Good Ground Tavern, Canoe Place Inn & Cottages Chef Ülfet Ralph Joins Rosé Soirée Lineup

Canoe Place Inn & Cottages restaurant Good Ground Tavern is gaining a great reputation for creative, Mediterranean-infused takes on classic cuisine, thanks to the vision of chef Ülfet Ralph who’s serving up delicious dishes in their beautifully appointed dining room, bar and terrace.

For those who’d like to sample Ralph’s tasty creations, she’s joining the many other fantastic East End food and wine purveyors at this year’s Dan’s Rosé Soirée.

Dan’s Papers Rosé Soirée, a celebration of rosé — the East End’s unofficial summer drink — is kicking off the Twin Forks’ unofficial start of summer on Memorial Day weekend, Sunday, May 28 at the Southampton Arts Center.

We spoke to Ralph about her career path, new food trends, her favorite dish and more in the lead up to this year’s Rosé Soirée.

Ülfet Ralph Talks Rosé Soirée

How did you get in this line of work?

I’ve wanted to be a cook for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a Mediterranean family, family-style cooking was an important part of our life. I just wanted to carry over the legacy of bringing people together over good food, sitting at a table and connecting with one another.

What new food trends are you seeing?

I’m seeing culinary trends revert to old-school, simple meals. A focus on good, clean ingredients that speak for themselves. Nothing too heavy, a lot of healthy and immunity-boosting ingredients. Vegetables are having their moment in the center of the plate and more sustainable seafood.

What is your favorite dish?

That’s a hard question for a chef to answer! But I’d have to say European Turbot with Marinated Tomatoes and Herbs.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Other chefs inspire me all the time; we’re always playing around, creating, tasting, trying new things and improving on old methods. Other restaurants, mostly European, inspire me — I like to look at their menus to see what’s new and what they are thinking. And I love looking through magazines for ideas as well. 

Who do you most admire in the food/wine world and why?

Marco Pierre White. He is the leader of modern cuisine and his discipline and vision inspired many. I still use a lot of his ideas as the base of my dishes.

What’s your comfort food and why?

Growing up in Europe, we often ate spaghetti with ketchup. It’s still one of my favorites today. Think of it as the equivalent of chicken fingers and French fries in the U.S. 

What’s a unique kitchen ritual you practice?

I always work from the left side of the kitchen and check each oven three times to make sure they are off.

Visit DansTaste.com for more information and tickets.

Learn more about Canoe Place Inn & Cottages and Good Ground Tavern at canoeplace.com.