During the flood the community sustained millions of dollars in property damage and merchandise loss, but rather than resulting in a setback, the destruction served to bolster the town’s commitment to building its reputation as a tourist destination and as a pedestrian-friendly resort. Throughout town Lipton points out how beautifully this or that storefront has been restored, or for how many generations this or that family has owned it. He is constantly greeted by locals, like artist John Perry, who zips by grinning, waving, and tooting the horn of his vintage Model T.

Lipton explains that some townsfolk didn’t necessarily like seeing York Beach depicted as “somewhat seedy” and “amusement-beachy” in a recent magazine article, particularly after all the hard work they had put in following the flood. The article was intended to celebrate the arrival in York Beach of renowned chef Lydia Shire, who opened Blue Sky in the newly renovated Atlantic House.

But as for the arrival of such a high-profile chef as Shire, Lipton says it can only be a good thing. “It creates a competitive marketplace, and it increases the quality of what everyone does. We all have to revisit what we’re doing and see what we can do to improve. I might see that someone made an improvement, so then I step up and do something, and someone else sees that, and everyone steps up.” The bottom line, says Lipton, is that some of Shire’s limelight will shine on the other talented chefs and restaurateurs who are also working to earn York a reputation as a legitimate dining destination.

Karl Mace, Executive Chef at the Union Bluff Hotel, agrees. “I’m happy she’s here,” he says of Shire. “It’s going to do a lot for the Seacoast.” Meanwhile, Mace is doing plenty himself. When he came to the hotel in 2007, he immediately began working to improve the quality of food, but he says he soon realized it would be a gradual process, rather than an overnight transformation. “When I first came, I thought I would charge right in, but then I realized I needed to step back and see what this place does. I wanted to see what my staff could do.” Mace gave himself a year to assess and make gradual changes, and given the diversity of the hotel’s three dining entities—the upscale Union Grill, the casual Beach Street Pub, and the newly added Union Bluff Meeting House, a banquet facility—it was a significant undertaking. Mace credits the entire York business community for creating an environment that can sustain this caliber of dining.

He kept the pub menu casual and playful, but added a few sophisticated elements, such as a dusting of sea salt on the sweet potato fries and a little truffle oil in the ketchup that accompanies them.  On the dinner menu he found ways to update older dishes like classic Saltimbocca, using pan-seared day boat scallops and pairing them with shaved Parma ham, buffalo mozzarella, and fried sage leaves. He began sourcing beef, pork, and veal from Northeast Family Farms (NEFF), a co-op of small to medium-sized family farms that offers locally raised meats, and much of his chicken now comes from Misty Knoll Farms, a family-owned, all-natural chicken farm in New Haven, Vermont. For his Veal Three Ways, which is listed on the menu as “Chef’s Favorite,” Mace grills a bacon-wrapped NEFF veal filet and serves it alongside pan-fried sweet breads and braised veal cheek mashed potatoes.

At the York Harbor Inn, Executive Chef Gerry Bonsey, CEC, AAC, has been at the helm for 26 years, and he takes no offense at the fuss folks are making about Blue Sky.  “More business promotes more business,” he says. “You can’t sit on your laurels, you have to compete.” It’s not just Shire’s presence that keeps Bonsey on his toes; it’s also the major renovations that have taken place over the last two years. In 2006, the downstairs tavern was redesigned to replicate the cabin of a fine wooden sailing vessel. This past winter they renovated the newly renamed 1637 Restaurant, with its handcrafted Tiger Maple bar, sparkling ocean views, and an original fireplace that dates back to the 1600s.

Bonsey says that, more than anything, the York revival has been liberating, allowing him to add some labor-intensive, creative items to the menu, like the Housemade Bratwurst he serves with caraway slaw and stone ground mustard. He also gets creative with homey dishes, such as incorporating Indian Pudding into his New England Trifle. He loves being able to buy from local producers, something that would have been cost-prohibitive a few years ago, before small-scale farmers were readily accessible in the area, and before patrons were ready to support the slightly higher price point that these ingredients require.

The Cape Neddick Inn has also seen its share of changes over the years. The eatery opened in 1926 as the Triangle Café and endured a series of transitions (both in name and in ownership) through the late 1970s, when it became the Cape Neddick Inn. It burned to the ground and was completely rebuilt in 1984, then went through a few more changes of ownership and a three-year incarnation as Talpey’s Tavern (a nod to the Talpey family, owners of the original Triangle Café), before current owner David Heavner purchased it in July of 2007 and it once again became the Cape Neddick Inn.

In just one year, Heavner has undertaken significant renovations. He redesigned the front of the building from a car portico into an elegant deck, doubled the parking capacity, and hired landscape designer Charles Hugo to completely transform every aspect of the property’s foliage and lighting. Inside, both the formal dining room and the tavern were outfitted with new wainscoting and fresh color schemes. Both rooms are equipped with original, old stone fireplaces and other nostalgic touches, like a set of doors that were salvaged years ago from Hutchins General Store (where Pie in the Sky now stands).

