Category: People

The latest episode of Restaurant Unstoppable is an interview with Tom Barthelmes, a co-owner of Finestkind in Saco.

Cyle Reynolds is joining the team at Bar Futo (website, facebook, instagram) as a co-owner and as the restaurant’s chef de cuisine.

“We are excited to have Chef Cyle join the team at Bar Futo,” said Jordan Rubin. “Cyle’s menu at Crispy Gài has been a clear success since we opened in 2021. His passion for Asian cuisine and dedication to community align perfectly with our mission to provide an exceptional dining experience that reflects both global influences, local flavors and creative Japanese-American dishes that are playful and delicious like the new BEC Okonomiyaki (bacon, egg and cheese). We also have worked well together for the last 4 years and know when a shift is needed to adapt to consumer dining habits and the seasonal market we’re in – we think Cyle leading this new menu change of improving pricing and plate portions will excite a lot of Bar Futo – and Crispy Gài – fans.”

Reynolds resume includes time working in Thailand as an apprentice at a knife shop and cooking at the Michelin-starred restaurant Canvas. When he returned to the United States he worked at Restaurant Ukiyo in New York before moving back to Maine.

Bar Futo has a calendar of upcoming events with guest chefs including chefs Genie Kwon and Timothy Flores from Kasama in Chicago, Sai Guntaka from Taj in South Portland and Nikhil Naiker from NIMKI in Providence. Stay tuned to their instagram account for full details and schedule.

Jordan Rubin and Marisa Lewiecki launched Bar Futo in December 2022. They are partners with Cyle Reynolds and Sasha Brouillard in the operation of Crispy Gai.

 

The latest episode of Restaurant Unstoppable is an interview with Damian Sansonetti from Chaval and Ugly Duckling.

The latest episode of Restaurant Unstoppable features an interview with Paige Gould from Central Provisions, Tipo and Finestkind.

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a feature on six “up-and-coming Greater Portland chefs to watch”.

The chefs featured here (all 30 years old or younger) have already proven themselves not just as great cooks with honed palates, serious technical chops and the creativity required to develop menus, but also as effective communicators and respected team leaders…Though they’re working under more senior chefs or restaurateurs now, they hope to open their own restaurants eventually, and we can celebrate the fact that all of them aim to launch in and around Portland. Here are six local chefs to keep an eye on in the years to come.

Mimi Weissenborn, the executive chef of Sur Lie, Gather in Yarmouth and Catface in Biddeford, will be a contestant in season 22 of the Bravo TV show Top Chef. The season will “highlight the local food scene of Canada, including Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, and Prince Edward Island.”

The winner of season 22 will receive $250,000, a feature in Food & Wine magazine, the chance to serve a dinner at the James Beard House in New York City, and other prizes.

Take a look at our 2023 interview with Weissenborn for more details on her background, career and thoughts on the restaurant industry.

Restaurant Unstoppable has published an interview with Ilma Lopez, co-owner of Chaval and Ugly Duckling.

“How do you know you’re winning? Because I’m happy…I don’t want to win against you, I want to win with what I have with me. So if whatever I’m doing today, it’s get me closer to where I want to be [then] I’m winning on my own…My intention is not to compete with anyone else.”

“I fell in love with the music in the kitchen. You hear the tickets…and you can close your eyes and you know how many pots have to hit the stove, that clinking…you hear everything, you hear the oven opening and you hear the the flame coming up…all those were perfect music. And you knew if all those sounds were in sync, you knew the service was going to be amazing.”

The Press Herald has shared that restaurant critic Andrew Ross and Vegan Kitchen columnist Avery Yale Kamila are moving on. Kamila has been reporting on Maine’s plant-based food scene since 2009, and Ross has been writing restaurant reviews for the paper since 2016.

With the new year, we are making some changes in the Press Herald’s Food & Dining coverage. We’re sad to see three longtime columnists go. But we’re pleased to announce that another veteran columnist will be rejoining us later this month. Also, The Wrap column, which summarizes the week in food news, will move from Wednesdays to the Sunday Food & Dining section.

The announcement also shared the departure of Maine Gardener columnist Tom Atwell and the return  to the paper of Christine Burns Rudalevige and her Green Plate Special column.

Chef Matt Ginn announced Sunday that he’s departed the Prentice Hospitality Group. Ginn joined the company a decade ago and was initially the chef of Evo Kitchen + Bar.

Here’s Ginn’s statement on instagram,

After ten years it is time for a change. I have moved on from my work with the Prentice Hospitality Group (Evo, Chebeague Island Inn, The Good Table, Twelve). I am grateful to the group and ownership, and my colleagues + coworkers for all the opportunities these properties have given me. I am proud of what we have accomplished in the hospitality industry on many levels. Professionally we achieved a number of goals I had hoped to accomplish. I am so thankful for all of the support from guests and diners both near and far. Being part of the Portland restaurant community is a special thing and something I cherish. I feel very fortunate to have a job and occupation that I enjoy doing. I look forward to new challenges to come and a little break with my family. Thank you, Matt.

There’s no word yet on what the next step in his career will be. For more information on Ginn see this interview.