What's New at Flag Hill

May 20, 2007

Chef Ted McCormack was honored as the 2007 ACF Piscataqua Chapter Chef of the Year at the 22nd annual Chef’s Gala, held at the Wentworth by the Sea on Sunday, May 20, 2007. Nominees are voted on by Piscataqua chapter members, which encompasses chefs in the southern Maine and New Hampshire Seacoast area. The award, presented to Chef McCormack, currently of the Ferguson-Davis Dining Room at Flag Hill, recognizes career achievements and support of the local ACF chapter. The American Culinary Federation is a non-profit organization that provides services to the local community through various programs, including the “Chef and Child Program” and the “James Applebee Scholarship Program”. Members help raise funds, donating their time, money, and effort and are supported each year by local property owners and businesses.

Chef Ted McCormack, a graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI, began his culinary path at Caesar’s Lake Tahoe, NV. His career then took him to Euro Disney in Paris, France where he furthered his culinary education, learning a from a diverse European staff. Following his work in Paris, Chef McCormack came home to New Hampshire where he met his wife to be, Wendy, while a line cook at Molly Malone’s in Portsmouth. They traveled together to Northwest Arkansas where Chef McCormack was Kitchen Manager of Ozark Brewing Company where he first started buying from an impressive Farmers Market for Nightly Specials and enjoyed perfecting local favorites which included anything with chicken, especially Gumbo and Smoked Chicken. The engaged couple returned to New Hampshire where Chef McCormack started at Ron’s Landing in Hampton as Sous Chef. After seven years and a promotion to Executive Chef, Ted helped found Willow Pond Community Farm in Brentwood, NH. Chef McCormack further developed a network of local farms from which he could buy fresh, local ingredients for the restaurant. He then went on to Three Chimneys Inn in Durham, NH as Executive Chef where he developed a relationship with New Hampshire Farm to Restaurant Connection, which links NH farm and food producers with New Hampshire restaurants.

Chef McCormack is currently the Executive Chef at Flag Hill Winery in Lee, NH where he continues to put into action the ideas and visions of sustainable agriculture utilizing relationships with organizations such as NH Farm to Restaurant Connection, Slow Food, and Seacoast Eat Local. Ted is currently working with an extensive list of local producers to bring fine New England Regional Cuisine to Flag Hill. Flag Hill is proud to feature this excellent talent as they share the philosophy of a local sustainable agricultural economy. Chef McCormack has been supporting local farms for several years and is now creating monthly Localvore Menus at Flag Hill to celebrate the best of what is "in season”.

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