Epicurious Names Maine's Cinque Terre To List Of Top 10 Farm To Table Restaurants In The Nation

Epicurious, the national Cond�Net food site connected to both Gourmet and Bon App�tit magazines, has named Cinque Terre restaurant to its list of "Top Ten Farm-to-Table Restaurants in the U.S.A." Cinque Terre (www.cinqueterremaine.com) and its Executive Chef and Co-Owner, Lee Skawinski, are featured in the profile for actively promoting locally grown and raised animals, fruit, herbs and vegetables at the award-winning restaurant in Portland, Maine.

The farm-to-table movement is attracting supporters and expanding throughout the country. "The phenomenon is finally national in scope and impact," Epicurious columnist Joanne Camas writes. "After years of importing ingredients from all over the world, chefs are going back to basics and staying local. The goal is to limit the human impact on the environment. Farm-fresh fare is also packed with nutrients, doesn't have to be sprayed with chemicals to protect it for the long haul to the restaurant, and just plain tastes good. Everybody wins, from farmer to chef to diner."

The Epicurious feature singles out Chef Skawinski's view that the farm-to-table and Slow Food movements are interrelated and mutually beneficial, and together help mark the continuing shift away from industrialized food systems.

"Diners now are more savvy about knowing whether restaurants are buying everything from the back of one box truck, or whether they're going out there and really trying to source local and fresh meats, cheeses, fish, and vegetables," Skawinski says.

In particular, the feature commends Cinque Terre for growing much of its own all-natural and organic produce. Dan Kary and Michelle Mazur-Kary, co-owners of Cinque Terre with Skawinski, own nearby Greene, ME's Grand View Farm, which supplies nearly 40 percent of the restaurant's seasonal ingredients.
"Everyone at the restaurant pitches in with planting and harvesting at the farm. It's wonderful that we can plan in advance specific ingredients and menu items, and have the freedom to experiment with new varietals and seasonal offerings," Skawinski notes in the feature.

On September 17th of this year, Chef Skawinski will be presenting his second dinner at New York City's esteemed James Beard House. The New England native is a member of the Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association (MOFGA) and the James Beard Foundation. He also is active in the Slow Food Movement, and in Gruppo Ristoranti Italiani, a highly regarded national group of influential restaurateurs dedicated to elevating the perception of Italian food and wine throughout the hospitality industry.

The talented chef brings staff from his restaurant's kitchen and front-of-house team with him to Italy at least twice each year, during which the team meets with Italian growers to learn about their production methods. Cinque Terre staff also meets with vintners, olive oil and balsamic producers, and Italian family businesses producing some of the world's best artisan cheeses and cured meats. Many of these specialty Italian food items are incorporated into the northern Italian and Ligurian-inspired menu at Cinque Terre.

"It's important to me that our team has a solid understanding about the food and wine we're offering guests at Cinque Terre," notes Skawinski. "I want them to learn the ins and outs of planting, harvesting and cooking these wonderful, seasonal Italian varietals. When we go to Italy to meet with growers and producers, we are all, in effect, lucky enough to learn from the masters."

In addition to working at their own farm, Skawinski and his team at both Cinque Terre and its "sister" restaurant, Vignola (www.vignolamaine.com), have been longtime supporters of well o