and serious competition. Sad to see some come and go. I wish there was less fast food.
Colin: It requires a long range view.
Taggart: What do you do for fun away from cooking?
Colin: On the water with a fly rod in my hand, in my garden digging cold soil, I love to make compost too.
Taggart: Who in the food world do you most admire?
Colin: Dan Gibson at Grazing Acres, (in Hudson NY) Melissa Kelly at Primo (in Rockland Maine,) Vivian Howard, at The Chef and The Farmer, (in Kinston North Carolina) Sean Brock, at Husk (in Charleston. South Carolina and Nashville, Tenn). Joe Realmuto, at Honest Man Group, (East Hampton, NY). Jason Weiner, at Almond (NYC and Bridgehampton) …. These people walk the walk, they know their farmers, they love them and would walk into battle with them to protect the soil.
Taggart: Favorite foods to cook with?
Colin: Roasted garlic puree
Taggart: What do you like to eat when you’re at home?
Colin: My daughter Lyman makes an excellent salad with roasted red kuri squash and mustard vinaigrette and her sister, Whittier learned to make Apple Crostata (an Italian baked tart or pie) from our good friend Claudia Flemming. Mansell my photographer, shoots the food porn, we have fun in the kitchen at home, check out my blog at
Estias.com.
See Claudia Flemming's Apple Crostata:
http://www.nytimes.com/video/dining/100000002546313/claudia-flemings-apple-crumb-crostata-.html
also:
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015738-apple-crumb-crostata
Taggart: Are there any foods you just don’t like?
Colin: Not really, I can only eat a nibble of fois gras, too rich for my blood, I have the gout.
Taggart: Backyard tomatoes are enjoyable. I hope the term “Farm to Table” and “Organic” is accurately used.
Colin: I’m not crazy about any of those terms.
Taggart: Favorite cookbooks?
Colin: Heritage by Sean Brock, it tells great farmers stories. I like farmers, so that said, everyone should read Dan Barber’s “Third Plate” and Scott Chaskey’s “Seed time”
Taggart: Any books that you may write?
Colin: May write, have written, never sold. It’s a process, someday it may happen. I’m a story teller and food is my storyline.
Taggart: The Hargrave winery was the first on Long Island in 1973, and some thought it would not work, risks and opticals were plenty. They were not even farmers. According to the Long Island Wine Council, there are now over 50 wineries located on Long Island. Trailblazers and visionaries… yes?
Colin: Christian Wolffer and Walter Channing. Two of my favorite customers, they did what few will ever try and succeeded. I loved their visits to my Little Kitchen and miss them everyday.
Taggart: What do you most love about your job/career?
Colin: That it’s not a job/career. I will be in service with food and beverage everyday for the rest of my life, it makes me feel useful.
Taggart: What’s your proudest accomplishment?
Colin: I was told that I’d been chosen for Slow Food's “Snail of Approval" award the other day. Project Most in East Hampton, gave me and farmer/poet, Scott Chaskey the "Golden Trowel" award last year on a stage as we stood side by side, both awards very nice. My children smile and I just melt, my wife tells me she loves me and I just don’t know what to say, we’ve been together for over 25 years and I’ve been trouble for almost the entire experience, (Note to my daughters: do not marry a chef)
Taggart: Many famous folks love your place, and your efforts. Any fun food moments with a celebrity?
Colin: My old friend Mel Brooks often came for dinner with his lovely bride Anne, he called her "Mrs. B." Everytime they arrived, Mel would enter the kitchen to inspect and he’d say “Where’s Mrs. B’s cutting board and knife?”. She was allergic to all things allium (A plant in the onion family.) He cared deeply for her and that taught me how to care for my customers to the very base of their diet, I’m in the detail business.
Taggart: Any TV chef(s) that you admire?
Colin: Bobby Flay is a good pal. He works hard at every piece of his empire, especially staying thin, and that’s not easy. Bobby is an excellent golfer, and a well rounded guy. He taught me to roast corn and It’s been a primary element of my place since that day in 1994.
Taggart: Gordon Ramsey…entertainment, or helpful knowledge?
Colin: Not for me, I like to help my people to be happy and comfortable. I often remind the staff that they will be more productive if they slow down. I don’t get that from watching his TV shows.
Taggart: Do you give cooking demos or do cooking events? Location is not an issue.
Colin: Yes, it’s fun. I learned to cook and smile from Sara Moulton, she’s fabulous. I appeared live on her show "Cooking Live" a TV network production in 1997.
Taggart: I spent time, years ago with Harry Chapin at his house. Would you do a cooking demo for Long Island Cares? Location is not important.
Colin: Yes, happy to help.
Taggart: What else is there that readers might be interested in. What do people not know about you that you wish they did?
Colin: I like to make movies about vegetables and gardening, the Carrot Palooza
project was first,
http://estias.com/weblog/colin-ambroses-from-seed-to-plate-series-1-the-carrot/
just recently added a “3 Sisters” video to my blog, beets are next.
http://estias.com/weblog/the-3-sisters-garden-corn-beans-squash
Learn more about Colin's interest in carrots:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwrww3VyUR0
Learn more about Colin's interest in carrots:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwrww3VyUR0
Taggart: What’s next on your creative agenda?
Colin: Burritos
Taggart: Colin, thank you for giving me this rewarding and informative opportunity.
Colin: Most helpful for me to, if I don’t get asked, I can’t tell food stories.
Taggart: Let’s wrap up with a good dinner. Where do we go? Italian? Seafood? Steakhouse (Long Island/Metro area)
Colin: Maloney and Porcelli (37 E 50th St, NYC), ask for my close friend Aaron he’ll knock your socks off with a killer steak. I also like The Little Owl, (90 Bedford St. NYC) Joey’s on top of his game, if you’re in Montauk visit Jeremy at EXNE, (East By Northeast: 51 Edgemere St, Montauk) Jeremy is a rock star.
The Taggart Table
thetaggarttable@gmail.com
516 356 1205
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