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Passionate Culinary Personality

Winners of the Passionate Culinary Personalities Contest

The votes are in and counted! Meet our Ten Passionate Culinary Personalities!

These winning personalities bring an energy, vitality, expertise, and passion to Annapolis and Anne Arundel County’s restaurant scene. Our restaurants are one of the strongest assets, and we want the world to know it. We realize many travelers often plan their vacations around the cuisine of an area. They also choose a restaurant for its personality as much as its culinary expertise. We want to make it easier for foodies to find a fit that is right for them.

So, take a moment to find out a few things about our passionate personalities, and if you find yourself at any of these establishments, make sure to say hello.

Barrett, James - Azure
Chase, Di and Ken - Aqua Terra of Annapolis
Dressler, Dean - Gordon Biersch Brewery
Galway, Fintan - Galway Bay
Jennings, John - Rams Head Tavern
Levitt, Ted - Chick & Ruth’s Delly
Paine, William - Eggcellence Breakfast Brunchery
Sewell, Craig - A Cook’s Café
Sokolowski, Philip - Severn Inn
Trice, Jerry - Sam’s on the Waterfront

	1. Barrett, James Azure The Westin Annapolis 100 Westgate Circle Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 410-972-4300 www.azureannapolis.com Chef Barrett comes alive when creating every dish. He has spent many a day off in the kitchen experimenting with liquid nitrogen in making all flavors of ice cream to spherification, creating dishes and accoutrements with everything from strawberry’s, oils, purees and garlic. Chef Barrett is personable and eager to mentor everyone who takes an interest in the culinary field. His enthusiasm is contagious. No cook book is safe if it sits on your desk too long, you will find him in the kitchen standing over it like he is studying for final exams the last semester of medical school. Chef Barrett is the King of Food in the Hotel, and we believe, in Annapolis.
	2. Chase, Di and Ken Aqua Terra of Annapolis Annapolis Restaurant Week Participant (see our menu) 164 Main Street Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 410-263-1985 www.aquaterraofannapolis.com Ken and Di, owner/chefs of Aqua Terra can’t be separated; they are the ultimate Passionate Culinary Personality Pair. They are Aqua Terra, from their warm greeting at the door, to the inviting atmosphere, to their incredible and inventive menu, to their expert food preparation with delightful presentation, to their attentive and professional service. They do it all… together. And, they do it all beautifully, with dedication, energy, vitality, and knowledge. Their passion and energy are palpable, putting in endless hours, handling every aspect of their business with friendly smiles and attention to detail.
	3. Dressler, Dean Gordon Biersch Brewery 1906 Towne Circle Blvd Suite 155 Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 410-266-5965 www.gordonbiersch.com During his tenure with our company Deano has risen from the ranks of line cook to become one of the youngest chefs with our brand. Deano's passion became evident when he was young working with his family in their baking business. He honed his skills at several smaller restaurants in North Carolina, before beginning his career with the Gordon Biersch Restaurant Group at one of our locations at Charlotte NC. His likeable personality continued to propel him through each station as he rose through the ranks. This go-getter attitude made him a suitable candidate for Sous Chef at one of the first outposts in Virginia (Tysons Corner), and after soaking up all the knowledge he could under chef Mosley, he was ready for his own location in Virginia Beach. Deano was the opening Chef for the location and his grass roots approach to cooking and his involvement in the community continue here in Annapolis. Deano's team has a profound respect for him because of the care and kindness that he shows to each and every employee that works under him. He brings his passion for food and fresh sustainable cuisine to each and every special that he designs for our location. He uses international flavors to accent these dishes, and also new and innovative techniques for preparation. The plates he creates are as colorful as his personality (not to mention his stint at a tattoo parlor as a piercer, and artist) and are a delight to eat. Deano is not satisfied until every guest, every time walks out of the restaurant with a smile on their face. For that reason alone his is my choice as culinary personality.
