Category: General News

Fork Food Lab has announced their merger with Foodworks, a Brooklyn-based food business incubator.

“We are very excited to partner with a company that shares in our vision for a more robust local food system where entrepreneurs with creative recipes can strategically grow,” said Spillane, who will stay on as General Manager of Fork Food Lab. “This merger will allow Fork Food Lab companies to expand distribution into the large New York market and leverage supplier discounts that are available to current Foodworks producers.”

Here’s the full text of the press release.

Update: Maine Start-up Insider and the Press Herald have published articles about the merger.

The Bollard has released the results of their 5th Smokin’ Sausage Showdown.

Welcome, backyard carnivores, to another action-packed edition of The Bollard’s Smokin’ Sausage Showdown! This is the fifth Showdown we’ve staged in the past 10 years, and the competition has never been stronger. We long ago weeded out the weaker links available at supermarket chains like Hannaford, Shaw’s and Whole Foods, and once-promising rookies from several local butcher shops have undergone this trial by (lack of) fire and failed to make the cut.

The Portland Phoenix has published an article on the menu and staff changes that took place at Rhum earlier this year.

“The new drink options are Tiki-driven, a nice mix of classic cocktails, like Trader Vic’s,” [Trevin] Hutchins said. “And we bring in more ‘modern Tiki’ with updated flavor profiles, like the Thatched Roof, based off Monk’s Respite, using a bright fresh green chili vodka. And Dead On Arrival, our version of a Zombie.”…Over on the food side, the Rangoon dip comes with wontons and is the biggest seller. “We offer a pupu platter for two, a throwback to your childhood sit-down restaurant,” Egeland said, “as well as General Tso’s lo mein and a soy sauce Kimchi rice bowl. We’ve started selling four, five times the food, and the customers have received it well.”

The new issue of Portland Magazine includes an article on the rapid development of inner Washington Ave over the last couple of years.

The Associated Press has distributed an article on the phenomenal success of The Lost Kitchen in Freedom Maine.

Erin French runs a 40-seat restaurant called The Lost Kitchen in an old mill in a tiny town in central Maine. She began accepting reservations for the season at midnight April 1, expecting a few dozen calls overnight. Instead, she got 10,000 in 24 hours.

Effective May 2nd, Melissa Carr owner of Dots in Lincolnville, will assume ownership of Aurora Provisions, according to a liquor license application (page 81) filed with the city.

The current owner Marika Kuzma Green, purchased Aurora Provisions in 2001.

Cara Stadler has reverted from the no-tipping model put in place last fall at Bao Bao and Tao Yuan, reports the Press Herald.

Bao Bao Dumpling House in Portland and Tao Yuan in Brunswick reversed the policy Wednesday after a review of the books for the first quarter of the year revealed it had been a failure.

“We really wanted it to work,” said Chris Peterman, director of operations for the restaurants. He said customers balked at the higher prices the restaurants had to charge to make up for the higher wages paid to servers who lost tip income.

WGME reports that the legislature will hold hearings today on a proposal that would allow wine tastings at farmers’ markets.

Maine law already allows the sale of wine at markets. It also requires that 75% of products sold by a vendor must be grown or processed by them

Urban Eye reports that the Food Network show Chopped is recruiting chefs from Portland for the next season of their TV series.

“We are looking for all facets of the culinary community, from supper clubs, to food trucks, restaurant chefs, home cooks … the  full spectrum,” said Javier Bernard, the show’s lead casting producer.