What better place to savor fresh, delicious creations than in a garden? Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens’ Kitchen Garden Dinner Series brings some of Maine’s finest chefs right into our Kitchen Garden Café to prepare innovative, seasonal multi-course meals. In a society where the consumer buys salad in a bag and any kind of fruit at any time of year, it’s great to be reminded of how good food tastes when it is fresh. The Gardens, through this series, seeks to do its part to remind guests what it means to reap (and eat!) what you sow.

The chefs who create the meals in this popular series also create a memorable dining experience! Please make your reservations early by calling 207-633-4333. All dinners begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Kitchen Garden Cafe and include wine, tax, and gratuities; ticket prices are $75 for members, $90 for non-members. Menus may be requested in advance by phone nearer the dates of the dinners.

See below for the line-up of future dinners, along with a list of the chefs who participated in the past.

UPCOMING KITCHEN GARDEN SERIES DINNERS:

Sunday, February 12, 2012 – Chefs Marc & Tim of Trattoria Athena in Brunswick

Wednesday, March 28 - Chef Chris Bassett from Azure Café in Freeport

Wednesday, April 11 – Chef Christopher Anderson of Wings Hill in Belgrade Lakes

Wednesday, May 16 – Chef Rich Hanson of Cleonice in Ellsworth

Tuesday, June 12  – Chef Justin Oliver of Fuel in Lewiston

PAST KITCHEN GARDEN SERIES DINNERS:

Please support the wonderful chefs who have participated in the Kitchen Garden Dinner Series by visiting their restaurants, and we hope you’ll mention that you attended or heard about their dinners at the Gardens!

Chef Pierre Gignac of 98 Provence in Ogunquit – January 2012
Mitchell Kaldrovich of the Sea Glass Restaurant & Lounge in the Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth – December 2011
Chef Adam White of the Salt Exchange in Portland – November 2011
Chef Harding Lee Smith of the Front Room, Grill Room, and Corner Room restaurants in Portland – October 2011
Chef Dana Robicheaw of Clementine Restaurant in Brunswick - September 2011
Chef Kate Schaeffer of Black Dinah Chocolatiers on Isle au Haut – July 2011
Chefs Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier from Arrows in Ogunquit – June 2011
Chef Cassady Pappas from Havana South in Portland – May, 2011
Chef Larry Matthews from Back Bay Grill in Portland – April, 2011
Chef Krista Kern Desjarlais of Bresca in Portland, March 2011
Chef Annemarie Ahearn of Salt Water Farm in Lincolnville, January 2011
Chef Jeff Landry of The Farmer’s Table in Portland, October 2010
Chef Lee Skawinski of Vignola and Cinque Terre, both in Portland, September 2010
Chef Jonathan Cartwright of White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, June 2010
Chef Rob Evans of Hugo’s in Portland, May 2010
Chef Earl Morse of Eve’s at the Garden in Portland, October 2009
Chef Sam Hayward of Fore Street in Portland, October 2009
Chef Melissa Kelly of Primo in Rockland, June 2009
Chef Michael Salmon of Hartstone Inn in Camden, May 2009
Chef Jen Flock of Browne Trading Company in Portland, June 2008