	4. Galway, Fintan Galway Bay, Annapolis Restaurant Week Participant (see our menu) 63 Maryland Ave. Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 410-263-8333 www.galwaybayannapolis.com Upon entering Galway Bay, the Irish pub nestled within historic Maryland Avenue, you immediately drop your shoulders, exhale a long overdue sigh, and immediately soak up the warmth contained within the aged walls of this unique eating establishment. But the experience is only beginning. During your meal, you will most certainly be greeted warmly by Galway Bay’s own Fintan Galway. Fintan is the personification of the traditional Irish welcome and is most certainly the embodiment of the hospitality you feel as you kick back and enjoy Galway Bay’s Irish fare. Local talk, a big bear hug and enthusiastic recommendations from the menu are sure to ensue. His intimate knowledge of the menu and spirited descriptions of the dishes tempt even the most timid patron. If you’re looking for Irish Charm and a passionate culinary personality; Fintan Galway is it!
	5. Jennings, John Rams Head Tavern Annapolis Restaurant Week Participant (see our menu) 33 West Street Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone:410-268-4545 www.ramsheadtavern.com Most locals, patrons that have been coming to Rams Head might know him as JJ. He’s been a chef for over twenty years and has worked for Rams Head Company for sixteen. He’s clever when it come to preparing Holiday specials, he makes amazing daily specials that always leave you wanting more, and he’s passionate about cooking. I asked him why he loved to cook. He said, “I love cooking because it allows me to experiment, use different ingredients, and have people enjoy something that I have created”. Anytime I have ever been around him at work. He’s always smiling, and making sure that everyone’s food is prepared correcting and tasting delicious. He a great cook, a great supervisor, and a hard worker. And, I couldn’t have picked anyone better than him.
	6. Levitt, Ted Chick & Ruth’s Delly 165 Main Street Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 410-269-6737 www.chickandruths.com The colorful, amiable owner and operator of Chick & Ruth’s Delly, Ted Levitt, is undeniably a Passionate Culinary Personality. If you have any doubt, stop by his Main Street restaurant for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, seven days a week. If you don’t see Ted behind the counter wearing his signature cap and bow tie, it could be because he’s performing table-side magic for families of all ages or because he is handing out licorice to the kids. If you visit Chick & Ruth’s on weekdays at 8:30 a.m. or on weekends at 9:30 a.m., you will find Ted planted in front of a huge American flag leading the Pledge of Allegiance. Ted is an Annapolis institution, a larger than life personality who is passionate about life and its possibilities. Midshipmen consider Chick & Ruth’s a home away from home, and legislative hopefuls include the restaurant as a must stop along the campaign trail. Ted’s customers come for his bounteous signature dishes as much as for the warm welcome that lets them know all is well in their world for the brief moment they are in Ted’s care.
	7. Paine, William Eggcellence Breakfast Brunchery 2625 Housley Road Annapolis, Maryland 21401 Phone: 410-573-9503 www.eggcellencebrunchery.com I interviewed Will for a segment in What's Up? Annapolis' What's the Dish? video series. Will is completely committed, not only to the restaurant, but to the culinary arts in general. He started cooking for his family when he was a child and this instill in him the idea that food really can bring people together. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, so he is certainly knowledgeable and is always discussing food and techniques with guests. Will works up front to greet guests, works in the kitchen, and appeared in the What's the Dish? video—he is definitely the "face" of Eggcellence. His personality, charm, and good looks make him great for on-camera.
