That award-winning delicious bite created by Lori Mitchell/Boothbay Craft Brewery for Claw Down in June, taking both Judge's Choice and People's Choice awards, was awarded the People's Choice at the Harvest on the Harbor 2024 Lobster Chef of the Year competition held in Portland on Oct. 25 at O'Maine Studios.

This lobster bite begins with a warm V-notched pretzel filled with lobster in a supreme cream sauce, that is then topped with sea salt, lemon zest and roe.

Mitchell's mother-in-law, Tancy Mitchell, was at the event.  "They were surprised and thrilled, of course. The team made 400 bites and served all but 2!"

Cody Mitchell, Paul McGuire and Sharon Fortune comprised the Boothbay Craft Brewery team at the event.  

Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lisa Walby and husband Ben Rankin were at the event.  Recalled Walby, "All the bites were delicious, but there was a buzz about their bite. When we were waiting in line to get inside, we met this couple from California in front of us. Later on we saw them again inside and the husband said, 'Oh my gosh! That bite was SO good we gave them one of our tokens!"

Walby explained all attendees receive three tokens to vote for their three favorite bites.

After announcing all of the award winners, one more announcement followed. Noted Walby, “Boothbay Craft Brewery and Finest Kind received a special mention for having been considered for judge's choice runners up!”

And now, all of the award winning chefs in the 2024 Maine Lobster Chef of the Year competition:

Judge's Choice for Maine Lobster Chef of 2024 is Chef Wilson Rothschild and Al Zoni of Terlingua and Ocotillo in Portland. They earned the judges' choice with a Maine Lobster and Corn Blini accompanied by a guajillo Hollandaise, crispy potatoes, and fresh chives.

Winning People's First Runner-Up: Chef David Brown, of Sea Glass at Inn By The Sea in Cape Elizabeth, served a delicious Lobster Samosa filled with potato, English peas, scallion chutney, and tamarind.

People's Choice Second Runner-Up: Chef Austin Miller of Mami in Portland earned the people's vote with an impressive and delicate Lobster Shumai—lobster farce, creamy ponzu, mentaiko, and negi.