Experience Maine Culinary

08/22/2024

Raw bar, mezze, lobster rolls, prosciutto & brie sandwich, watermelon bites, charcuterie, blueberry whoopie pies and coconut macaron are all perfect bites for day on the water with ⛵️🌊🦪

If you have an upcoming sail, contant us and we would love to put together the perfect menu for you!

08/19/2024

Wedding season is in the air and we’re getting ready with some menu tastings 💍🥂🍲

This tasting features:

•White Fish Succotash ~ corn, asparagus, peas, radish, shallot, dill, lemon butter sauce and pea shoots

•Half Roasted Chicken ~ baby potato, leek, herbs and mushroom cream sauce

•Clam Chowder ~ clam, potato, bacon and onion

If you’re looking for someone to cater your special day, contact us and we would love to put together the perfect memorable menu for you and your guests✨

08/15/2024

What better way to enjoy summer in Maine, than a lobster bake with fresh local seafood on the water? 🦞

To start, this family enjoyed our charcuterie board before dinner, which was perfect for snacking, while chatting and dancing on the porch on this beautiful evening!

For dinner they had our traditional lobster bake prepared by Chef Arianna which features -

•Homemade sourdough & local honey butter
•Steamers with white wine and butter
•Herb potato salad
•Cole slaw
•Steamed lobster
•Corn on the cob

For dessert they indulged in blueberry cake with lemon cream cheese frosting 🍋

There’s still plenty of summer days left, and we would love to help you plan a perfect evening to enjoy all of the amazing food Maine has to offer ✨

08/05/2024

Our evening at started off with a cocktail hour and passed hors d’oeuvres featuring:

Gulf of Maine Lobster ~ chilled, lemon aioli and endive

Steak & Potato ~ chimichurri and asiago

Watermelon Bites ~ cucumber, lime, mint and tajin

Next, was a buffet dinner with caesar salad, beet salad, roasted chicken, short rib, white fish succotash and stuffed eggplant.

Finally, for dessert they indulged in a blueberry cake and chocolate coconut mousse 🍰

Contact us today to cater an upcoming event for you, and pair you with one of our amazing chefs ✨

mainechefs planner

07/31/2024

An evening on the rooftop of Wex for a leadership buffet dinner 🍽️ Thanks to for choosing us to cater this beautiful event!

Event planning:
Catered by:
Bar services:
Entertainment:

07/23/2024

A beautiful evening at , starting with a cocktail hour that included our mezze platter and fresh oysters 🦪

Their featured dinner options included:

Seafood Cioppino ~ fresh lobster, mussels and white fish in a tomato fennel broth
Stuffed Flank Steak ~ mushroom, spinach, goat cheese, balsamic glaze and roasted zucchini
Stuffed Eggplant ~ feta, pine nut, basil and romesco sauce

For dessert our guests indulged in their choice of Turtle Cheesecake or Vegan Chocolate Coconut Mousse. Yum!

If you are looking to put together a special evening for you, your family, friends or colleagues, contact us and we would love to pair you with one of our amazing chefs to come up with a custom menu 🍽️✨

06/25/2024

Our team - Jordan Nugent, Director of Travel & Events and Liza Bedard, Event Coordinator enjoyed sharing all of our amazing offerings with Portland’s frontline workers from the hospitality and tourism industry. 

Experience Maine offers full service travel and event planning, meeting planning and destination management services to corporate groups meeting in Maine. 

Experience Maine Culinary produces amazing culinary experiences and unique team building events including a lobster roll making class, oyster tastings, a culinary scavenger hunter, cooking classes, plus full service catering and private chef services 🍽️🦞⛵️Let us create a special event for you, your family or your team! 

 

06/21/2024

Summer is officially here & so are boat days! ⛵️🌊 Let us cater your charter with delicious local Maine dishes so you can hop on and enjoy the beautiful coastline without having to worry about who’s bringing the food and drinks 🥂 Featured is our Mezze Plater, Caprese Skewers, Watermelon Bites, Hummus & Veggie Wraps, Chicken Salad Sandwich & Mini Blueberry Whoopie Pies 🫐 Yum! If you have a sail planned or are thinking of enjoying a day on the water this summer, we would love to work with you to create the perfect menu for you, your family or team!

06/13/2024

Get your team together to have some fun with our lobster roll making class 🦞 In this hands-on class learn how to breakdown a cooked Maine lobster to get to the most tender meat and which parts are the best to eat. Step by step, you will learn all the tricks on how to make the freshest lobster roll including a fresh aioli, with your own personal flare ✨

06/10/2024

Want to bring your team together and have some Maine fun? Oyster shucking with and build your own lobster roll are just a couple of fun activities we offer for our team building experience’s 🦞🦪 We would love to work with you, to help you plan a day to bring your team together!

