10:30-11:15 Meet the Chefs: Chef Tyne Sansom

Bath’s Solo Bistro, 128 Front St., Bath

Chef Tyne Sansom returns to the Solo Bistro from the Haraseeket Inn in Freeport. Chef Sansom, a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute, is no stranger to Solo Bistro having been their former sous-chef. Owners Will and Pia Neilson are familiar with his capabilities and know the quality of food will exceed all expectations. His menu will reflect his creative interests and influences from his classical French training, his time in the green chile Mecca of New Mexico, and his passions for Italian food and wine. Chef Sansom is full of enthusiasm for locally-based organic food and has a number of new ideas for Solo.

Dish: New Mexico-style enchilada with crab and green chiles. Chef Sansom added this easy-to-make and unbelievably delicious dish to his repertoire when he was Executive Chef at the Sunset Grille in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Fresh Maine crabmeat and tangy green chiles combine for a new take on surf & turf that is out of this world!

11:30-12:15 Meet the Chefs: Chef Jason Kennedy

Black Tie Catering 1 Union Wharf, Portland, ME

A graduate of the New England Culinary Institute, Kennedy’s 15+ years of culinary experience includes executive chef posts at New England eateries such as J’s Restaurant in Bolton, Massachusetts, the Common Man in Sugarbush, Vermont, and the Cliff House in Stowe, Vermont.

In May 2006 Chef Jason Kennedy was pleased to be included in the Maine Event, a culinary showcase of chefs and purveyors from the state of Maine that celebrated the region's unique food culture. This event is sponsored by The James Beard Foundation which is a world renowned non profit organization that is dedicated to recognizing culinary excellence. The James Beard House in New York hosts dinners for the public prepared by top chefs from restaurants from all over the country.

Dish: Spring Risotto with Seared Scallops and a Citrus Butter.

12:30-1:15 Meet the Chefs: Chef Mary Ann Esposito

Creator and host of the nationally televised PBS series, Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito™

Dish: Spaghetti alla Carbonara….Coal Miner Style Spaghetti.
This simple but heavenly dish is said to get its name from the coal miners who could easily make it with readily available ingredients.

Authenticity, History, and Tradition. Those three words define Mary Ann Esposito and the signature cooking style that has made her one of America's best-known and most loved television chefs.

Book Signing immediately following demonstration -- Ciao Italia Five Ingredient Favorites…Mary Ann’s latest cookbook

1:30-2:15 Meet the Chefs: Chef/Owner Harding Smith

The Grill Room & Bar
84 Exchange Street, The Old Port, Portland

The Front Room Restaurant & Bar
73 Congress Street, Portland

The Corner Room Kitchen & Bar
110 Exchange Street, Portland

Harding Lee Smith, chef and owner of The Front Room, The Grill Room & Bar and The Corner Room Kitchen & Bar, is a Mainer by birth. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston University, he moved to the San Francisco Bay area and attended the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena of the Napa Valley. Then, after an apprenticeship in Venice, Italy, Chef Smith located to Maui, Hawaii where he was chef of several well known restaurants. After six years on the island, family and the Red Sox were calling and he returned to Maine in the fall of 2003.

Dish: NA at press time... but Chef Smith always makes his demonstrations fun and instructive!

2:30-3:15 Meet the Chefs: Chef Cheryl Lewis

El Rayo Taqueria101 York Street, Portland, ME

Chef Cheryl Lewis has been stove side in Maine since 1985. She owned and operated the renowned Café Always, a fine dining restaurant in Portland from 1985-1995. In 1997 she opened Aurora Provisions, one of the first specialty food stores with chef prepared gourmet meals for take out. Lewis was the Executive Chef at the Stonewall Kitchen restaurant when it opened in York in 2003. El Rayo Taqueria opened in 2009. When she's not developing recipes, tasting and teaching, Cheryl consults other with restaurants and individuals.

Dish: An El Rayo favorite…Patacones: savory, yummy plantain chips with a spicy chipotle dip. Norine Kotts will also be on hand making Hibiscus Refresco, a delicious Mexican beverage we serve.

3:30-4:15 Meet the Chefs: Chef Lee Skawinski, Sous Chef Chris Geer & Bartender Guy Streitburger

Cinque Terre, 36 Wharf St. & Vignola Restaurant, 10 Dana St., Portland

Head Chef Lee Skawinski, a native New Englander, has earned an increasingly influential slot on the national culinary map. The talented chef continues to earn raves for his Ligurian-inspired cuisine from the likes of The Washington Post, Wine & Spirits, Gourmet, StarChefs.com, Food Network and USA Today. Additionally, Cinque Terre, with Skawinski at the helm, was recently named by Epicurious to its list of "Top 10 Farm-to-Table Restaurants in the U.S." Skawinski brings over two decades of formal culinary training and experience to his post as Executive Chef of Portland, Maine's Vignola and Cinque Terre restaurants. After graduating from Newbury College's Culinary School, Chef Skawinski traveled throughout Europe to learn firsthand about seasonal cooking and top-tier wines.

Dish: Join us when the chefs and the bartender join forces to create one of Vignola's and Cinque Terre's fabulous Northern Italian entrées paired with some of Cold River Vodka's favorite cocktails.

4:30-5:15 Meet the Chefs: Candace Karu

Consumer Lifestyle Commentator for Cabot Creamery

As the Consumer Lifestyle Commentator for Vermont-based, farm family owned Cabot Creamery Cooperative(www.cabotcheese.coop), makers of the World’s Best Cheddar, Candace Karu writes, blogs, and speaks about fitness, lifestyle, and wellness issues.

