“Most nights end lookin’ a little like this. That’s really not even true though, because I have no idea what the inspiration behind this particular Hamptons basement photoshoot was or how it ended up in my shared albums.”
Olivia Tiedemann knows the secret to eating good, and she’s more than happy to share it. Her debut cookbook, Eat (Like) the Rich, dishes out the secrets to elevating your weekly meal rotation, with recipes like “Psychosis Crab Cakes” and “Nonna’s Nightmare Short Rib Lasagna” that will have you cooking like a private chef and eating like one of Tidemann’s wealthy clients. This mouth-watering lineup comes from years spent private cooking in the Hamptons, where the chef spends her summers surfing between local farm stands, poolside BBQs, and her clients’ home kitchens. To celebrate the book’s launch and the closing of another summer by the shore, Tiedemann introduced us to her daily life in the Hamptons, teaching us where to grab the freshest produce, how to navigate the horrors of Surf Lodge, and the power of a good bagel sandwich to cure everything.
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“HOWEVER, mornings as a private chef can look like this. This being leftover porterhouse steak on a bagel with egg and cheese eaten in a garden that produces no vegetables, but is probably worth more than everything I own combined.”
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“Garden comes with visitors.”
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“I’m not usually up before my shift starts, but for storyline sake let’s say I was. Here I am in the morning with Mr. B. He and his wife, Mrs. B., initially hated this shirt when they saw me wearing it online, but everybody came around when it became fucking hilarious to hear them say it. I surprised them with it this morning.”
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“Breakfast for the clients looks somethin’ like this. With or without the pussy shirt. Usually without.”
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“Investigating my tan. But mostly my……..arms. Because they have a private gym and I do be utilizing that mf. Is it even a flex to be in shape if you have access to a private gym?”
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“Farm stands in the Hamptons are insane. If you don’t care for mushrooms or cooking much, you may not understand how shocking this find was. But I need you to know I drove by a shack on the side of the road in Bridgehampton, decided to stop for tomatoes, and came across this huge chicken of the woods mushroom. A child rung me up. I left a thief.”
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“After my farm stand adventures, I use shit like that to make shit like this.”
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“I’m also usually tasked with answering the landline while I’m in the kitchen, which sucks for everyone else because in 4 years I still can’t remember which buttons to press to use the gate properly. I personally climb over it for this reason.”
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“In my free time, I do extracurricular activities.”
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“I was down and I did go. I brought Darla.”
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“Chef BBQ was a smash success until…”
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“…tripped and tripped, stubbed my toe, passed out, woke up still at the pool, and met the biggest mistake of my life. Great day, wish I never went.”
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“Sometimes I have friends visit that like really terrible things, like the Surf Lodge. For Susi, I’d do anything though. Even the Surf Lodge.”
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“And somehow, I still always make it back in time to work dinner. Every day they worry I wont. I do though.”
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“Primarily because, as much as I love to tease the Hamptons or joke about my job or the lifestyle, it is actually a magical place and I love my Hamptons people.”
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“And not everybody you’ll meet is a mistake!”
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