Exeter’s Vino e Vivo chef named James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef in Northeast

EXETER — Chef Paul Callahan, of Vino e Vivo, is one of 20 semifinalists for best chef in the Northeast in the 2023 James Beard Foundation Awards.

The James Beard Foundation announced its annual list of semifinalists for its prestigious restaurant and chef awards on January 25. Callahan was one of only two semifinalists in the category from New Hampshire. The second being Jeff Fournier of the Thompson House Eatery in Jackson.

Dozens of restaurants from around New England were recognized as semifinalists this year. Chef David Vargas, of Vida Cantina in Portsmouth, is a semifinalist for the national Outstanding Chef Award.

Next up, the semifinalists will be carved down to a short list of award nominees that will be announced on March 29. Final winners will be announced in an awards presentation on June 5.

Callahan, a Brentwood resident, has been the executive chef at Vino e Vivo, an intimate 24-seat wine bar, since July 2021. He previously worked at Ceia and Brine in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He is known for his creative approach to cooking with menu items like duck fat beignets with quince, Humboldt fog cheese and Tasso ham to entrees like coffee-rubbed duck breast with escargot bread pudding, gingerbread, and mole.

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The community has a sense of pride in the restaurant.

“Exeter’s a great town and the community’s been very receptive to what we’ve done with our menu and creative approach to cuisine,” Callahan said. “I have a great staff and great team and I couldn’t do this without them.”

Vino e Vivo a staple in Exeter since 2018

Vino e Vivo was founded by longtime Exeter resident Tony Callendrello in 2018 based on two guiding influences. First, Callendrello was inspired to create a "Third Place" as defined in the 1998 book “The Great Good Place” by Ray Oldenburg, namely "a place where people can gather, put aside the concerns of home and work and hang out simply for the pleasures of good company and lively conversation." Second, was the restaurant/wine bar culture of Europe where cafes and bars are the cornerstone of the community and serve as local gathering places.

The environment is intentionally set up to encourage conversation and interaction. The restaurant is small and cozy, there are no televisions, there are sound-absorbing panels, the music is kept at a low volume, and the servers are friendly and knowledgeable.

Callahan embraces that sense of community in the restaurant, according to Callendrello, often coming out to talk with guests.

“Not only is Paul a creative chef, but he is personable and a pleasure to work with. Those characteristics come through whether it’s interacting with our guests or putting together his kitchen team,” Callendrello said.

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Callahan is known for mentoring those on his team such as his sous chef Jon Parsons, who started as a dishwasher at a restaurant he worked at previously in Newburyport. He's also known for being approachable and the introduction of a two-person chef’s table at the edge of the kitchen is an example of that in action.

“With people who come to the chef’s table, we’re able to break out and be a bit more creative in our offerings. And the chef’s table is often the first-time people dine at Vino e Vivo,” Callahan said. “So then, they’ve eaten food they normally wouldn’t have tried, which isn’t necessarily on our regular menu, which makes it easier for them the next time they come in. And for the people who have eaten here, they know what to expect at the chef’s table, that it’s a little more outside the box, and a place where we can be creative.”

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After attending college for art, Callahan entered the restaurant world, jumping into the fine dining scene at spots such as Barbara Lynch's The Butcher Shop, Frank McClelland's L'Espalier, The Herb Lyceum (a 30-seat, communal style dining experience that sources foods from its own gardens), and No. 8 Kitchen & Spirits which won North Shore Magazine’s “Best New Restaurant” award.

The mission of the James Beard Awards is to recognize exceptional talent and achievement in the culinary arts, hospitality, media, and broader food system, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Exeter’s Vino e Vivo chef a James Beard Award Northeast semifinalist