Category: People

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.

Restaurant Unstoppable (website, instagram) host Eric Cacciatore has been in Maine and New Hampshire for the last few months interviewing restaurant owners.

The 1-2 hour sessions cover a lot of territory exploring career paths, business strategies, approaches to hospitality, technology use, and lessons learned from being a small business owners. For anyone in the industry, or who is a customer who wants to better understand it these are really interesting interviews.

Here’s a list of the recent Maine interviews:

• Justin Walker – Walker’s Maine
• Michael & Siobhán Sindoni – Wayside Tavern
• Gloria Varney – Nezinscot Farm
• Alex Wight – Crown Jewel
• Krista Cole – Sur Lie/Gather/Catface
• Lee Frank – Lee Frank’s/Otis
• Arlin Smith – Big Tree Hospitality

Check back in at the Restaurant Unstoppable website in early January for an interview with Ilma Lopez from Chaval and Ugly Duckling.

Mainebiz has put out a call for nominations for their 2025 leadership awards program. Reading through the categories, each and every one brings to mind people in the food, beverage, farming, fisheries and dining industries in Maine that could be a nominee.

If you have a moment visit the Mainebiz nominations page and submit the name of a Maine business leader who’s work inspires you.

The nine categories are and descriptions of each can be found on the nominations page:

• CEO of the Year
• Entrepreneur of the Year
• Volunteer of the Year
• Industry Leader of the Year
• Innovator of the Year
• Nonprofit Leader of the Year
• Sustainability Leader of the Year
• Breaking Barriers Award
• Lifetime Achievement Award

For reference, here’s a list of the 2024 award winners.

Restaurant community member, Kelly Nelson, has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Her friends have set-up a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to help with medical bills and journey forward with an MS diagnosis.

The resources collected via this GoFundMe will go towards her mounting medical debt, and ultimately allowing Kelly to take some much needed time away from work to begin her medical journey and assess what the future holds for her. Those close to Kelly know she is grieving the loss of her former self. That process is painful enough without the stress and worry of financial burden. We’re hoping this GoFundMe can alleviate some of that burden and offer the opportunity for grace as Kelly enters this new chapter of her life.

Nelson has worked in the Portland industry for 15+ years. You may have crossed paths with her at Local 188, Sonny’s, Piccolo, Evo or more recently at Fore Street where she is a server and manages the restaurant’s wine list. You can read more about Kelly in this interview we published in 2021.

She is unmistakable, eccentric, and nothing short of fabulous. Her hair shifts from one vibrant shade to the next (it’s currently flamingo pink) and cephalopod tattoos wrap her arms and legs. On Instagram she’s @geeksquid, and if you follow her you are well aware of her fondness for hairless rats. After contributing to the Portland food scene in various ways for over a decade, she now revels in the role of wine coordinator at Fore Street. She is, of course, the one and only Kelly Nelson.

Visit this page to learn more and to donate to the GoFundMe campaign.

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram profiles 5 Maine food instagram influencer accounts: Biddo Foodies run by Holly Norburg and Daniela Amieva, Eating Portland Alive run by  Rob Schatz, Eating Through The Seacoast run by Jake Cryan, The Maine Foodies run by Erik and Alexis Dirkmaat, and Portland Eats ME run by Lydia Belden. All excellent accounts well worth following.

Maine has a large and growing food social media community. Whether it’s a specific geography, a type of food or a particular type of food lifestyle you want to learn more about there’s likely an account out their publishing about that already. If there isn’t then maybe you’re the right person to step into those shoes and share your passion with the world!

Two bartenders from Portland are semifinalists in the Barr Hill Royal Jellies competition: Jack O’Brien the creative director at Blyth & Burrows and Olivia Watts a bartender at Luna.

They’ll be competing this on Sunday with six other bartenders in Montpellier, Vermont. The competition challenges the participants to develop and mix variants of the classic Bees Knees cocktail. Author Robert Simonson, Justin Sajda (aka @ThirstyWhale) and last year’s winner Patty Burns are judging the competition.

Watts’ creation is the Beez Nuts which is made with Barr Hill Gin, Tom Cat Gin, Honey Pistachio Orgeat, Lemon, Dry Curacao. O’Brien’s drink is Everything But The Hive which is made with Barr Hill Gin, Black Garlic Vodka, Toasted Sesame Orgeat, Honey, Lemon.

Tickets for the event are still available.