Most recently, Heavner hired Chef Michael Arnesen to update the menu, and Arnesen has embraced the challenge, creating a menu with both familiar and creative offerings. “We’re a restaurant for everybody,” says Arnesen, who loves comfort food just as much as he loves creativity, and he makes room on his menu for both. Sesame Seared Tuna Steak is something that many people are familiar with, says Arnesen, but he pairs it with Ricotta Salata and Watermelon Radish for a little fusion. Arnesen knows he’s not the first chef to pair a grilled New York Strip Loin with fried onions, but he adds a dab of melting poblano butter with South American spices for the surprise element. “My cuisine of choice is American Grill,” says Arnesen, “but I love to work with infusions of different cultures and flavors."

Joe Lipton feels that these chefs and restaurateurs are a perfect example of how much York has to offer in the way of great food. Lipton hired Chef Taylor Miller to expand the menu at Inn on the Blues, and he says it’s all part of a three-phase plan he established when he opened five years ago. “My first priority was the music,” says Lipton, “and then I wanted to work on the guest suites, and now it’s the food and atmosphere.” This winter he completed the addition of a cozy upstairs cocktail lounge that is adorned with a handmade wooden canoe and surfboard and outfitted with plush couches, dim lighting, and relaxing music. Ultimately, Lipton wants Inn on the Blues to be known as “a great restaurant that happens to have live music rather than a great place to see live music that happens to have food.”

Chef Miller has kept the basic pub menu, but with everything made from scratch and sourced locally and sustainably whenever possible. Swingin’ BBQ Wings are tossed with crunchy pomegranate seeds and Miller’s tangy pome-granate barbeque sauce, while Chicken Oscar is adorned with morsels of Maine crabmeat. Miller’s Inn The Buff Burger features beef from Creekstone Farms, a reputable producer of Angus beef known for their humane farming practices. “We like the fact that we’re casual,” says Miller, “but it doesn’t take away from the quality.”

Lipton views Miller, Mace, and the others as Shire’s peers, at least in terms of enthusiasm. He describes the scenario by way of a basketball analogy. “Lydia Shire is like an NBA champ. She’s been in the game for years, she’s introduced new moves, she’s got the ring, and Taylor and these other guys are kind of like the college recruits; they’re hungry for success and they’re ready to sweat.” He continues with the analogy, asking, “Will the recruits run harder and shoot better with a champ on the court? You bet.  Will they play more intensely now that the champ has packed the house? Absolutely,” he says.

Chef Susan Regis, Shire’s longtime collaborator, was at press time the second in command at Blue Sky, and says she has been pleasantly surprised at the caliber of restaurants she has encountered along the Seacoast. “When I arrived here, I was impressed with the culinary scene, not just York, but Wells, Portsmouth, Ogunquit. I see the care taken, especially with using local producers. I’m happy the scene is so evolved.” Originally, Regis was brought in just to get the restaurant up and running, and she says, “I didn’t plan on being here this long, but I’ve been somewhat seduced by York. It’s just so beautiful.”

The menu at Blue Sky is a bit more inventive and daring than York Beach has seen previously. A pan roast of lobster pairs with button ravioli. Charcoaled Duck Steak with Jason’s West Indies’ Coconut Curry promises more than your usual seared duck breast, and Duck Confit with a Spritz of Burnt Orange and Thinnest Spring Onion Tart sounds downright poetic.

“We spend a lot of painstaking time making the language different and interesting,” says Regis, but she adds that it only works if there is flavor to back it up. Duck is referred to as steak simply because it tastes just like steak, says Regis, and “thinnest spring onion tart” is meant to convey the thin, crispy-crackly crust that results from using rice paper instead of pastry or yeast dough.

For her part, Shire harbors a genuine fondness for the area, having spent summers in Ogunquit since she was a child, and she says that part of her philosophy, no matter where the location, is to respect the dining public and to assume they are sophisticated and expect good food. “It’s no different here in terms of people,” she says, “it’s the same people you meet in Boston and New York. It’s people that love good food, and they love this area.”

Joe Lipton definitely sees himself as someone who fits that description, and he envisions great things for York Beach. Walking along, he takes a quick tour through the Atlantic House and displays genuine enthusiasm for the entire project. In addition to Blue Sky, the 100-year-old building now houses a luxury spa, a wine and cheese shop, and Shire’s new bakery, Clara’s Cupcake Café. The challenge, says Lipton, is to keep the character of a quintessential beach town while satisfying contemporary tastes. He continues down Beach Street and stops in front of the giant Bowling sign next to the Fun-O-Rama arcade. “Some people think those should go,” he says laughing, “but I like them.”

