Notoriety boosts business at Hugo's
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Rob Evans, chef and co-owner of Hugo’s in Portland, says business has been booming since he won one of the food world's most coveted awards
It's only been two weeks since Rob Evans, chef and co-owner of Hugo's in Portland, took home one of the most highly coveted awards in the food world, but already he has seen business -- usually a bit slow in May -- double over last year, and he's been taking calls for reservations for months in advance.
On May 4, Evans became Maine's second chef to win the prestigious James Beard Foundation award for best chef in the Northeast. (Sam Hayward of Fore Street took home the title in 2004).
Called "the Oscars of the food world" by Time magazine, the award recognizes "chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence," according to the foundation. And while Evans agrees his restaurant's "unique and playful" style fits that bill, he went to New York City for the awards celebration ready to sport his gracious loser face. "It was our third nomination," Evans explains. "We knew what it was like from the last two times not to get our names called, so we didn't want to be let down."
But this time, Evans -- along with his wife and fellow Hugo's co-owner, Nancy Pugh -- left the Big Apple a winner.
Evans doesn't attribute this year's win to chance, but rather a new business model undertaken last year to carve out a niche for the Middle Street restaurant. Evans and Pugh have owned Hugo's since 2000, but found their pricey prix fixe menu was deterring a regular Portland crowd. "We were labeled as a special occasion restaurant," he says. Last year, Evans did away with the prix fixe menu, individually pricing the restaurant's signature medium-sized plate offerings. He also redid the bar area and added a lounge to draw in a more casual clientele. The changes not only brought more Portlanders into the restaurant, but attracted the attention of more high-profile foodies from New York City, food writers and members of the James Beard Foundation board, Evans says. "This [award] really solidifies us in the food community," he says.
For more on Evans, be sure to check out the June 1 issue of Mainebiz.
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