Isabel and Gary MacGurn with head chef of 15 years.
Gary and Isabel MacGurn are ready for a new challenge: turning the denizens of New York City's SoHo on to Indian street food. Their wonderful fresh chutneys ought to make the task easy. - Food and Wine Dec. 2000
NEWS12 Long Island Video | East End: Hampton Chutney Co.-great food with a great story
March 21, 2024
A powerful machine, the freshest ingredients and a staff that knows how to put them together - that's the recipe that has made Hampton Chutney Co. a success for so many years. Joe Arena introduces us to the Hampton Chutney owners, staff and food.
From South India to New York, find out how the Chutney Co. got started and grew up.
Gary & Isabel MacGurn started making their fresh chutneys in 1995, selling them first to local Hamptons gourmet markets and then in New York City to Fairway, Zabars, Balducci's and others.
In 1997, the couple opened their first dosa shop in Amagansett. The dosas (large, crispy, sourdough crepes) were an instant success. Lines formed for lunch at this Hamptons hot spot. Customers who ordered dosas looked over the counter and watched them being made. Even with hungry people lined up at the counter, the airiness of the place and the devotional Indian chants playing in the background made for a calming atmosphere.
Isabel and Gary met at an ashram in South India. They were both doing seva - selfless service - in the ashram kitchen, where devotees from all over India and around the world cooked for hundreds or thousands of people.
The MacGurns loved dosas and dreamed of opening a dosa shop in the West, which they finally did in 1997. In addition to the traditional Potato Masala filling, the MacGurns offer choices such as Grilled Portabello Mushrooms, Balsamic Roasted Onions, Spinach and Goat Cheese or Avocado, Fresh Tomato, Arugula and Jack Cheese. There's even a breakfast dosa with Eggs, Spinach, Roasted Tomato, Cheese and Avocado. All of the dosas are served with a choice of fresh chutneys.
During a time span of roughly 18 years—starting January 2001—the McGurns additionally ran two Hampton Chutney Co. Café's in New York City. Here they offered the same selection of dosas and chutneys.
In December of 2021, after 24 years in business in Amagansett, Isabel & Gary moved their flagship location to the East Hampton Village at 107 Newtown Lane. They still have their popular outdoor picnic tables and now have numerous seats inside as well. The wide variety of dosas continue to be very popular as are their curry and coconut chicken specials served with rice and chutney. They are excited to offer their delicious soft-serve ice cream to all the hungry kids after school and in the summer months.