New Chef Readies Menu at Edgartown Eatery

Change is coming to the kitchen at Eleven North, the two-story North Water Street restaurant on the corner of Mayhew Lane. 

Newly-hired chef John Welch is in the process of revamping the menu for a May relaunch that Eleven North's owners hope will bring diners back to the table.

"I’m going to try to source as many things as I can locally," starting with "local eggs and whatever greens are coming out of the ground," said Welch, who wowed the restaurant's owners by cooking an audition meal earlier this year.

"Inevitably, what we want to do is bring in the best," he told Patch at the restaurant last week. The closer to Eleven North he can find the best ingredients, the better, Welch added.

What local foods and purveyors would you recommend to chef Welch? Tell us in the comments.

Welch comes to Edgartown from the Ritz-Carlton resort in Naples, FL, where he ran a food program with 11 restaurants, he said. He's also worked at a farm-to-table eatery in his native Maine, the high-end Wentworth resort in New Hampshire and a fish restaurant on Nantucket.

A few more facts about Welch, from his bio:

• Grew up in York Beach, Maine.
• Studied at the California Culinary Academy
• Internship at James Beard award winning Jardinière in San Francisco, working under the direction of James Beard award winning chefs Tracy Des Jardins and Douglas Keane
• Sous chef at Castine Inn, one of Food and Wine magazine's 2002 top 50 restaurants in the country, with Chef Tom Gutow
• Executive sous chef under Chef Felino Samson at People magazine’s "sexiest restaurant in Boston," Bomboa
• Executive chef of Blue Fin restaurant in Nantucket for Jonas Baker, current owner of Slip 14 and 12 Degrees East
• Chef at Naples Ritz Carlton Beach resort, the largest food and beverage operation for the Ritz in the United States; positions included 
  • chef de cuisine of grill room
  • chef tournant for entire resort
  • banquet chef
• Executive chef at Bostonian Hotel, Boston
• Executive chef at Wentworth by the Sea Hotel

Expect to see some of Welch's menu creations appearing as Eleven North specials now, with the full relaunch coming in May. 

Please see our Restaurant Page for the latest news on Island eateries. Our Food & Dining Directory has the phone numbers and addresses of your favorite spots.

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