Menu by Salmon Oct 2007

Chef Michael Salmon With 25 years of professional experience and a diverse culinary background, Michael Salmon, chef and co-owner of the Hartstone Inn in Camden, Maine, makes the elegant bed and breakfast a premier dining destination. Originally from Minnesota, Salmon graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America and earned a bachelor's degree in hotel, restaurant and resort management. Salmon has received numerous accolades from the most respected organizations in the culinary and hospitality industry, including Down East Magazine, Travel & Leisure, and Fodor's. As executive chef of Sonesta Beach Resort Hotel and Casino in Aruba, he was named "Caribbean Chef of the Year" for 1996-1997 by Food & Wine and American Express, and was featured in USA Today. In addition, he was awarded three gold medals on three separate occasions in organized culinary competitions from the American Culinary Federation. Previous professional experience includes an impressive list of four- and five-star hotels, including Hyatt Resort Hotels in Orlando, Lake Tahoe, and Palm Springs and Caesar's Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City. Other positions include culinary arts and food and beverage instructor at Sierra Nevada College and catering chef for U.S. Senator Paula Hawkins. He has also played an active role in the planning and production of various Chaine des Rotisseurs events. In 1998 Salmon and his wife, Mary Jo, fulfilled their dream of owning and operating their own bed and breakfast with the purchase of the Hartstone Inn. Salmon personally creates every dish and designs a custom menu daily that reflects the changing seasons. Using the freshest seafood and local ingredients, he specializes in New England cuisine but adds international flair with French, Chinese, Scandinavian, Thai, Italian and Caribbean accents. Since childhood, noted chef Julia Child was the guiding inspiration behind Salmon's success. Another dream came true in 2001 when he met and prepared dinner for the icon at the Inn. Throughout his budding career, Salmon has created tasty recipes for many other celebrities including Sean Connery and Barry Manilow. Adding to his resume, he also published two cookbooks, "Hartstone Inn Signature Recipes" and "In the Kitchen with Michael Salmon." Throughout the year, Salmon welcomes students into the Hartstone kitchen for cooking classes, providing a closer look into the world of an acclaimed restaurant chef. When he is not preparing breakfast or dinner, Salmon may be found collecting antique chocolate molds, mixing cocktails and experimenting with different recipes, creating homemade spices or searching for hard-to-find spices. He also tends a garden in the back of the Inn that grows sage, tarragon, oregano, mint and other herbs that eventually find their way onto diners' plates.