Steve and Michelle Corry, owners of Five Fifty-Five and Petite Jacqueline in Portland, have been named the 2020 Restaurateurs of the Year by HospitalityMaine, a trade group that represents the state’s restaurant and lodging industries.

The couple will accept the award March 31 at HospitalityMaine’s annual gala at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Portland.

The Corrys bought the corner building at 555 Congress St. in Portland 17 years ago, and opened their restaurant named for the address in just six weeks.

In 2007, Steve Corry was named one of the country’s “Best New Chefs” by Food and Wine magazine. Two years later, the couple opened Petite Jacqueline, a French bistro named after Michelle Corry’s grandmother. The bistro has since moved to Market Street in Portland’s Old Port district.

Michelle Corry, who manages the restaurants, is a former chair of the Maine Restaurant Association and was instrumental in guiding the trade group’s merger with the Maine Innkeepers Association to form HospitalityMaine. In a written statement, HospitalityMaine’s President and CEO Steve Hewins called her “a true leader” who has been willing to deal with the important issues affecting the restaurant industry in Maine.

HospitalityMaine also plans to present Scott Vogel, owner of The Front Porch in Ogunquit, with its Rising Star award. More awards will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for the March 31 gala are available through hospitalitymaine.com.

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