The chef of a country restaurant in Maine has won the prestigious James Beard Award
Lulu Ranta’s Filipino take on classic dishes has earned her the equivalent of an Academy Award.
Meyner is the recipient of the prestigious James Beard Award – considered one of the Oscars in the world of food. “I have my own restaurant – I call it Al Numan – and somehow Mr. Bird found me!” Lulu Ranta said tearfully as she accepted the award for outstanding hospitality at the award ceremony. Quarry, located in the small town of 671 people near Moosehead Lake, was Maine’s only James Beard Award winner. Ranta learned to cook while growing up in the Philippines. Her background appears on The Quarry’s menu, which is full of American favorites with a Filipino twist. Watch Below: Fine Dining at The Quarry in Maine Earned her culinary degree when she was 47 through Eastern Maine Community College, she says she opened her restaurant in Monson because she loves the city and her husband grew up there. Five years ago, Ranta was hired by the Libra Charitable Foundation, a charitable organization, to cook for artists-in-residence. The foundation invested $10 million in the city to create an art colony of sorts, the artists needed a place to eat, so Ranta created The Quarry. It’s great high street food, though she prefers to call it “fun dinner”. She says she never imagined a James Beard Award would find her, especially in Monsoon. Her appreciation for outstanding hospitality may have something to do with her singing and dancing when a customer celebrates a birthday. “I just walk around and I’m like—go like this and go—Happy Birthday to you—but then everyone laughs and everyone sings,” she said. Back in Maine, Lulu’s family, friends, and fellow foodies had the chance to watch the award ceremony on the big screen at the Center Theater for free. In a message posted to The Quarry’s Facebook page ahead of the award ceremony, employees wrote, “Win or lose, The Quarry has already won. Thank you everyone for all the love and support these past years!”
Meyner is the recipient of the prestigious James Beard Award – considered one of the Oscars in the world of food.
“I have my own restaurant – I call it Al Numan – and somehow Mr. Bird found me!” Lulu Ranta said tearfully as she accepted the award for outstanding hospitality at the award ceremony.
Quarry, located in the small town of 671 people near Moosehead Lake, was Maine’s only James Beard Award winner.
Ranta learned to cook while growing up in the Philippines. Her background appears on The Quarry’s menu, which is full of American favorites with a Filipino twist.
Watch below: fine dining at The Quarry on Maine’s menu
She earned her culinary degree when she was 47 years old through Eastern Maine Community College.
She says she opened her restaurant in Monsoon because she loves the city and her husband grew up there.
Five years ago, Ranta was hired by the Libra Charitable Foundation, a charitable organization, to cook for artists-in-residence. The foundation has invested $10 million in the city to create an art colony of sorts.
The artists needed a place to eat, so Ranta created The Quarry. It’s an upscale dinner right on the high street, though she prefers to call it a “pleasant dinner.”
She says she never imagined a James Beard Award would find her, especially in Monsoon. Her appreciation for outstanding hospitality may have something to do with her singing and dancing when a customer celebrates a birthday.
She said “I just walk around like – go like this and go – happy birthday to you – but then everybody laughs and everybody sings”.
Back in Maine, Lulu’s family, friends and colleagues had the opportunity to witness the awards ceremony =AZV-3gpDD8bmcNPMS7ecWGBqOr8wCaejHI5qzqMTeXUjQ8HQZQsRTJm6zOcfBa_zjPrTwTwki7SRviAOSKL2HMaoaA7fnsUTp-DPDhXO4Uct8 d9biQhyxU2SesbglAAGM5atu2AzcvGtX5VdHUiwo8Po itrquBHb3Ux2hF8BQXIzUKxTbGG-yhOtc8hZl4&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-yR “target for the big free at the> on the free theater=”_blank the>.
In a message posted to The Quarry’s Facebook page = AZVP22IDFEttiLSNusEYJBPFxXSaa5Z20Z24W_wobxO2WDjlmpNwf0znhBUASqi3_IiUAmIZhP2C9K94GB-78EmEbbFCqeGpKPYDxi46rFpZOtbBC_Qhvh 5YXy7Nzp8uCoq7Fjg6JFZuQ VWnSMA &__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R “target=”_blank”> Before the awards ceremony, the staff wrote“Win or lose, The Quarry has really won. Thank you everyone for all the love and support these past years!”
. “Professional creator. Lifelong thinker. Reader. Beer buff. Troublemaker. Evil problem solver.”