We’re excited to add to new additions to our team — Maitre d’ Jean-Baptiste Darcourt and Sous Chef Juan Gil.

Juan Gil is a native of Chile and received his training at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, completing the Grand Diplome de Cuisine et Patisserie in 2001. After the completion of his studies, he was awarded an internship at Les Ambassadeurs, holder of two Michelin Stars at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris. Gil holds extensive experience as a pastry chef, working at the Sheraton Hotel in Santiago, Chile and The Brasserie on Grand Cayman Island. He previously worked as the Head Chef at Solana Restaurant at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, one of the finest Grand Cayman restaurants. Most recently, Gil was the Sous Chef and Head Pastry Chef of Koalkeel in Anguilla, where he was in charge of the bakery and French pastry shop. He also served as the Private Chef for Villa Modena in Anguilla. Gil brings with him extensive knowledge of classic French technique, fitting with the culinary emphasis on technique at Natalie’s.

Jean-Baptiste Darcourt comes to Natalie’s from his previous post as Restaurant Manager at Restaurant Du Glace in Deep River, CT. With over twenty-five years experience in the food and beverage industry, he has worked in such varied locales as New England, California, and Hawaii. While serving as Director of Restaurant at The Third Floor at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel in Hawaii, the restaurant won the Travel Holiday magazine award two years in a row and was honored with the AAA Four Diamond Award. While at Alexander’s at the Los Angeles Hilton, the restaurant received three stars from the California Restaurant Writers Association two years in a row. Another restaurant under his tutelage to receive the AAA Four Diamond Award is the Saybrook Point Inn and Spa of Connecticut, accepting the honor in both 2006 and 2008. The Inn also received the Zagat Award in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Earlier this summer we were named as one of the 50 best experiences in the world by one of the most important travel magazines, Sherman’s Travel, and our guests come with high expectations. We are thrilled to be able to bring two such tremendously talented and experienced individuals to Camden and to Natalie’s. It will help us to continue our journey of excellence and further secure our position among the very best properties in the world. Juan has trained at some of the most prestigious restaurants in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and will be a tremendous asset to our kitchen and Jean-Baptiste brings great knowledge and understanding in management of properties similar to our own.

We’re very happy to have them both on board and look forward to introducing them to everyone, please stop by to say hello and welcome them to Maine.

Chef Vongerichten is to foodies what Eddie Vedder is to rock fans and Tom Brady is to sports fans. The energy in his restaurants resembles crowded stadiums before the band takes the stage. It’s the stuff of dreams. So for me it was a dream coming true to be able to cook alongside Chef Vongerichten.

Together with Melissa Kelly (Primo restaurant in Rockland), Michael Leviton (Persephone Boston and Lumiere in Newton) and Jean Geroges Vongerichten (among many restaurants: Jean Georges New York) we were asked to prepare a five course dinner to raise funds for ICEC (Island Culinary and Ecological Center). ICEC is a non-profit that teaches people the benefits of healthy eating and cooking, using regional and sustainable products.

I was asked to create the appetizers and used Frenchman’s Bay diver urchins, Bagduce, Long Cove and Damariscotta oysters to prepare a raw bar of oysters; a Nori and Matsutake “cocktail” and Kombu butter, poached quail egg, sea urchin with a cauliflower and urchin emulsion.

Jean Georges prepared a Stonington Lobster and Frenchman’s Bay sea urchin potato butter, five star nursery green apples and chili. Melissa’s highlight was the coffee rubbed and slow braised pork with wild apples and local ginger. Michael created a sweet corn soup with Stonington Peekytoe Crab and a corn and basil fondue.

It was a culinary highlight I will always remember.

At Natalie’s at Camden Harbour Inn we just launched our new a la carte menu and a new bar menu will be launched next week. First feedback I got is amazing; I hope y’all come in to join us on our culinary journey.

Savoir Gourmand! Lawrence Klang, Executive Chef