Cape Abilities Champion Chefs
Thank you to these local chefs who “champion” Cape Abilities mission every day. They have helped us expand Cape Abilities Farm and provide paid jobs for people with disabilities. We’re honored and grateful for their support.
Melissa Allen, Executive Chef, Lyric
Melissa Allen, Executive Chef, Lyric
43 Route 6A, Yarmouth Port
774-330-0000
Background: Melissa’s passion for cooking took root at a young age when she helped her mother, a minister’s wife, prepare dinners the family regularly hosted in their Barnstable home. She was trained by chefs in several fine Cape venues including Blue Moon and Heather before coming to Lyric and working her way up to executive chef.
Philosophy: “I like starting with the most basic ingredients and trying to make something that really sings. Like with bread, starting with flour, yeast and salt and creating something that transcends the ingredients.”
Favorite ingredients: “Ingredients indigenous to the area. In summer I love fresh corn and native tomatoes. I love the peppery life of arugula. And the shellfish I grew up scratching for on the shores here.”
Why she supports Cape Abilities: “My father has been a guardian to a fellow who has been in the Cape Abilities program since it was Nauset Workshop. I was so honored to be asked to help.”
Bill Atwood, Chef/Owner, Red Pheasant
Bill Atwood, Chef/Owner, Red Pheasant
905 Route 6A, Dennis
508-385-2133
Background: Bill learned to cook from his Swiss-trained chef dad, William Atwood, Sr., who launched the Red Pheasant in 1977. Bill came to Cape Cod to help his father, and fell in love with both the Cape and the kitchen. He transformed the French-inspired menu to one of creative and classic cuisine, with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Philosophy: “It’s all about fresh, local ingredients. Everything is made in-house—there are no shortcuts.”
Favorite Ingredients: “I’m partial to lamb. Striped bass is another favorite. I love using citrus, and salt is great for bringing out the flavor of fresh foods.”
Why he supports Cape Abilities: “I like to give back to the community, and this auction is an opportunity to support a great organization.”
Shareef Badaway, Executive Chef, Brewster Fish House
Shareef Badaway, Executive Chef, Brewster Fish House
2208 Route 6A, Brewster
508-896-7867
Background: A native of Syracuse, Shareef spent summers on Cape Cod growing up, so it was natural that after graduating from the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan he came to try his culinary hand here. He worked at Brewster Fish House for six years before stepping into the top post in 2011.
Philosophy: “Simplicity is the key to elegance. I like taking a key ingredient and not doing too much to it—nature gives us what we can cook, we’re just the technicians.”
Favorite Ingredients: “I like working with fluke and tuna in summer, and Jonah crab, which is definitely underutilized. I love fresh produce from local farms—I’m fascinated by all the varieties of lettuce that are available.”
Why he supports Cape Abilities: “It’s great, what Cape Abilities does. There’s so much going on there. It is wonderful.”
Anthony Cole, Executive Chef, Chatham Bars Inn
Anthony Cole, Executive Chef, Chatham Bars Inn
Shore Road, Chatham
508-945-0096
Background: Raised in Connecticut, Anthony attended Johnson and Wales University and began his career with the Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta. He then joined the Ritz-Carlton, Naples before becoming Executive Chef at the Four-Diamond Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis. He is happy to be back in New England.
Philosophy: “We try to make everything from scratch. Even in a large resort like this, we make all our own soups, sauces, dressings—we smoke our own salmon and do our own ice carving. We cook very seasonally, we use local produce, locally-made cheeses, and of course local seafood.”
Favorite ingredients: “I really love seafood. One of the joys of being here on Cape Cod is the pristine quality of product—it’s really a blessing.
Why he supports Cape Abilities: “It’s a great way to give back to the community.”
