FEATURE

WHEN HE NEEDS TO GET AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF MANHATTAN, CHEF KERRY HEFFERNAN HEADS TO HIS HOME IN SAG HARBOR, WHERE HE RAISES OYSTERS, FISHES FOR STRIPERS AND ENTERTAINS GUESTS WITH EASE

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CAST AWAY | When he's not behind the stove, cooking at his Manhattan restaurant, South Gate, fly-fishing is chef Kerry Heffernan's favorite way to unwind—and catch something for dinner. A typical haul from the waters near his Sag Harbor home includes striped bass, bluefish, bonito and bluefin tuna. "As a chef," he says, "I live for the inspiration I get just by looking to see what's swimming, and crawling, around—or even growing in the intertidal zone in our backyard. Not just to use at home, but for my restaurant as well."

Nature's Bounty | Heffernan and his wife, Grace Koo (above left), discover what they've netted from their oyster beds. "When our neighborhood affords us such luxuries as being able to harvest clams, crabs and whelks in the cove behind our house and grow oysters off the dock, it really helps us, and even our weekend guests, develop an immediate sense of responsibility toward the health of the marine environment," says Heffernan.

What A Dish | Heffernan makes his Sag Harbor clam chowder (above right) with clams caught the same day (get his recipe on the following page). The smoked slab bacon and fresh thyme make it extra flavorful.

See Chef Kerry Heffernan's Recipes on the Following Pages.