In July I started a new photographic series I’m calling “The Kitchens Project”. I’ll be photographing in Maine bakeries and restaurant kitchens. My “ins” thus far have been friends who own or work in kitchens. I started the project by photographing Zu Bakery [link|photos] in South Freeport, which is run by Barak Olins, former chef/owner of the original Cafe Uffa. I’ve also photographed The West End Deli [info|photos] on Spring Street in Portland (thanks to my friend Abby and others there).

Next up is likely Bresca at 111 Middle Street in Portland. It’s the former site of Marty’s Luncheonette, a restaurant owned by my great aunt and uncle, Mary and Marty.

Why kitchens, restaurants and bakeries? Well, a few reasons:

1) I love cooking and watching cooking shows. Not just instructional cooking shows, but history and science of food. Shows like Gordon Ramsay’s BBC shows Kitchen Nightmares and The F-Word, Jamie Oliver’s shows, anything with Anthony Bourdain and Alton Brown, you name it, they just fascinate me.

2) The maternal side of my family (being Italian) has a history with food, beverage and restaurants in Portland. I’ve begun compiling what I can from that history; photos, newspaper articles, etc. [link].

I have hopes for photographing other locations in the coming months and this work will most likely be my entry for the annual Maine College of Art staff exhibition.

Interestingly, several blogs and other resources have popped up related to or about Portland/Maine restaurants, here are a few if you’re interested:

Portland Psst! – A roundup of other Portland/Maine/New England blogs that can’t be missed.

Bandol – A blog by the former chef/owner of Bandol who is opening a new restaurant in the former home of Uffa called Evangeline

Rabelais Books – A bookstore dedicated to cookbooks, and in Portland no less!! They have some amazing books, one-of-a-kind, 300 year old, the publisher doesn’t have a copy kind of books. Oh yeah, and a blog too.

Portland Food Map – “This site is a directory of all restaurants, bars, groceries, and other food related resources in Portland, Maine plus a few noteworthy places in the extended local area.”