Last night, the James Beard awards gave honor to some outstanding chefs and their restaurants in Maine. Our congratulations go out to those who were nominated and honored in this prestigious annual event.

Chef/Owner Sam Hayward’s always local (ingredients) and excellent Portland restaurant, Fore Street, was one of five restaurants nominated for the Outstanding Restaurant Award by the James Beard Foundation. This nomination is a national one, and goes to a restaurant that serves as a national standard-bearer for consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere, and service. Sam had been Maine’s only previous winner of the Best Chef category for the Northeast in 2004.

Chefs Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier of Arrows Restaurant in Ogunquit and Chef Rob Evans of Hugo’s in Portland were among the short list of nominees for Best Chef: Northeast (includes CT, MA, ME, NH, NY State, RI, VT). The nod this year went to Chef Rob Evans of Hugo’s.

Congratulations to our amazing chefs and their restaurants, you do us all proud.

From the staff at Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine.