The new executive chef at Linekin Bay Resort has an impressive resumé.

And he makes his own salt.

Brian Hough began his restaurant career as a dishwasher to pay his way through college. The now accomplished chef studied English and biology and earned a master’s in English literature and education.

After graduating, he worked as the sous chef at the James Beard award-winning restaurant, The Herb Farm, in Seattle, Washington, and then went on to be the executive chef at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

Just prior to coming to Boothbay Harbor, he was the executive chef at the Sierra Nevada Taproom in Asheville.

Hough, who grew up outside Denver, Colorado, said he and his wife, Jessica, from Florida, have visited Maine every year for over a decade. “We always talked about trying to figure out a way to live in Maine, but she's from Florida and is terrified of winter,” he said with a laugh. “I grew up in Colorado so I'm not afraid of Maine winters at all.”

After seeing an ad for a seasonal chef, they started to make the dream of living in Maine a reality. He met with Linekin Bay Resort co-owners Scott Larson and Steve Malcom, and Food & Beverage Director Alyssa Allen, and all agreed he was a good fit.

The resort has two dining rooms. One, the larger one with tables that seat a dozen people, is what Hough calls the “all inclusive” dining area. There is a breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet served daily for 90 to 125 guests who are staying at the resort, many of whom have been coming for over 50 years.

The other dining area, in a separate building, is the Deck Bar and Grille. “Larson and Malcom wanted to make that space into a destination restaurant,” Hough said. “We've put a lot of effort into making everything in-house with a little twist. We have a more unique menu now.”

Between the two dining areas, Hough is staying busy this summer. Luckily, his co-workers in the kitchen are as passionate about the business of cooking as he is. “We really care about everything we do,” he said. “We make all our own sausage in house — we grind the meat, season it, and stuff it in casing. We do everything we can from scratch.”

One of Hough's favorite dishes at the restaurant is the sausage topped with creamed brussel sprouts and a pale ale mustard.

Haddock croquettes is another favorite of Hough's, and the patrons of the restaurant. He said the croquettes are his alternative to fried haddock. He mixes fresh haddock with Aroostook mashed potato, coats it with panko, and deep fries it. They're served atop a sweet pea purée, with a vinegar aoli. “It's a combination of all the flavors of fish and chips,” he said.

The menu at Linekin Bay Resort is extensive and varied, with lots of Hough's own tasty twists, but there's still plenty of traditional fare to choose from. “Some of these people have been coming here for a long time, and I want them to continue to enjoy it. There's a lobster picnic outside once a week, and we serve baked haddock. We serve that with a red wine risotto.”

Hough knows a good wine, and he's not prejudiced about the color. Hence the white haddock with the red wine risotto. And seared scallops with pinot noir creamed corn. “I don't believe in these rules that were passed down to us,” he said. “You drink red wine with red meat. That's like a paint by color kind of thing. I think adults are more evolved than that. I think we can challenge our palates a little better that that. Chicken with pinot noir is the classic example. It's better than with chardonnay, but everybody thinks they have to order a white wine with chicken.

“I don't subscribe to these rules of food or wine, or really anything. That's why I cook for a living. I can create my own rules. All my education taught me is that the people who set up the rules before us weren't necessarily right, because the world's not perfect.

“I can drink red wine with fish if I want to.”

Hough is also open-minded about the booze and soft drinks he uses in his dishes. Case in point: chicken wings with Allen's coffee brandy, or Moxie sauce. “That's my tribute to Maine,” he said.

And then there's the salt. “We make our own flake salt,” Hough said. Wait. Really?

“I go down to the water at high tide when the water's nice and clear, and I strain it through cheesecloth to get any sediment out, boil it a little, let it evaporate in a pan, and then scoop it slowly to keep it flaky. Chefs will pay a lot of money for it. I can make it for free because I live right next to the ocean. Guests can have their own Linekin Bay salt.”

Hough said during the interview for this story that he wanted to focus on what's happening at Linekin Bay Resort, the food and the people he works with. “I'm nothing special,” he said. “But the food is.”

“When you come to dinner get a glass of red wine and order something white.”

The Deck Bar & Grill is open to the public Sunday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturdays for lunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in September and October. A limited Sunday brunch menu with live music is offered until Aug. 21 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Linekin Bay Resort is located at 92 Wall Point Road in Boothbay Harbor.

Call 207-633-2494 or 866-847-2103  or visit Linekin Bay Resort’s website.