Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Tony is a chef who is passionate about great food and great flavors.

After a brief stint at American University in Washington DC, Tony decided to move back home to Seattle and pursue his true passion of cooking.  In 1997 he matriculated at The Art Institute of Seattle.  Under the guidance of then Director Roland Henin, Tony learned the basics as well as immersing himself in the flavors and culinary traditions of the Pacific Northwest.  The area is most well known for its abundant local produce, ample seafood and its assimilation of Asian cooking methods and ingredients.  These flavors and cuisines still influence him today.  After graduating in 1998, Tony worked in several restaurants in the Seattle area, most notably with Chef Eddie Montoya at Ovio Bistro and Chef Scott Simpson at the Lunchbox Laboratory.

In 2006, Tony decided it was time for culinary adventure and moved with his wife, also a cook, to Siem Reap, Cambodia to help a friend open a restaurant there.   Tony spent his time traveling extensively and working with locals to develop a menu that was a mix of Cambodian and Western cuisine.  With the Old Market across the street, it was the ultimate lesson in “farm to table” with a decidedly Asian flair.

Based on his lifelong love affair with the children’s book Blueberries for Sal and his wife’s fond memories of her time at Bates College, Tony and his family moved to Maine in 2009.  He spent the first year living in Portland but quickly decided the Mid Coast region was where he wanted home to be.  When he’s not cooking, Tony is working on his house with his wife Darcey and their children Oliver and Mae or exploring the Maine woods with his dog Beatrice. 

Tony is excited to take on the role of Chef at Solo Bistro and looks forward to this new adventure.  He hopes to be able to add his own tastes and flavors to Solo’s already great reputation for amazing cuisine.

Tony's Farm to Table Philosophy
 

From its inception in 2005, Solo Bistro has focused on using only the best fresh ingredients, and as a rule the freshest is also the best. In practice this has meant developing relationships with farms in the region, principally for vegetable and berry ingredients. Our oldest and largest volume supplier is Goranson Farm of Dresden, one of the larger and more established certified organic farms in the state, but we also maintain close relations with the Squire Tarbox farm on Westport Island, Small Wonder Organics, Six Rivers farm in Bowdoinham and with several other small market gardeners such as Juniper Edge Farm in Brunswick and ¼ Mile Pond Farm in West Bath. We also buy from several other farms and a couple of foragers on an as-needed or as-available basis.

We work with several small scale farmers to acquire local meats (which are highly coveted and whose supply does not meet the demand, therefore requiring extra effort to acquire it). We strive to highlight local fish on our seasonally focused menu: most of the fish we serve is wild caught Gulf of Maine fish, such as cod and haddock.

Solo Bistro's goal is to serve its customers meals as good as they have ever eaten anywhere, and to do that we use fresh raw ingredients produced naturally using environmentally sustainable methods that do not introduce unnatural chemicals, coloring or flavors. We process the ingredients ourselves in our kitchens using traditional methods that allow the true flavors of the ingredients to shine through.

Solo Bistro also supports the work of groups that are advocating for a healthier and more sustainably produced food supply, such as Slow Food USA and its Midcoast Chapter by participating in fund raisers and hosting dinners.

Solo Bistro:
128 Front Street
Bath, ME 04530-2607
(207) 443-3373
http://www.solobistro.com/