After peak season, Maine restaurants prep for a slower pace
Barn at Smith Farm’s Chef Prepares for End‑of‑Season Closure
Falmouth, Maine – As the summer heat starts to wane, Chef Nate Feld of the Barn at Smith Farm is tightening his kitchen’s operations in preparation for the restaurant’s scheduled shut‑down on Oct. 31. The 2,000‑square‑foot barn‑converted dining room will close for the season, with plans to reopen in early May, weather permitting.
Feld, who took over the kitchen last summer, is reviewing the menu to trim dishes that are drawing fewer customers. “With certain dishes that sell less, maybe I’ll buy one more case of that product, and as soon as I’m out, I won’t buy any more,” he said. “I’m watching my counts on everything, and trying to keep items in stock as long as I can without having too much waste on that last day.”
The chef highlighted a handful of offerings that have not been as popular, including the plum‑glazed pork loin, pesto pizza, and chorizo pizza. “We saw the shift right around when school started. They still come on the weekends, but not school nights,” Feld noted, citing a 20‑ to 30‑percent drop in business since Labor Day.
The Barn at Smith Farm now operates with a staff of eight, roughly half of whom were students in the current season. Those students have left as the school year resumed, leaving the kitchen to manage with a leaner team. “It’s just a natural rhythm,” Feld said. “It’s not like letting people go.”
On the final weekend of service, the crew will work extra shifts to complete a thorough clean‑out: stoves will be scoured, refrigerators shut down, pipes drained, and the uninsulated barn sealed for winter. “There’s an upside to the downtime,” Feld added. “I’m definitely ready for a break.”
The Barn at Smith Farm is not alone in the state. Across Maine, restaurants are adjusting to the “second summer,” a period that peaks around Indigenous Peoples Day and then slows as the season ends. Ogunquit’s Scott Vogel, who owns The Front Porch Piano Bar & Restaurant and CREW, has cut hours and trimmed seasonal staff after the Labor Day weekend. “You get through Labor Day, and it’s a hurdle, but there’s another five to six weeks to continue to push through,” Vogel said. “The pace is definitely better, and people can catch up on some rest.”
Other Maine establishments are taking similar measures. Brickyard Hollow Brewing Co. has moved opening times earlier and closing times later for a short period, while Bread & Friends in Portland is keeping more staff on year‑round payroll to smooth the transition between seasons.
To keep local customers engaged, many restaurants are offering weekly specials. The Front Porch has Martini Mondays, CREW hosts Trivia Nights, and Brickyard Hollow runs Locals Nights and other discounts.
“We’re focusing on the local community now that the tourist traffic has slowed,” said Brickyard Hollow’s marketing director. “We won’t impact our core staff, and that’s important to us.”
When the Barn at Smith Farm opens again, the menu will likely be pared down to a core set of dishes that perform well throughout the year. “I’m looking forward to the next season, and I hope the downtime will help me bring fresh ideas to the kitchen,” Feld said.
The Barn at Smith Farm’s seasonal cycle is a familiar rhythm for Maine’s hospitality industry, but for Chef Feld, the end of October marks an opportunity to refine operations, reduce waste, and recharge for the next summer’s rush.
