Chef Matt Ginn of EVO was crowned Maine Lobster Chef of the Year before a sold-out crowd and a panel of judges at the signature event of Harvest on the Harbor, Maine’s premier food and wine festival, in Portland on October 23. His winning dish was "Maine Lobster, Turkish Pasta & Local Beans."

Hosted by Kerry Altiero of Café Miranda in Rockland and presented by the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, this event is a perennial favorite of the five-day culinary festival and featured some of the region’s most creative chefs. Each chef performed a live cooking demonstration of his dish on stage. Guests and judges enjoyed samples of each delectable lobster dish, paired with exceptional wines by Constellation Brands. Guest judges included Chef Larry Matthews of Back Bay Grill; Chef Steve Corry of Five Fifty-Five; Chef Harding Lee Smith of The Rooms; Virginia Wright, Senior Editor of Down East Magazine; and Linda Greenlaw Wessel, Maine captain and author.

“The chefs did a wonderful job showcasing the versatility of Maine lobster during its peak harvest season,” said Matt Jacobson, Executive Director of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative. “We are proud to host this annual competition and pleased to partner with Maine’s premier food and wine festival, Harvest on the Harbor, which allows us to share our world-famous lobster in innovative new ways with people from all over the country.”

Five chefs competed in the Maine Lobster Chef of the Year, including:

Chef Stephen Richards of Mine Oyster; reigning Maine Lobster Chef of the Year

Smoked Lobster and Lobster Glazed Foie Gras Stuffed,Orange and Thyme Gougere, Layered with Pink Peppercorn Kissed Sunset Acres Goat Cheese Mousse/Cranberry, Maple Jam/Brown Butter Crème Fleurette and Sweet N Salty Pine Nut Brittle. Paired with Wild Grace Chardonnay

Chef Matt Ginn of EVO

Maine Lobster, Turkish Pasta & Local Beans. Paired with Marlborough Pinot Noir

Chef Josh Berry of Union

Maine Lobster Raviolo, Buttery corn broth, petite basil, truffle essence. Paired with Wild Grace Chardonnay

Chef Isaac Aldrich of Pilot House at Sebasco Harbor Resort

Plugra poached lobster, forbidden rice, lobster oil, sweet corn gastrique, roasted curry cashew, tempura fried corn, yuzu dressed micro arugula. Paired with Spitfire Sauvignon Blanc

Chef Nicholas Krunkkala of The Thistle Inn (2015 Claw Down Winner)

Hand picked Maine lobster, apple/charcoal butter hollandaise, smoked tomato ricotta, pickled green strawberry, sumac dusted potato chip. Paired with Homestead Pinot Gris

Part of the proceeds from all of the Harvest on the Harbor events go to the Good Shepherd Food Bank