Designer Phillip Thomas Throws the Ultimate Paella Party
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1/19Photography by Doug YoungHost Phillip Thomas asked chef Taylor Alonso, from the local restaurant the Bellport, to prepare two different paellas for his guests. The seafood version is topped with squid-ink rice.Photography by Doug YoungHost Phillip Thomas asked chef Taylor Alonso, from the local restaurant the Bellport, to prepare two different paellas for his guests. The seafood version is topped with squid-ink rice.
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2/19Photography by Doug YoungLunch was served on the screened-in porch overlooking Bellport Bay.
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3/19Photography by Doug YoungGuests sipped on pisco sours while mingling in the garden.
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4/19Photography by Doug YoungThe host Phillip Thomas on the porch.
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5/19Photography by Doug YoungRadley, a chocolate Labrador Retriever, joined in on the fun.
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6/19Photography by Doug YoungSava and Roger Thomas, Phillip’s parents, pose in front of their prized roses.Photography by Doug YoungSava and Roger Thomas, Phillip’s parents, pose in front of their prized roses.
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7/19Photography by Doug YoungHome-furnishings dealer Dennis Miller and Studium president David Meitus flank Thomas’s childhood friend Jaime Foster Lee.Photography by Doug YoungHome-furnishings dealer Dennis Miller and Studium president David Meitus flank Thomas’s childhood friend Jaime Foster Lee.
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8/19Photography by Doug YoungThomas commissioned calligrapher Rory Kotin to create splatter-paint invitations. “I love the spontaneity of the pattern and how you can see the artist’s hand,” he says.Photography by Doug YoungThomas commissioned calligrapher Rory Kotin to create splatter-paint invitations. “I love the spontaneity of the pattern and how you can see the artist’s hand,” he says.
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9/19Photography by Doug YoungA colorful crudité platter from Hamlet Organic Garden in Brookhaven.
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10/19Photography by Doug YoungKotin also created menu cards for the appetizers.
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11/19Photography by Doug YoungBaked escargots on artichoke hearts was an appetizer.
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12/19Photography by Doug YoungJamón serrano–wrapped melon was an appetizer.
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13/19Photography by Doug YoungZucchini pizzetta with Asiago cheese was an appetizer.
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14/19Photography by Doug YoungGuests then moved to the table for the first course, gazpacho. “What’s better than a nice chilled soup in the summer?” says Thomas. “It’s the perfect way to kick off a meal.”Photography by Doug YoungGuests then moved to the table for the first course, gazpacho. “What’s better than a nice chilled soup in the summer?” says Thomas. “It’s the perfect way to kick off a meal.”
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15/19Photography by Doug YoungPhillip Thomas, Jaime Foster Lee, Roger Thomas, Milan Hughston, and Michael Foster converse at one end of the table.Photography by Doug YoungPhillip Thomas, Jaime Foster Lee, Roger Thomas, Milan Hughston, and Michael Foster converse at one end of the table.
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16/19Photography by Doug YoungOne of the paellas was made with chicken and chorizo.
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17/19Photography by Doug YoungThe chef presented a salad course with a variety of New York State cheeses.Photography by Doug YoungThe chef presented a salad course with a variety of New York State cheeses.
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18/19Photography by Doug YoungFor dessert, guests devoured mango flan topped with chocolate and caramel. Thomas sourced the stoneware plates, bowls, platters, and cups from Can Saló, a small shop he recently discovered in Cadaqués, Spain. “I purchased a variety of dishware that are all different, but complement one another,” he says. “It’s my new favorite store!”Photography by Doug YoungFor dessert, guests devoured mango flan topped with chocolate and caramel. Thomas sourced the stoneware plates, bowls, platters, and cups from Can Saló, a small shop he recently discovered in Cadaqués, Spain. “I purchased a variety of dishware that are all different, but complement one another,” he says. “It’s my new favorite store!”
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19/19Photography by Doug YoungThe lunch was a worldly affair, but the location was all-American.
This article appears in the August-1 2018 issue of HC&G (Hamptons Cottages & Gardens).