	8. Sewell, Craig A Cook’s Café 911 Commerce Road, Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 410-266-1511 www.acookscafe.com Cook's Cafe is a popular lunch place for local and not-so-local office workers. Indeed, many people travel across town to have lunch here. It provides both sit down and carry out. Although ostensibly simple fare, with a full selection of sandwiches, salads and soups, owner-chef Craig Sewell compliments the regular menu with daily specials, everything from comfort-food like chicken pot pie to gourmet offerings such as sautéed rockfish. Two things make the food standout. First is the sheer quality of even the most humble offerings. The chicken pot pie beats mama's. The tuna melt, carefully and individually prepared, has a taste that belies the simplicity of the dish. All the soups, from carrot and ginger to turkey chile, are outstanding. Second, Craig uses local produce whenever he can, fresh, in-season vegetables, and meat from local farmers. The passion is obvious to anyone who eats there. Craig is passionate about food, about flavor, and about sustainable, local agriculture. It all shows in the taste and flavor of his simple dishes.
	9. Sokolowski, Philip Severn Inn, Annapolis Restaurant Week Participant (see our menu) 1993 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 410-349-4000 www.severninn.com The Severn Inn’s Executive Chef, Philip Sokolowski has been a fixture in the Annapolis culinary world for over 15 years. In 1993, Philip became the Executive Chef of Sam’s Waterfront Café and transformed a hidden and unknown restaurant into a local favorite. In 2006, Mr. Sokolowski was hired by the Severn Inn to help revive a restaurant whose fare was considered unspectacular at best. In the four years since taking over at the Severn Inn, the restaurant’s popularity has soared among locals and visitors alike. While some of the Severn Inn’s reputation is certainly due to its view, without consistently exquisite production from the kitchen, even the most prized locations cannot stay in business. Last week, the Navy football program began bringing new recruits and their parents to dinner at the Severn Inn. Following the meal, the party asked the kitchen staff to come into the dining room where they gave Chef Philip and the rest of the team a standing ovation.
	10. Trice, Jerry Sam’s on the Waterfront Annapolis Restaurant Week Participant (see our menu) 2020 Chesapeake Harbor Dr., East Annapolis, MD 21403 Phone: 410-263-3600 www.samsonthewaterfront.com As a mere child Chef Jerry Trice was always fascinated by his grandfather's sources of food which came from hunting, fishing and gardening. One can only imagine how cool it was to find deer and turkeys hanging in his garage through the awestruck eyes of a child. And furthermore to see the game and fish come to life on the plate just hours later. A greater appreciation of the food chain indeed was immediately born. Other neighborhood kids were squeamish about eating his grandfather's local cuisine but Trice knew where his food came from! Sorry, no spaghetti O's there. This passion of sourcing products still lies with Trice to this day. The road to becoming a professional culinarian was not a direct one for him. Jerry's first passion was art. Under the most influential local Fredericksburg, VA artist, Johnny Johnson, he gained entrance into V.C.U. school of the arts, graduating majoring in painting and printmaking. Teaching him the fundamentals of design. On this journey of knowledge came an unanticipated twist just after art school. To get a cheap season pass for summer glacier skiing on the west coast, Trice chose to become a part-time employee at an esteemed mountain lodge. This lodge's culinary program was, and still is, guided by master chef Leif Eric Benson. Trice quickly irritated chef, full time now, about the how's and why's of cooking and the industry until Benson quickly pointed out that he needed formal training and became instrumental into making sure Jerry got into C.I. A. in Hyde Park N.Y. Trice shifted his design background full-force to capture the essentials of cooking. The fundamentals of design are now carried over from visual to the plate. A new medium. On this foundation Trice quickly moved up through top restaurants in D.C., eventually landing in Annapolis at Yin Yankee Cafe in 2000. Bringing fresh flavors to predictable mainstream Main street, he as warmly welcomed in the open kitchen-hard to miss towering in the tiny kitchen. Trice's quest for the freshest as well as the local and unusual was exemplified in an unexpected find, the Chinese northern snakehead fish, Crofton's own. Trice featured the Frankenfish in a much different light than the DNR, turning it into a full menu receiving national attention. Anyone having met Trice will certainly his accommodation sprit as well as his dry wit, being called the Bill Murray of the culinary circuit. Now executive chef at Sam's on the waterfront, he is a fixture in the front of the house, regularly visiting with customers new and old.