05/31/2024

Supporting local Maine artist Charlie Hewitt at his open gallery event with Moss Galleries and Maine Home Design. We catered to a packed house and featured our house focaccia, octopus ceviche, beet stacks and our crowd favorite charcuterie board. All made by our very own Chef Arianna! ✨

05/13/2024

Watermelon Bites.
cucumber • lime • mint • tajin

Cocktail party.
30 people.

Chef:
Venue: Ballast

05/12/2024

Charcuterie Board. Cocktail Reception. 30 People.

Chef:
Venue:

04/02/2024

Experience a New Catering & Private Chef Business -

Specializing in catering and private chef services for intimate corporate and social gatherings of 150 or less and vacation meal services. Plus, culinary-focused team building programs for corporate meetings and retreats and tailored experiences and wellness programs for local companies, either in-o...

12/06/2023

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘆 𝗕𝗮𝗯𝗲 𝘅 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘅 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼.

Pop up cocktail hour and dinner at this Wednesday, December 13! Join us for this collaborative event feauturing seven delicious seafood courses sourced from the Gulf of Maine.

Enjoy a complimentary welcome drink, paired Southern Italian wines and cocktails from . Shuck your own fresh oysters and soak in the knowledge and passion from experts in the industry. Enjoy delicious food and celebrate in the holiday spirit with your local Portland community 🍾

12/02/2023

🍾The Culinary Event of the Holiday Season… Feast of Seven Fishes 12.13 🍽️

Join local industry experts Jacqueline Clarke , Chef Arianna Stefanilo , marine biologist Ashley Charleson , and SoPo Seafood’s Matt Brown for this one of a kind dining experience.

The menu features 7 delicious seafood courses straight from the Gulf of Maine, including delicious oysters on the half shell, briny sea urchin bites, Monkfish Bolognese, and Seared Halibut En Brodo: an innovative New England adaptation of the classic Southern Italian style feast.

The festivities will be set at Ballast, an intimate gathering space overflowing with old world charm located in the heart of the historic Old Port.

Space is limited! Tickets and full menu available online.

BUY TICKETS
https://www.exploretock.com/experiencemaineculinary/event/451386/feast-of-the-seven-fishes?fbclid=PAAaYhNoW7i2gFqQG88GzJkXoSgZW-93Se1H-P6KuRHyGKjMwVW9cUlR-VFjE_aem_ATfnOY1uW6D1_vJFrC9DKEDCuUrardq-yoj1l2eUqES81csJVmfGn3S38hYM8H77-2A

11/30/2023

𝙵𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝙵𝚒𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝙿𝚘𝚙-𝚄𝚙
 🐠 🦪 🦞🎄 💫

12.13.23

🎟️ & full menu via link in bio!

Join us for a Southern Italian inspired holiday feast centered around the most marvelous dishes of the sea. An interactive and immersive holiday event - one intimate seating, seven delicious seafood dishes.

Experience Maine Chef, Arianna Stefanilo and the Briny Babe, Jacqueline Clarke are partnering to create a New England adaptation of this classic, festive feast - guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit.

They’ll be joined by SoPo Seafood’s Matt Brown and marine scientist Ashley Charleson, who will share with guests their perspectives and stories on how each of the night’s featured fish get from the Gulf of Maine to your plate.

Get ready for a night of innovative creations featuring local, sustainable seafood from the Gulf of Maine, alongside a symbiotic experience of Italian wines curated by Maine Events Co. available on the cash bar. We’re also excited to feature a Learn to Shuck station, where guests can get hands-on and ask questions of experts in Maine's vibrant aquaculture industry.

This event will be a festive and fun experience reminiscent of only the best family holiday dinner party. Soak in the knowledge, passion and stories from the men and women who make it possible to enjoy the sea’s many bounties.

Wednesday, December 13, 2023
6:00pm Doors Open - one seating only
$145 per person + tax

𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝: 7 fish prix fixe tasting menu + 1 welcome pour of 🥂

𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥: A-la-carte wine, cocktails, and spirit-less cocktails cash bar by Maine Events Co.

11/11/2023

Bringing the 5-star food and beverage experience of the Maker’s Galley directly to you!

Spice up your holiday season with Experience Maine Culinary. Catered events, private in-home chef dinners & cooking classes specially curated for you.

Visit our new website at experiencemaineculinary.com or email [email protected] for more information.

Happy holiday season!

09/20/2023

Join us this weekend as we celebrate the amazing space and concept that so many of you loved and enjoyed these past two years. Raise a glass to our incredible staff, talented Maine artists and local food purveyors that we so proudly supported.

We hope to see you either Saturday or Sunday, and remember- 20% off everything in the shop.

Pajama Brunch reservations can be made on our website.