An award-winning writer, Candace is the former Editor at Large for Running Times magazine, where she worked for 10 years and wrote about running and racing, as well as yoga, stretching, cross-training, physical conditioning and nutrition. Candace has also written extensively about art, architecture, design, food and restaurants, most recently in her position as the Editor at Large for Maine Home + Design magazine. She serves on the advisory board of the Z.A.P. Fitness Foundation and is Chair of the Board of Trustees at Maine College of Art.

In addition to her writing career, Candace is dedicated to running and fitness. She has completed more than 200 road races in far-flung places from Sydney to Shanghai, Israel to Iceland, and cities throughout the United States. She is a veteran of 19 marathons including Boston ,New York City, and Washington, D.C.

You can read Candace's blog Subject to Change at www.candacekaru.com and follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/candacekaru.

Dish: Three Easy Family Meals in the Slow Cooker and Dips for Dinner.

10:30-11:15 Meet the Chefs: Chef and Cookbook Author Kate Krukowski Gooding

Black Fly Stew Cookbook Series, Mount Desert Island

Kate is most well known for her wild game dishes, layering of spices and creative food combinations. A New England native and self-taught chef, Kate gained culinary experience putting herself through college working in restaurants and catering businesses, as well as years of entertaining friends and family at her annual Winter Solstice Party; 2009 marked the 21st.

With the success of Black Fly Stew: Wild Maine Recipes and Black Fly Stew: Simple Gourmet Lamb with Side Dishes and Wine Pairings, Kate has been in demand: book signings, creating corporate cookbooks, cooking for private parties, television guest appearances, food and wine festival guest chef demonstrations, and discussion groups on self-publishing. The most prominent appearance to date was a segment on Travel Channel�s Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. Kate hosted Andrew Zimmern at her house on Mount Desert Island to taste Beaver Chili, Black Fly Muffins, Bean Hole Beans and Bull Moose Steak.

After completing two self-published and two private label cookbooks, Kate is working on her next cookbook in the Black Fly Stew series � one that carries an international flair to Maine food.

Dish: Kate will demonstrate one of Maine's, not so talked about, favorite meats: Roasted Cumin Rubbed Bear in a Cabernet Glaze. Any red meat works well in this dish!

Book Signing immediately following demonstration

12:00-12:45 Meet the Chefs: Chef Vito Marcello

Bellini�s Ristorante Italiano, North Conway, NH

Chef Vito Marcello is the Owner and Executive Chef of Bellini�s Ristorante Italiano located on Rte. 16 in North Conway, NH. Bellini�s is known for serving outstanding gourmet Italian food. The Marcello Family�s saga began with their first restaurant in New York�s �little Italy� on Mulberry Street 80 Years ago. Chef Vito is the Owner and Executive Chef of Vito Marcello�s Gourmet Foods, a manufacturer of Gourmet Pasta Sauces, Dressings and Marinades and Britalia Gourmet Foods, an Italian specialty Dessert Manufacturer of Gelato (Italian Ice Cream) sold at all Hannaford Supermarkets under the Inspiration label. Chef Vito�s loyalty and passion for Italian food keeps his life exciting and you can bet he�s always creating something new at Bellini�s where you can enjoy the authentic taste�s of Italy right here in the North Country.

Dish: Meatballs Calabrese with Crostini Ricotta

12:45-1:30 Meet the Chefs: Chef Lee Skawinski, Sous Chef Chris Geer

Cinque Terre, 36 Wharf St. & Vignola Restaurant, 10 Dana St., Portland

Head Chef Lee Skawinski, a native New Englander, has earned an increasingly influential slot on the national culinary map. The talented chef continues to earn raves for his Ligurian-inspired cuisine from the likes of The Washington Post, Wine & Spirits, Gourmet, StarChefs.com, Food Network and USA Today. Additionally, Cinque Terre, with Skawinski at the helm, was recently named by Epicurious to its list of "Top 10 Farm-to-Table Restaurants in the U.S." Skawinski brings over two decades of formal culinary training and experience to his post as Executive Chef of Portland, Maine's Vignola and Cinque Terre restaurants. After graduating from Newbury College's Culinary School, Chef Skawinski traveled throughout Europe to learn firsthand about seasonal cooking and top-tier wines.

Dish: PASTA...from flour to plate, Sous Chef Geer will tempt your palates with one of Cinque Terre�s favorite dishes

1:30-3:30 Meet the Chefs: Chef Neil Connolly

Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa, Whitefield, NH

Chef Neil Connolly served as personal chef to Sen. Edward Kennedy and his family in Hyannis Port, Mass. for 12 years. He was awarded four gold medals at the Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt, Germany. His �In the Kennedy Kitchen: Recipes and Recollections of a Great American Family,� was nominated for the James Beard Cookbook Award in 2007. Chef Connolly has more than 35 gold medals in national and international competitions, including the American Academy of Chefs and the Escoffier Medal from the Les Amis d�Escoffier Society.

Dish: Seared Breast of Muscovy Duck with Wild Mountain Cherry Sauce and Wild Mushroom Risotto

3:00-4:30 Meet the Chefs: Pastry Chef Cedric Beguin

Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa, Whitefield, NH

Cedric Beguin is the former Executive Pastry Chef at the Westin Boston Waterfront hotel. Prior to his stint in Boston, he was the pastry chef at Club Collette, a famed fine dining club in Palm Beach, Fla., the Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa in Hollywood, Fla., Croissan�Time French Boulangerie and Patisserie in Fort Lauderdale, French Memories Boulangerie and Patisserie in Cohasset, Mass., and Boulangerie Patisserie du Maille, in France.

Dish: Chocolate Truffles