Mine Oyster won first place at Claw Down 2025 on June 12 amidst applause, shouting, whistles and hollers. The winning bite, De-Constructed Lobster Bake, was composed of a fried potato crisp, warm corn salsa, butter poached lobster meat, hollandaise sauce, crispy fried clam, seaweed salt, seaweed nest and blueberry coulis.

Said Smith, "It's really, really cool to win. I get the name on it because I'm the chef/owner,  but it's not just me.  I have six guys, a whole kitchen, and two restaurants — it's all of us. Everyone is involved: Get this, I need this, try this, what about this ... it's not me, it's my gang. It's what we do."

The Mine Oyster team will compete in the Lobster Chef of the Year competition at Harvest On the Water in Portland Oct. 30 - Nov. 1. "I really want to win it, I really do. And we are going to win it."

Judges Corey Pottle, Vanessa Santarelli and Tony Cameron awarded second place to Footbridge Brewery and third to McSeagull's. Linekin Bay Resort won Best Table Presentation.

Said Santarelli, "The competition this year was very fierce, I have to say. The level of creativity and really flavor forward dishes (showed) chefs were really putting their best claw forward (laughter). In Maine you have to make sure the flavor of Maine lobster is front and center; make it shine through. Some were very, very close; we had a lot of fun and spritied conversation!"

Cameron agreed: "First, (what) I have to put out there every bite was very good, but there were a few we all thought were just a little bit better ... It's a blast to be part of."

People's Choice award winners were Linekin Bay Resort, first; Harborside 1901, second; and Coastal Prime 1901, third.

Susan Peterson of Boothbay and a member of the Boothbay Harbor Windjammer Days committee said she really loved them all. And although she thought Linekin Bay Resort's bite was fresh, tasty and delicious, Mine Oyster's bite got her vote.

"I really love Ralph's," Peterson said. "It has it all: lobster, corn, clam, blueberry, potato ... It has a lot of flavor and really captures the Maine spirit."

Paula Sargent of Wakefield, Massachusetts was torn between two 1901's ... Coastal Prime and Harborside. She had to leave her table and have another look at them.

Local Barbara Reilly said, "I really love Coastal Prime's but I think my favorite is Linekin Bay Resort's; it has a very refreshing sauce, I like the tang."

Emcee Michael Maxim noted the Chefs' Award is always interesting; the chefs' choice was Coastal Prime 1901.

This sold out Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce event was the region's 12th Claw Down. Held once again at Bristol Marine with jazzy music by the Wharf Cats, first class bar service by Pier 1 Pizza staff, the Chamber staff's attention to detail, Maxim's entertaining and timely announcements and those delicious lobster bites served by the chefs and staff of the 10 contenders all created an outstanding time. 

Prior to the event, a Boothbay Region Media TV/Channel 7 crew was on site to film interviews, led by Maxim, with the chefs and staff about their lobster bites. Stay tuned for those and coverage of the event, start to finish, to show up on the station's listings.