The name David Turin is ubiquitous with Maine dining. At his David’s restaurant locations in Portland, South Portland and Kennebunkport, he’s literally made a name for himself statewide as an innovative local chef and entrepreneur. Turin’s high energy and appreciation for the local restaurant scene in Maine lend themselves to his advocacy for Maine Restaurant Week.
“I like Restaurant Week because it makes me tired,” says Turin. “It means we’re going to be really busy. Maine Restaurant Week brings people in, which means we make new friends, and that’s great for our restaurants and staff.”
A committed staff is an important part of any successful restaurant, but David’s seems to take employee loyalty a step further, promoting often from within and dedicating time to creating fluid communications.
“I kept opening restaurants because I had people working with me who were happy and didn’t leave,” says Turin. “The prime motivation for me to open restaurants was to create opportunities for my staff rather than see them go elsewhere.”
“It’s remarkable what you can accomplish when everybody’s in it and everyone cares and we do a lot to make that happen,” he adds. “I really believe in the crew. Without them, how do you do anything?”
Turin’s staff at each of his locations have certainly been put to the test with an uptick of phone calls and reservations following a recent rave review of David’s 388 from The Portland Press Herald.
A true testament to his growing success, Turin felt that in past reviews of his restaurants, “usually there’s one thing they hack on or something that’s off – but this time, they didn’t.”
After taking the top honor last year, Turin hopes to once again take home the title for best dessert when he competes in the Maine Restaurant Week Signature Event Dessert Contest.
Though he hasn’t yet decided what his sweet dish will be, he hints at an old customer favorite from one of his previous menus where “he’d get to light something on fire.”
David’s Restaurant bartender Patrick Morang will also compete in the cocktail competition. For tickets to see him and his team compete at the Maine Restaurant Week Signature Event on March 9th, click here.
To see David’s Restaurant, David’s 388, David’s KPT and David’s Opus Ten’s menus for Maine Restaurant Week March 1st-9th, click herePhoto Credit: David's Restaurant Facebook