Joe Dunn, Chef/Owner, Island Merchant
Joe Dunn, Chef/Owner, Island Merchant
302 Main Street, Hyannis
508-771-1337
Background: Joe and his wife, Bev, were partners in a Washington, DC catering group that catered for the Washington Redskins when a yearning to return to New England brought the Boston area natives to Cape Cod in 2004. They purchased The Prodigal Son and transformed it into The Island Merchant, a venue for both fine dining and music. They opened The Islander in Osterville a few years later, opened a snack bar at Craigville Beach the same year, and in 2011 opened Summer Stock in Dennis.
Philosophy: “Keep it simple. Don’t take yourself too seriously, but take the food seriously.”
Favorite Ingredients: “Cippolini onions, chives from our garden—and I couldn’t cook without chicken stock.”
Why he supports Cape Abilities: “We love the produce from Cape Abilities Farm, but what really pulled us in was we just really liked the idea of what they were doing.”
Weldon Fizell, Chef/Owner, Regatta
Weldon Fizell, Chef/Owner, Regatta
4631 Route 28, Cotuit
508-428-5715
Background: After graduating from Johnson and Wales University, Weldon launched his culinary career in Atlanta, but eventually returned to New England to work at the Regatta, the Coonamessett Inn and Chatham Bars Inn, where he became executive chef. He was also executive chef at the Hyannis Port Club before realizing his dream of owning his own restaurant.
Philosophy: “I try to keep it basic. I like to do recognizable foods, prepared in the best way we can. Fine dining is an experience and so the food must be an experience.”
Favorite Ingredient: “Sauce is the most important thing. In the French style, a sauce finishes every plate.”
Why he supports Cape Abilities: “It’s a great thing that they do. We have an employee from Cape Abilities. And the produce from Cape Abilities Farm is amazing.”
Toby T. Hill, Executive Chef, Pain D’Avignon
Toby T. Hill, Executive Chef, Pain D’Avignon
15 Hinkley Road, Hyannis
508-778-8588
Background: A graduate of Johnson and Wales University, Toby worked at a number of celebrated New England restaurants including Chillingsworth, Chatham Bars Inn and the Federalist at the XV Beacon Hotel before joining Pain D’Avignon two years ago.
Philosophy: “Enjoy what you’re doing. Just have fun with it. Try to study up on new and interesting things. We joke around in the kitchen, we play, but we’re very serious about food.”
Favorite Ingredients: “I really don’t have any. There are a bunch of ingredients I love, like caviar, but I will try everything. I’m always trying to do something new.”
Why he supports Cape Abilities: “I’m a big fan of local products, and of Cape Abilities. This way I can have fresh produce delivered and I’m also helping people—it’s a double whammy with Cape Abilities.”
Martha Kane, Chef/Owner, Fin
Martha Kane, Chef/Owner, Fin
800 Route 6A, Dennis
508-385-2096
Background: Formerly executive chef at Brewster Fish House, Martha opened Fin in the spring of 2011 with her husband, oysterman Jonathan Smith. Trained as an artist, she turned her love of cooking into an artistic pursuit.
Philosophy: “I just like to be creative. Cook what you love, use fresh food and you can’t go wrong. It’s all about the fresh food—I don’t want to cook out of a freezer.”
Favorite Ingredients: I really like working with shellfish—obviously, as my husband’s an oysterman. We’ve been getting whole bay scallops…And all that great summer stuff like tomatoes and herbs. And I have to admit, lots of butter.”
Why she supports Cape Abilities: “It’s a great organization. I like the fact that it helps people on Cape Cod. Plus I just love going to Cape Abilities Farm, everybody there is so enthusiastic—and the tomatoes are wonderful.”
Paul Lively, Chef Paul’s Cuisine
Paul Lively, Chef Paul’s Cuisine
2628 Route 6A, Brewster
774-263-2751
Background: Renown for his truffles, Chef Paul has created pastries for the Oscar and Grammy awards, and was chosen by Hershey’s Chocolate to create a new cookie recipe. Formerly pastry chef at the Russian Tea Room and the 21 Club, he owns the Chocolate Peddler in Brewster.
Philosophy: “I’m a chef who cooks by season. I use a lot of fresh seafood, organic foods as much as possible and I infuse, so flavors are concentrated and blended.”
