Famed Hamptons Chef And Author Anna Pump Dies At 81

Beloved Hamptons chef and cookbook author Anna Pump was killed this week in an accident in the Hamptons. She was 81.

Pump and her renowned gourmet store, the Loaves & Fishes Foodstore, were familiar fixtures in the Hamptons. She was born in Germany and trained with James Beard, and eventually she and her family moved to the Hamptons in the 1970s. Pump opened Loaves & Fishes in 1980. The store is known for its breads, desserts, salads, and prepared takeout foods.

"Her food was very earthy but served with unbelievable style; she understood the simple elegant country style," said Pump's friend Ina Garten in an interview with The New York Times. "From growing up on a farm she knew the importance of quality, fresh ingredients — people here caught up to her — and she always knew the ingredient that would unlock a flavor."

Pump was the author of four best-selling cookbooks, most recently Summer on a Plate, which she wrote with Gen LeRoy.

According to The New York Times, Pump was struck by a pickup truck while she was crossing the street in Bridgehampton, New York, on Monday, October 5. She is survived by her son, Harm, and her daughter, Sybille, a chef and co-owner of Loaves & Fishes.