A Brief Wrap Up Of Food In The News

Bel Mare Serves Pizza Fit for Vegans:

Vegans deserve to eat pizza, too. Bel Mare Ristorante, a new Italian restaurant in East Hampton, has them covered — thanks to a selection of vegan-friendly pizza that replace classic mozzarella with “chew cheese,” made from cashew nuts.

The Vegan Margherita is topped with fresh sliced tomatoes, chew mozzarella and basil, and the Vegan Funghi with Truffle Oil features portobello, button and shiitake mushrooms sautéed in truffle oil, and chew mozzarella. The Vegan Broccoli Rabe highlights the restaurant’s house-made marinara sauce, with sautéed broccoli rabe and chew mozzarella.

All pizzas, which range from $16.85 to $18.95, can also be made with gluten-free dough. For more information and a full menu, visit belmareristorante.com.

Claudio’s Waterfront Restaurants Introduce New Culinary Team:

After undergoing a complete renovation this spring, Claudio’s Waterfront Restaurants are giving their kitchens an upgrade, too.

Seasoned Hospitality management team Stephen Loffredo and Tora Matsuoka have announced that FB Hospitality partner Kevin Garcia will serve as executive chef, co-directing the property’s three kitchens — Claudio’s main restaurant, Claudio’s Waterfront and Crabby Jerry’s — with longtime colleague and fellow partner Franklin Becker, who will take over as culinary director.

Striving to bring a more contemporary, local and market-driven approach to the kitchens as part of the overall transformation, Mr. Becker brings a unique skill set from his leadership at some of the nation’s most acclaimed restaurants — including Capitale, Brasserie and EMM Group, which includes Abe & Arthur’s, Lexington Brass and Catch. His knowledge of plant-inspired and veggie-forward dishes from his work with The Little Beet and Hungryroot will help him incorporate local North Fork produce into the menu.

“I’ve spent my entire career in New York, and the North Fork has always been a great source for produce,”Mr. Becker said. “Now, being able to visit nearby farmers and fishermen to select the freshest product is exciting. Products make the dish, skill defines it.”

Claudio’s culinary program features an increased emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients, with a modern American menu that includes burrata with local peaches and grilled beets; local fluke with spicy greens from Greenport’s own KK Farms; seared tile fish with Tokyo scallions, sweet corn, heirloom tomatoes and local squash; and a raw bar featuring clams, shrimp, crab, lobster and oysters locally sourced from Peconic, Montauk and Orient Point.

As part of the new culinary program launched by Mr. Becker and Mr. Garcia, Claudio’s main restaurant is now offering two new lobster bakes — the first classic, and the second with a Portuguese twist — as a weekly Wednesday special that began August 8.

Claudio’s Crazy Lobster Wednesdays will feature a classic 1½-pound Canadian cold-water lobster — available steamed, broiled or grilled— served with North Fork corn on the cob and a truffle baked potato for $32. The Portuguese twist adds Portuguese sausage, fresh mussels and clams for $49 total.

For more information, visit claudios.com.

Calissa Hosts Casino Night, In Honor of Green Berets:

Calissa is partnering with the Green Beret Foundation to bring a taste of Monaco to the Hamptons — and to honor the U.S. Army Special Forces in the process.

On Thursday, August 22, the Water Mill restaurant — located at 1020 Montauk Highway — will host the second annual Casino Royale Party from 6 to 10 p.m. Black tie is welcome, but optional.

“Come enjoy libations, good eats, and a maybe a little spin on the roulette wheel if you’re feeling lucky,” a press release said.

All proceeds will benefit the Green Beret Foundation, which provides direct and continuous support to the Green Beret community and its families.

“While we are certainly looking forward to the evening of August 22, this event also serves as a stark reminder of the burden shouldered by the 1st Special Forces Regiment,” event founder Jefferson D. Bowers said in a statement. “Since our initial fundraiser last July, nine members of the U.S. Army Special Forces, or ‘Green Berets,’ have sacrificed their lives while engaging America’s enemies overseas.

“Moreover, seven servicemen and women were also killed in action while directly assisting these men with their mission,” he continued. “In short, these brave men and women are responsible for 70 percent of all U.S. military combat-related deaths since we last gathered in their honor."

Tickets range from $75 to $5,000 at calissahamptons.com/event/casino-royale.