enlarge 2008 Press Herald file photo

Chef Rob Evans, of Hugo’s in Portland, received the award for best chef in the Northeast at the James Beard Foundation Award ceremony on Monday night.

A Portland chef won a top honor Monday night in an event that Time magazine calls the Oscars of the culinary world.

Rob Evans, the chef and owner of Hugo's restaurant at 88 Middle St., received the award as the Northeast region's best chef at the James Beard Foundation Award ceremony in New York City.

Each year, the foundation hands out awards to some of the leaders in the U.S. culinary industry, from chefs and restaurants, to food writers and restaurant architects.

Evans, who has been nominated for the award three times, beat out three chefs from Greater Boston, as well as Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier, the chefs/co-owners at Arrows restaurant in Ogunquit.

The Northeast region covers seven states.

"I think we've got a good scene happening in Portland," Evans said, minutes after receiving the award – one of the most coveted in the food service industry. "It's not only good for me, but it's good for Portland. It solidifies Portland's standing as a strong food town."

Evans, 45, said he was self-taught as a chef, never attending culinary school after graduating from high school.

Evans and his wife, Nancy Pugh, have operated Hugo's for 10 years. During that time, he said, the restaurant's reputation as a place only for a special occasion may have been overblown.

The restaurant specializes in serving Maine-grown products, Evans pointed out.

"We want to encourage more local people to eat there. I think they will be pleasantly surprised to find out we are in the average diner's price range," he said.

Evans said more and more chefs are talking about coming to Maine, especially Portland, to work. They are attracted by the state's bounty of fresh seafood and locally grown produce.

"It was a big attraction for me," said Evans, who moved to Portland 15 years ago after working in the cruise ship industry.

He said Portland has received a lot of positive exposure recently, having been cited this year by Forbes' online magazine as the nation's most livable city.

"I personally thought someone from Maine was going to win this year due to all the publicity we have been getting," he said.

Fore Street, a restaurant in Portland's Old Port, was one of five finalists for best restaurant in the country but lost out to Jean Georges, a New York City-based restaurant.

Maine's only previous winner in the best chef category was Sam Hayward, who took home the medal in 2004. Hayward is the chef and owner of Fore Street.

Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com