American cuisine with coastal luxury: Maine’s White Barn Inn recruits top NYC chef

KENNEBUNK, Maine — Ever have a meal prepared by a chef at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City?

No? Well, now you can have one, right here at home.

The White Barn Inn and Little Barn, both of the Auberge Resorts Collection and both located at 37 Beach Ave., recently welcomed their new executive chef, Mathew Woolf. Woolf arrived in Kennebunk after serving seven years as executive chef of the Rainbow Room, a position he preceded with experiences in kitchens in both London and in major cities across the United States.

“We are thrilled to welcome chef Woolf, who has such a strong knowledge about the origin of coastal culinary traditions, to Kennebunk and to our White Barn Inn family,” said Daniel Braun, the inn’s general manager.

Braun said the “wealth of experience” of the inn’s new top chef “speaks for itself.”

“Chef Woolf will be an inspirational driving force as executive chef, bringing a contemporary and re-imagined interpretation to a new culinary chapter for White Barn Inn," he said.

Woolf said he is “thrilled” to be at the White Barn Inn, where he is blending “Modern American cuisine with coastal luxury.”

“I look forward to working with such a reputable property and brand such as Auberge Resorts Collection and aim to bring fresh culinary experiences to Kennebunk and the resort guests,” he said.

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A weekend of culinary collaboration

This weekend, Woolf will be joined by chef Ryan Hardy, the founder and CEO of Delicious Hospitality Group, a team based in New York City. White Barn Inn is partnering with the group’s Charlie Bird restaurant to host a weekend of culinary collaboration from Friday, April 22, through Sunday, April 24. The weekend will “highlight the intersection of tastes, sounds, and aesthetics” of both White Barn Inn and Charlie Bird, according to the press release.

According to Woolf, the lineup will include collaborative dinners, a pasta-making demonstration, a wine class, craft cocktails in the barn, and “of course, a classic Manhattan-style Sunday brunch with a signature Charlie Bird dish.”

“My team and I are looking forward to cooking alongside chef Hardy to create an immersive experience for White Barn Inn guests and Kennebunk locals,” Woolf said. “His dishes are heavily influenced by our Maine coastline, and we plan to have a lot of fun tasting, cooking, and highlighting the region together.”

Braun described Charlie Bird as well-matched with White Barn Inn for the weekend ahead.

“The restaurant’s commitment to using fresh, seasonal ingredients perfectly complements the focus of chef Woolf’s culinary program, which creates stunning dishes that celebrate the local bounty native to Maine,” he said.

Woolf’s culinary career began in London, England. After a stint as a sous chef at Restaurant Sixteen in Chicago, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he oversaw and managed all aspects of FIG Restaurant's kitchen. Eventually, he moved into an executive chef role at The Fat Cow, a restaurant conceptualized by Gordon Ramsay, the celebrity chef and television personality. At the Rainbow Room in NYC, Woolf led a staff of 30.

Woolf received his education at Hospitality Plus, College of Catering, in Chelmsford, Essex, England.

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What's on the menu at the White Barn Inn?

In his new role at the White Barn Inn, he is taking “extra care to preserve the beloved, traditional dishes that the resort is known for,” such as the Butter Poached Kennebunkport Lobster and Beef Tenderloin with Foie Gras Crust, while “seamlessly weaving in contemporary, innovative menu items,” according to the inn.

Earlier this week, Woolf said he was drawn to Maine by the prospect of working with “such a celebrated property” as the White Barn Inn and the Auberge Resorts Collection brand.

“The energy and pace of cooking in the center of New York City is unparalleled, but I’m excited to bring that same level of drive and inspiration to my kitchen in Kennebunk,” he said.

Woolf said he is looking forward to taking advantage of the “rich bounty the shores of Kennebunk provide to our kitchen.” When it comes to the ingredients in the kitchen he now leads, Woolf said the inn has “specially cultivated” relationships with the farmers, fishermen, and foragers of coastal Maine.

“I’m passionate about fine dining and seasonal cooking,” he said. “The local purveyors are incredible and allow us to create exquisite dishes that redefine New England cuisine and take locally sourced ingredients to new levels.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Maine's White Barn Inn welcomes former top chef Mathew Woolf of NYC's Rainbow Room