Ugly Duckling and Sur Lie take top honors at Maine Lobster Chef of the Year event
Portland chefs claim top honors at Maine Lobster Chef of the Year contest
PORTLAND, Maine — During the opening day of the Harvest on the Harbor festival, two Portland restaurants took home the most coveted awards in the state’s premier lobster cooking competition. Chef Cullen Stileski of Ugly Duckling at Rising Tide earned the Judges’ Selection award for his inventive “Lobster Puff,” while Sam Helmke of Sur Lie captured the People’s Choice prize with a fresh take on the classic lobster taco.
The 2026 Maine Lobster Chef of the Year contest drew ten teams from across the state, ranging from farm‑to‑table kitchens to culinary school programs. The event, staged at Portland’s Rising Tide Brewery, is a highlight of the annual Harvest on the Harbor festival, which showcases Maine’s culinary talent and celebrates the state’s iconic seafood.
Stileski, who has spent more than a decade cooking from scratch in farm‑to‑table kitchens, prepared a dish that fused traditional techniques with bold flavors. His “Lobster Puff” featured Maine lobster poached in duck fat and encased in a black‑pepper gougère. The puff was topped with crispy prosciutto, pickled onion, and a silky brown‑butter béarnaise. The judges praised the dish’s balance of richness and acidity, calling it a standout example of contemporary lobster cuisine.
Meanwhile, Sam Helmke— a South Portland native who has previously worked at Inn by the Sea, 555 and Paper Tiger—delivered a playful, crowd‑pleasing version of lobster tacos. The tacos were filled with a Maine‑style lobster salad, then wrapped in corn tortillas and finished with sweet chili, avocado, breakfast radish and wasabi tobiko. The dish’s bright, fresh ingredients earned it the People’s Choice award, as diners voted for the taco’s lively flavor profile.
The People’s Choice runner‑up was Chef Nick Kimball of Brix + Brine in Ogunquit. His lobster dish combined Maine lobster with Japanese milk bread, browned butter, Kewpie mayo, truffle salt, togarashi and yuzu tobiko. Kimball’s inventive fusion of flavors earned him a well‑deserved second place.
“We’re thrilled to see Portland chefs shining on the state stage,” said a spokesperson for the Harvest on the Harbor festival. “The competition showcases the creativity and passion that Maine chefs bring to their lobster dishes.”
The awards were presented at the festival’s opening ceremony on Friday, with the winning chefs receiving certificates and a trophy to commemorate their achievements. The competition is expected to attract visitors from across Maine and beyond, who come to taste the region’s freshest seafood and support local culinary talent.