09/14/2023

After careful consideration, I have come to the difficult decision to close The Maker’s Galley. The Maker’s Galley was created to bring together local makers and food enthusiasts as the brick-and-mortar location for Experience Maine. Sadly, the last year has been increasingly difficult to manage two growing businesses and maintain work life balance. In addition, I can no longer carry the burden of the rising costs impacting restaurants in Maine and the constant staffing challenges. As Experience Maine continues to grow, it has also become clear that I need to focus my energy on this business and the greater impact it can have on Maine’s hospitality and tourism industry.

The Maker’s Galley will live on though. We have decided to continue to bring you the elevated culinary and private chef experiences you have grown to love with Experience Maine Culinary. EM Culinary will become a new catering and private chef business under the Experience Maine brand.

I can’t stress enough how grateful I am to my loyal staff, partners and the incredible showing of love and support from our customers. When you came in with your eyes wide and your hearts full of wonder of the amazing makers’ space and open experiential kitchen, it made it all worth it. We enjoyed our pajama brunches together, our big girl mimosas, our cooking classes and launch parties. What an amazing two years we had showcasing incredibly talented artists, designers, chefs, farmers, fisherman and local products. We will miss these partnerships and will continue to look for ways to promote and engage with you.

Our last day will be Wednesday, September 27. We hope that you will join us in our last weeks of service. And, since we are event planners, we are planning one final event weekend! On Saturday, September 23 we will host a closing Sip & Shop event and our final Pajama Brunch will be held on Sunday, September 24. We will offer discounted retail and food and drink specials all weekend. More details to come. I hope to see you there to celebrate our next journey.

09/02/2023

Mini Beef & Mushroom Pot Pie Bites. We used beef from and served these delicious minis at the fall issue’s launch party . Scroll for the full recipe which you can also find in this issue of edibleMAINE!

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06/02/2023

Lobster Rolls are officially back for the season!! ☀️🦞

Stop by The Maker’s Galley to enjoy our fresh Maine lobster roll served with herb potato salad, available in the cafe from 9am-2pm

05/20/2023

05/16/2023

If you haven’t met Rachel Sagiroglu yet, now’s the time to introduce yourself. Paving the way for unique Maine experiences, Rachel is the visionary behind Experience Maine, a luxury travel and event management company, and The Maker’s Galley, a trendy cafè, wine bar and marketplace nestled on Portland’s waterfront highlighting local Maine artists. She has created an inviting catering and event space where local chefs and businesses collaborate to create culinary experiences. Rachel aims to use both businesses to bring a piece of Maine to locals and tourists alike, curating unique experiences that further establish Maine as national destination hotspot. Congratulations to our fearless leader for this feature in Mainebiz!

05/04/2023

Have you tried our Ploughman’s Board? This shareable lunch traditionally filled the stomachs of agricultural workers in England as they toiled on the land. It is easy to see why bread, cheese and meats made up a traditional lunch for these workers. They were common food items, easily carried to the fields, and did not require cooking. Wives would wrap it in a cloth napkin and hand them a pint of ale to take with.

Today, our Ploughman’s Board is enjoyed with a glass of wine, relaxing in our beautiful space. We’ve also included a little keepsake jar of Maine-made Raye’s Mustard. Enjoy!

04/22/2023

It’s .week in Maine! is turning her famous everything bagels into kelp bagels, and they’re delicious! Come get yours today! Sprinkled with !

04/20/2023

Kelp Week is almost here!
Tickets for our seaweed symposium are now live at:
https://www.exploretock.com/themakersgalleyportlandme/event/410389/cooking-with-kelp

03/10/2023

Scallop cooking class tomorrow. It’s scallop season in Maine! Come learn how to sear, shuck and ceviche with are very own

Only 4 tickets left! Purchase on our website.

03/02/2023

We were so honored to be a part of the Maine Restaurant Week Incredible Breakfast. Love this live shot and the one bite heard round the world! Johnny Maffei

02/27/2023

Join Portland's own Chef Josh Berry along with Enrique Olmedo from Bodegas Manzanos Winery as they take you through a five-course Spanish Wine Dinner.

"From Spain to Maine" celebrates sun-drenched flavors of the Mediterranean with twists from our local land. Chef Josh pairs each course perfectly to Manzanos wines from the Rioja region. Enrique will share five wines and spend time discussing each before each cours, including the Gran Reserva.

Seating is limited to 30 guests, get your tickets soon!

Join Portland's own Chef Josh Berry along with Enrique Olmedo from Manzanos Winery as they take you through a five-course Spanish Wine Dinner. "From Spain to Maine" celebrates sun-drenched flavors of the Mediterranean with twists from our local land. Chef Josh pairs each course perfectly to Manzanos...