Favorite Ingredients: “As a chocolatier, one favorite is chocolate. But I do a lot of infusions, so herbs, too. I like using different types of meat, things that are unusual—anything from rabbit to antelope.”
Why he supports Cape Abilities: “I believe everybody is equal. Just because you have a disability, you’re not less than anybody else. Everybody should have a fair chance. By empowering people with disabilities—and we all have a disability of one kind or another—you are providing the heart, blood and soul of people.”
Florence Lowell, Chef/Co-Owner, Naked Oyster
Florence Lowell, Chef/Owner, Naked Oyster
410 Main Street, Hyannis
508-778-6500
Background: A native of France, Florence attended college in Texas and spent a number of years in the restaurant business there before coming to Cape Cod, where her restaurant’s namesake is close to her heart. Growing up near Bordeaux, Florence spent many summers in Arcachon, a major French oyster farming center, and today she and her husband, Dr. David Lowell, have their own oyster farm in West Barnstable.
Philosophy: “My focus is on fresh, artful bistro food that pleases the eye and the palate. And I embrace the tradition of the bistro: Relax, eat, drink. Enjoy conversation with friends. Be entertained, satisfied and leave feeling recharged.”
Favorite Ingredients: “The number one thing I love to work with is fresh herbs, from my own garden. And of course all the seafood we have here. Fresh is what I look for in everything.”
Why she supports Cape Abilities: “For me, it’s being able to have fantastic farm produce and at the same time provide jobs for people with disabilities.”
John Lowell, East Dennis Oyster Farm
John Lowell, East Dennis Oyster Farm
484 Center Street, South Dennis
508-398-3123
Background: A commercial fisherman for years, John launched the East Dennis Oyster Farm in 2003 with his wife, Stephanie. “We run the business together. We’re a team,” says John, who calls his wife “the looks and the brains of the outfit.”
Philosophy: “More is not better, better is better.”
Favorite ingredients: Oysters, of course, served on the half shell. “They’re great in their natural state – the fresher the better.”
Why he supports Cape Abilities: “Awesome people and a very worthy cause.”
Erez Pinhas, Chef/Owner, ABBA
Erez Pinhas, Chef/Owner, ABBA
89 Old Colony Way, Orleans
508-255-8144
Background: An Israeli, Erez followed up his first career as a Captain in the parachute unit of the IDF by attending the Dan Culinary School of French Cooking in Tel Aviv. The contemporary Israeli culinary scene is exciting and comprehensive, drawing on ethnic cooking from all corners of the Jewish Diaspora as diverse as Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, India, Asia and South America, to create a very uniquely Israeli cuisine.
Philosophy: “Make it right and share it with great company.”
Favorite Ingredient: Erez is a Yemenite Jew, and throughout the centuries his community was always very active in the spice trade, and his culinary tradition is enriched with spices. “I’ve always been drawn to the spice markets of the world and fascinated with the spice ‘alchemists’ who guard their spice mix recipes through generations – and my constant attempts to crack their ‘codes’ and learn.”
Why he supports Cape Abilities: “How we live together with people with disabilities is an important indicator of our own humanity and who we are.”
Stephen Skelton, Personal Chef
Stephen Skelton, Personal Chef
Hyannis
774-487-7111
Background: Inspired by a high school cooking class, Stephen earned his culinary degree at Johnson & Wales University and returned to the Cape to launch a career that has included both cooking and dining room management. He currently works at Lyric and Fin.
Philosophy: “I make everything fresh, from scratch—ice cream and sorbets, breads, sauces. I believe in using local foods, with as little mileage on them as possible.”
Favorite Ingredients: “I especially like cooking anything that involves bacon, duck or foie gras—but I just like working with food. I enjoy cooking homemade food that most people won’t necessarily make at home.”
Why he supports Cape Abilities: “Cape Abilities is such a good cause. It’s a place for people with disabilities to work and be treated like anyone else.”
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