MILO, Maine — When you think of award-winning restaurants in Maine, you likely think about Portland, maybe Kennebunkport or Camden.
You likely do not think of Milo.
That small town in Piscataquis County, on the road once known as The Katahdin Trail, is now on the state “foodie” map.
That’s because the James Beard Foundation decided Milo was worth a visit after they learned about Joe Robbins.
He is the executive chef, really the primary chef, at Bissell Brothers Three Rivers, a brewpub in Milo. The pub added a full kitchen just 18 months ago, but in that time Joe’s food has apparently impressed enough people that he has been named a national semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation Emerging Chef award.
Those honors typically go to chefs at higher-level restaurants, not brew pubs.
“We take a lot of pride in that,” Robbins said with a smile. “We serve a working man’s beverage, and we approach food in a fancier, upscale way but I don’t think anything on the menu isn’t for the common person.”
Robbins pulled four big, aromatic meatloafs out of the oven, ready for that day’s customers. It's become a popular mainstay on the menu, he said.
Robbins decided to become a chef after graduating from Old Town High School in 2008. He learned the basics of cooking at a golf course, then several larger restaurants, before meeting the Bissell Brothers. They own a popular brewery and pub in Portland but have also opened a brewpub in their hometown of Milo. When the brothers decided to add a full kitchen, they called Joe to take charge.
“Finding the right people and then letting them work has been our best thing," Noah Bissell said.
For Joe Robbins, the challenge of running his own kitchen also includes a competitive drive, to show that being in a small, central Maine town doesn’t mean you can’t serve great food.
“There is a competitive spirit to the whole team. And in the early days, people would ask why are you doing that? That’s fancy food they do in Portland it doesn’t belong here," Robbins said.
The James Beard organization apparently agrees with Robbins. It named him one of 20 national semifinalists in the Best Emerging Chef category. Most of the others are from cities many times the size of Milo.
Robbins’ cooking abilities and menu choices may also be bolstered by his heritage as a member of Maine’s Penobscot Tribe, a distinction he is proud of. Robbins said it also influences his cooking and menu choices.
“We do serve Navajo tacos with bison meat, fry taco, we use bison grown here in Maine," Robbins said.
Like the meatloaf, he said the Navajo tacos are very popular. Like all the items on the menu, he said most ingredients are sourced from producers and farmers in Maine.
As for the James Beard Foundation, the winners haven’t been chosen yet, but the semifinalist designation alone will elevate the image and appeal of the small restaurant.
Robbins said he is more than ready to show others that his kitchen can cook.
“Our kitchen is three people, really hard workers. And we want to prove we are right up there with Portland," he added.
Asking if he had shown that already, there was a simple reply, accompanied by a smile, then a laugh.
“Yeah, we’re on the list aren’t we?" Robbins said.