Chef Shaun Stoothoff 2023 Maine Born and raised in Maine, Shaun started working in the food industry at the age of 12 in his father's seafood shack. Shaun has traveled the U. S. in search of culinary inspiration, working as far south as New Orleans and west to Lake Tahoe. He studied Cajun cuisine at both mom-and-pop shops and fine dining staples. Shaun was the sous-chef at several high-end Maine restaurants, including the acclaimed and James Beard awarded Fore Street. He then went on as the executive chef of Saddleback Mountain Resorts. A long-closed ski mountain that had a large-scale reopening. After helping design and restructure the kitchen program at Saddleback, he moved back to Portland to be the Chef de cuisine at Bao Bao Dumpling House, A James Beard nominee and Portland staple. Shaun was an Indie Chef 2022 participant along with 15 other chefs from around the country. He has always found that going directly to the source and fully immersing himself in the cuisine and culture is the best way to learn. This is reflected in his cooking style, blending locally sourced ingredients with regional cuisine styles. Shaun believes food reflects the natural beauty found here in the great state of Maine and he hopes to make memories and tell stories through his flavors.