The Castine Inn Restaurant in Castine, Hancock County, United States | Restaurant

Tom Gutow draws from his diverse experiences in this country and France to create dishes with multiple layers of concentrated flavors and contrasting textures. By combining ingredients in a manner that focuses their characteristic tastes, Tom creates a cuisine that reveals to diners the true flavors of the food.

Tom began cooking professionally at the age of seventeen for chef-owner Harlan â??Peteâ? Peterson at Tapawingo in northern Michigan. During the next five years, he spent his vacation time at Tapawingo while pursuing a bachelorâ??s degree in English literature at Connecticut College. After a brief time at New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont, Tom worked in New York City for David Bouley at Bouley, David Burke at Park Avenue Cafe, and Diane Forley at Verbena. He also trained in France with Michel Guérard at Les Prés d'Eugenie and with Bernard Loiseau at La Côte d'Or, both Michelin three-star chefs.

Looking to local producers as his primary source for ingredients is the anchor of Tomâ??s cooking philosophy. Tom firmly believes the success of his food is inseparable from the quality of the ingredients supplied by the producers of Maine and specifically the region surrounding Castine. In this vein, Tom regularly participates in and organizes special events to promote the importance of using locally available ingredients. Each spring Tom hosts a Producers Dinner at The Inn to recognize the contributions of his local growers, fishermen, and cheese makers who provide so many ingredients to The Inn throughout the season. Tom also works diligently with his local suppliers to learn more about the specific challenges involved in producing the many items needed to create his ever-changing menus at the Inn. Through these efforts, Tom hopes to offer our guests dishes based entirely upon local ingredients.

In 1998, Tom won the Governorâ??s Great Taste of Maine Culinary Competition sponsored by the Maine Lobster Promotion Council and was named â??Lobster Chef of the Yearâ?. In May 2002, The Castine Inn was chosen as one of the top 50 Hotel Restaurants in the United States by Food & Wine magazine. Articles about Tom and his cooking have been featured in several publications including Wine Spectator, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, The New York Times, and The Boston Globe. Additionally, The Castine Inn dining room and Tom's cooking were recently awarded four diamonds by AAA, recognizing Tom as one of the top chefs in the northeastern United States.