Vignola Cinque Terre, the Italian restaurant at 10 Dana St. in Portland, has a new executive chef.

Mitchell Ryan, who has worked at the restaurant since 2011, has been promoted, replacing longtime chef Lee Skawinski.

The decision was made by owners Dan and Michelle Kary, who “just thought it was time to make a change,” said Jonas Werner, a restaurant consultant working with the Karys. Skawinski had a small ownership share, Werner said, which reverted back to the Karys when he left.

Ryan will continue the restaurant’s commitment to using Maine ingredients, Werner said, and will add more local seafood to the menu. Customer favorites will remain, such as the handmade rigatoni with pork and lamb Bolognese, and no changes are planned to “what makes Vignola Vignola, which is a lot of food that’s coming from farms that they’ve built relationships with over the years,” Werner said.

Vignola Cinque Terre was one of the early leaders in the region’s farm-to-table movement, sourcing produce, honey, pigs and other farm products from Grand View, the Kary’s farm in Greene.

Skawinski could not be reached for comment.


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