Experience the world of Maine Lobster through a free online learning experience for professional chefs and foodies alike.

With quite a prestigious presence on menus and plates around the world, the Maine lobster has certainly marked its territory. With a sweet flavor all its own, the shellfish has made its way from Northeast dockside restaurants to established kitchens and food service operations. Because of its popularity and ability to update classics, the Culinary Institute of America has teamed up with the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC) to offer a free online learning course titled “The Professional Chef Discovers Maine Lobster."

The program truly provides a crash course on the versatility and use of lobster, including chef-tested recipes, which are all downloadable and demonstrated in streaming HD by CIA Chef Scott Samuel and other special guests. The course also explores how to tell the difference between hard and soft shell lobsters, how to efficiently shell a lobster and extract the meat, how to find and use lobster roe, how to pair wine with lobster, and how to prepare a variety of contemporary dishes using the Maine favorite. The content is designed to be suitable for both foodservice professionals and food enthusiasts, so all are welcome.

Through this partnership and guide, you’ll also get a more in-depth look into the world of Maine fisheries—think maintaining sustainability, catching Maine lobsters, estimating meat yield, etc.

“Maine lobster brings decadence to the menu and is a treat for any chef to work with,” says Chef Samuel. “I developed the recipes in this series to celebrate and complement Maine lobster’s famously sweet flavor.” Among the recipes demonstrated in this online culinary course are bisque, lobster cakes, rolls, risotto, and more.

 Sponsored by the MLMC, the free online learning program takes viewers to the coastal waters of Maine where lobstermen and women pull up their catch, and straight into the kitchens of the CIA’s Greystone campus. MLMC represents more than 5,000 lobstermen and women, 300 dealers and 15 processors as a statewide organization.

“The Professional Chef Discovers Maine Lobster” was produced by the CIA’s digital media team, which (did we mention?) has won two James Beard Awards for Best Webcast. To learn more about the online learning experience, be sure to visit ciaprochef.com/mainelobster.
-Megan O'Neill