INTERVIEW: The Surf Lodge’s Jayma Cardoso Dishes On Summer 2019 And More

In anticipation of its 11th season, we caught up with The Surf Lodge owner Jayma Cardoso to learn about what summer will bring to the Montauk hotspot, recent eco-friendly changes, and more.

This past spring, The Surf Lodge upgraded its septic wastewater system to an Innovative and Alternative On-Site Wastewater Treatment System. What led to the upgrade and why did you select the Innovative and Alternative On-Site Wastewater Treatment System?

JC: The Surf Lodge sits on the edge of Fort Pond which is critical to Montauk’s overall eco-system as it’s a fresh water pond. We’ve been working to upgrade the system for 11 years and are really thankful for the support of the Town of East Hampton and Suffolk County government for a project that makes the environment cleaner.

You made quite a few other eco-friendly changes last summer. Could you please speak a bit about those?

JC: We eliminated plastic drinking straws, cups, and bottles. As well, incorporated custom drink-ware made from IngeoTM biopolymer, a PLA resin derived from plants that is 100% compostable.

Besides the Innovative and Alternative On-Site Wastewater Treatment System, will there be any additional eco-friendly changes this summer?

JC: I’m pleased to announce this summer we will be single-use plastic free. We’re also working with the H&M Sustainability group, and encouraging our guests to recycle their clothes in the H&M bin we will have on property. Also, we’ll be carrying PathWater, which is a reusable and recyclable aluminum bottle with a high-quality water inside.

With summer here, what will The Surf Lodge programming look like this year?

JC: The pillars of what we built The Surf Lodge around are Food, the Arts and Wellness. We have exciting news with all three. We have secured Chef Shaun Hergatt, who has received a myriad of accolades from critics including three stars from The New York Times and a coveted Michelin star, consecutively since 2011, to helm the kitchen. Our Arts series features some of the brightest names in music and fine art, we have some big surprises on who’s performing… I’d share more but that would ruin the surprise 😉 And, our Wellness programming has a huge boost as The Surf Lodge is now opening an off-site location in town called “The Sanctuary.” It’s our version of a Wellness retreat that allows us a longer window each day to give a forum to share the knowledge of today’s top Wellness practitioners and products.

Is there anything you’re particularly looking forward to?

JC: Summer!!! It’s my favorite season.

When you’re not at The Surf Lodge, what are some of your other favorite Hamptons spots?

JC: Wow, I love each and every hamlet as they all have their own personality, but a few of my favorites: The Farm Stand (Amagansett) they have great produce from local farmers, Mallet Mercantile (Montauk) is my favorite place for hidden treasures, Zimmermans (East Hampton) it’s one of the few times I leave Montauk for shopping, SagTown Coffee (Sag Harbor) when I need a pick-me up, Sant Ambroeus (Southampton) for gelato… I could go on, so many delightful finds in each Hamlet. So, get out and explore.

What does your perfect Montauk day look like?

JC: A day at the beach, riding my bike so I earn the right to have a scoop of ice cream, having family or friends over for a BBQ, watching the sunset, reading my baby to bed, having a glass of wine and counting stars on my back deck.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

JC: Happy Summer everyone!!! Get out to the beach and watch as many sunsets as possible with family and friends.

The Surf Lodge is located at 183 Edgemere Street in Montauk. For more information, visit www.thesurflodge.com.