New England Trifle
Serves 4
York Harbor Inn/Chef Gerry Bonsey, CEC, AAC

1 cup milk
1⁄4 cup cornmeal
1 cup cold water
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄3 cup plus 1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon butter, melted
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 cups diced pound cake
11⁄2 pints vanilla ice cream
Whipped cream, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch casserole pan. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat milk to scalding.
2. In a bowl, whisk together cornmeal, cold water, and salt. Whisk cornmeal mixture into hot milk and cook, stirring constantly, for 3–5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat.
3. In another bowl, combine eggs, sugar, molasses, butter, cinnamon, and ginger. Slowly pour hot cornmeal mixture into egg mixture, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition.
4. Pour mixture into prepared casserole pan and bake at 350°F for about 1 hour or until thickened, stirring occasionally to prevent lumps.
5. Arrange 4 parfait cups on counter. When pudding is done, remove from oven and scoop about 1⁄3 cup into bottom of each cup. Place about 1⁄3 cup diced pound cake in each cup. Place about 1⁄3 cup vanilla ice cream in each cup. Repeat with remaining parfait ingredients. Garnish each trifle with a dollop of whipped cream.
Serve immediately.

Braised Veal Cheek Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4–6
Union Bluff Hotel/Chef Karl Mace

Chef Mace serves Braised Veal Cheek Mashed Potatoes as part of his Veal Three Ways, which also includes bacon-wrapped veal filet and pan-fried veal sweetbreads.

1⁄2 cup red wine
2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
1⁄2 cup minced shallots
1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1⁄4 teaspoon whole black or white peppercorns
12 ounces trimmed veal cheek, cut into 3- or 4-ounce pieces
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons oil, or as needed, for searing
1⁄2 cup chopped onion
1⁄2 cup chopped celery
1⁄2 cup chopped carrots
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups veal, beef, or chicken stock
4 cups mashed potatoes, freshly prepared and piping hot

1. In a large, nonreactive bowl, mix together red wine, 1 teaspoon garlic, shallots, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Submerge veal cheeks in marinade and refrigerate several hours, or overnight.
2. Remove veal from marinade and pat dry. Strain and reserve marinade.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Season veal on all sides with salt and black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet until quite hot and sear veal on all sides. Remove veal to deep-sided 2-quart casserole and set aside.
4. Add 2 more tablespoons oil to skillet. Add onions, celery, carrot, and remaining garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent and vegetables are beginning to brown. Whisk in tomato paste, stock, and reserved marinade to pan and bring to a boil. Pour mixture over veal in casserole pan. Cover casserole with a tight-fitting lid, or with aluminum foil, place in 350°F oven, and bake for 21⁄2 to 3 hours, or until veal is beginning to fall apart. Remove veal from cooking liquid and place on a platter until cool enough to handle.
5. Strain cooking liquid into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until it is reduced to a thick, sauce-like consistency. 
6. Pull or cut veal cheeks into bite-sized pieces and fold into piping hot mashed potatoes. Serve as an accompaniment to roasts or chops. Use reduced cooking liquid as a sauce. 

Swingin’ BBQ Wings with Pomegranate Barbeque Sauce
Serves 4–6
Inn on the Blues/Chef Taylor Miller

11⁄2 pounds chicken wings
Salt and black pepper to taste
6 tablespoons butter or olive oil
2 cups Pomegranate Barbeque Sauce, hot (recipe below)
1⁄2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

1. Season chicken wings evenly with salt and black pepper.
2. In a deep skillet, heat butter or oil over medium-high heat. Fry chicken wings for 4–5 minutes per side, until crispy and cooked through. Turn wings as needed for even browning, and adjust heat as needed to avoid burning.
3. Remove wings to a bowl and, while still hot, toss with 1 cup Pomegranate Barbeque Sauce and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately with remaining sauce for dipping.

Pomegranate Barbeque Sauce
Makes about 2 cups

2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground chipotle peppers
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon mustard powder
11⁄2 cup finely diced onion
2 cups ketchup
1⁄4 cup molasses
1⁄2 cup pomegranate molasses*
1⁄4 cup brown sugar
1⁄4 cup whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin, chili powder, chipotle, coriander, and mustard seed and toast in bottom of pan, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, until spices begin to release a pungent, toasty aroma.
2. Add remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 hours, stirring frequently. Brush onto meats for grilling, or serve warm as dipping sauce. Sauce can be cooled and stored, covered, in refrigerator for several days.

* Available in specialty food shops

A Johnson and Wales graduate, Paula Sullivan trained with Jasper White in Boston and was sous-chef at Lindbergh’s Crossing in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Her work has appeared in the Culinary Institute of America’s Kitchen and Cook, The Wire, and the Portsmouth Herald.