PROVIDENCE, RI – StarChefs.com™ announces its 2014 Coastal New England Rising Stars Awards, honoring up-and-coming chefs and culinary professionals, who represent the vanguard of the contemporary American dining scene. From Portland, Maine and Dover, New Hampshire to Cape Cod and Rhode Island, the StarChefs.com team visited more than 150 chefs and artisans across 25 cities and small towns.
“The New England Coast is the place to go to be close to the land, sea, and real food people. Chefs and artisans are opening single-minded restaurants and concepts, and the community has their back,” says Antoinette Bruno, editor-in-chief of StarChefs.com.
The winners will be showcased at the StarChefs.com Rising Stars Gala on Tuesday, April 15, at the Providence Biltmore Hotel, beginning with an awards ceremony at 6:30pm and followed by a tasting gala from 7pm to 9:30pm. The walk-around tasting gala will give attendees the opportunity to experience 20 of Coastal New England’s top chefs and restaurants with beverage pairings and cocktails by the winning sommelier and bartenders, in one location for one night only.
More than 150 candidates in Coastal New England were considered through in-person tastings and interviews. The 2014 StarChefs.com Coastal New England Rising Stars Award winners are:
Chefs Chefs Tyler Burnley and Chad Hoffer of Thames Street Kitchen (Newport, RI)
Featured Dish: Australian Beef Carpaccio, Sunflower Seeds and Shoots, Garlic Confit, and Pickled Mustard Seeds
Chef Chris Fischer of Beach Plum Inn & Food (Martha’s Vineyard, MA)
Featured Dish: Blue Fish Belly Crudo, Smoked Sea Salt, Lemon, and Arugula
Chef Mayumi Hattori of Straight Wharf (Nantucket, MA)
Featured Dish: Casoncelli, Spring Greens, Snap Peas, Prosciutto, Goats Milk Ricotta, and Grana Padano
Chef Evan Hennessey of Stages at One Washington (Dover, NH)
Featured Dish: Glazed Berkshire Pork Leg, Wheat Berries, Sunchokes, Pickled Mushrooms, and Orange
Chef Matt Jennings of Farmstead Inc. (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: Ham and Pickles: Cured and Smoked Pig Leg, Pickled Vegetables, Conpoy, and Curry Vinaigrette
Chef Ravin “Bas” Nakjaroen of Long Grain (Camden, ME)
Featured Dish: Australian Beef Panang Curry, Roasted Red Peppers, Bamboo, and Coconut Cream
Chef Jake Rojas of Tallulah on Thames (Newport, RI)
Featured Dish: Miso-Harissa-Maple Pork Belly, Slow Egg, and Togarashi-spiced Fried Brussels Sprout Leaves
Chef Dan Sauer of 7a Foods (Martha’s Vineyard, MA)
Featured Dish: Asparagus Melt with Fontina, Roasted Garlic Aïoli, Basil, Pickled Red Onions, Dried Blueberries, and Focaccia
Chef Patrick Soucy of Ceia Kitchen + Bar (Newburyport, MA) pictured above
Featured Dish: Braised Goat, Basil-infused Goat Yogurt, Wheat Berries, Violet Blossoms, Beet-Brunet Mousse, and Bee Pollen
Chef Ben Sukle of birch (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: Warm Butternut Squash, Melted Leeks, Squash Seeds, Marjoram, and Brown Butter-Shellfish Bouillon
Chefs Andrew Taylor and Michael Wiley of Eventide Oyster Co. and Hugo’s (Portland, ME)
Featured Dish: Lobster Sashimi, Sea Beans, Daikon Radishes, Frozen Ramp Purée, Ginger-Scallion Sauce, Nori Vinaigrette, and Fried Garlic
Chef Justin Walker of Earth at Hidden Pond (Kennebunkport, ME)
Featured Dish: Fried Oysters, Wood-fired Padron Pepper Relish, Bacon, and Sage
Community Chef
Chef James Mark of north (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: Burmese-style Roasted Cabbage, Peanut Brittle, Apple, Fermented Chile-Maple Dressing, and Mint
Hotel Chef
James Hackney of Twenty-Eight Atlantic at Wequassett Resort and Golf Club (Cape Cod, MA)
Featured Dish: Poached Sole, Orleans Mussels, Black Quinoa, Watercress Broth, Black Truffles, and Herbs
Sustainability Chef
Chef Derek Wagner of Nick’s on Broadway (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: Fluke Crudo, Apples, Radishes, Pickled Cranberries, Kumquat, Grapefruit, and Herbs
Pastry Chefs
Melissa Denmark of Gracie’s (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: White Japanese Yam Custard, Maple Pecans, Brown Butter Shortbread, Pomegranate Jam, Crème Fraîche Ice Cream, and Wood Sorrel
Ilma Lopez of Piccolo (Portland, ME)
Featured Dish: Chocolate Budino Crostata, Candied Hazelnuts, Maldon Sea Salt, and Vincotto
Artisans
Ian Cappelano, Peter Kobulnicky, and Mike Lingwall of Foremost Baking Company (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: Baguettes and Assorted Breads
Eli Cayer of Urban Farm Fermentory (Portland, ME)
Featured Drink: Ginger Kombucha
Concept
Bennett Coffey and Kyleen Keenan of Not Your Sugar Mamas (Martha’s Vineyard, MA)
Featured Dish: Be Local Raw Chocolate Bars
Brewer
Nathan Sanborn of Rising Tide Brewery (Portland, ME)
Featured Beer: Daymark American Pale Ale
Roasters
Will Pratt of Tandem Coffee Roasters (Portland, ME)
Eric Lepine of New Harvest Coffee Roasters (Pawtucket, RI)
Bartenders
Andrew Volk of Portland Hunt & Alpine Club (Portland, ME)
Featured Drink: Fratelli Stinger: Laird’s Applejack, BrancaMenta, Bourbon, Angostura Bitters, and Lemon Peel
Jay Carr of Eddy (Providence, RI)
Featured Drink: Orange Julius Caesar: Shellback Caribbean Rum, Bols Yoghurt Liqueur, Lime Juice, Vanilla, Bittermens Orange Cream Citrate, and Orange Peel
Sommelier
Tanya McDonough of Straight Wharf and Ventuno (Nantucket, MA)
Beverage Pairings with Winners’ Dishes
Restaurateur
Nancy Batista-Caswell of Caswell Restaurant Group (Newburyport, MA)
Host Chef
Kevin Hale of Providence Biltmore Hotel (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: Roasted Australian Lamb, Vadouvan Curry, Saffron-Basmati Rice, Aleppo Pepper Asparagus, and Cilantro-Mint Aïoli
