2010 [ click here to return to archives ]

05.04.10
Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier Named Best Chefs in the Northeast
2010 James Beard Foundation Awards Celebrate Top Culinary Talent Nationwide
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NEW YORK, May 4, 2010 - Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier have been honored by the James Beard Foundation as ‘Best Chefs: Northeast,' based on the independent volunteer panels of over 600 food and beverage industry professionals from around the country who select the nominees and the winners. The James Beard Foundation Awards recognize outstanding achievement within the food and beverage industry and grant the ‘Best Chefs in America' award to recipients in 10 regions of the country.

Gaier and Frasier, executive chefs and owners of the acclaimed Arrows (1988) and MC Perkins Cove (2005) restaurants in Ogunquit, ME, turned uncultivated land into a fertile garden for their greenhouse-driven restaurants, pioneering the farm-to-table approach now popular with eco-minded diners. In 2007, the chefs partnered with Marriott to open Summer Winter restaurant, bringing their sustainable sensibilities to the suburbs (Burlington, MA) with an on-premise greenhouse feeding the seasonal American menu.

Combining classic New England dishes with the fresh flavors of locally and greenhouse-grown ingredients and global influences, Gaier and Frasier's signature specialties include Gratin of Maine Cod with Creamed Baby Spinach, Tartentaise Cheese, and Champagne Glaçage; Smoked Duck Breast with Roasted Red Plum Coulis and Spicy Walnuts; Fresh Cockles with Chinese Dark Wine and Ham Sauce; and Lobster Flatbread Pizza with Basil Mascarpone and Microgreens.

Gaier and Frasier's first book, The Arrows Cookbook: Cooking and Gardening from Maine's Most Beautiful Farmhouse Restaurant, debuted in July 2003 and a second book entitled Maine Classics is slated to be published in spring 2011. The chefs and their restaurants have been featured in such esteemed publications as Bon Appétit, Food + Wine, Condé Nast Traveler, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and broadcast outlets including the TODAY show, CBS, and PBS's "The Victory Garden." With the nation's growing appetite for eating locally, chefs Gaier and Frasier have managed to both elevate and expand the concept of sustainable dining, creating a new standard of accessibility within and beyond New England.

For more information about Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier please visit www.markandclarkrestaurants.com.