Chef Trevor Lizotte has hit the ground running since joining Dennis Food Service as our new Corporate Chef in August 2024.
With over two decades of culinary expertise and a passion for innovation, Chef Trevor is already making waves in our test kitchen and beyond. He’s been busy visiting customers, collaborating with our product managers, and embracing his new role supporting food service establishments across New England. But that’s not all – Chef Trevor is gearing up to share his culinary journey with you! Soon, you’ll be able to follow his adventures in the kitchen and on the road through various social media platforms.
Connect with Chef Trevor using the links below to follow @ChefDifference on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter to stay updated on his latest creations, industry trends, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the world of Dennis Food Service.
10 Questions
with Teagan and Chef Trevor Lizotte
Do you have a favorite recipe? Something that would be great to share that other foodservice businesses could use, or maybe something you make for your kids that the schools would love?
One of my easy go to desserts, but still somewhat fancy, are tartlettes made from puff pastry. These can be done savory or sweet. I like to use the Maine blueberries when they are around, cook with orange juice and sugar and thicken with a slurry. I take the puff pastry sheet brush with melted butter and sprinkle raw sugar on top, cut into desired squares, then score a box 1/4 inch around the square. Bake with another sheet pan on top until lightly puffed and crispy. Press the scored square down then fill with blueberry sauce, then set. Serve with some ice cream and fresh whipped cream. Always a winner. Can be done so many different ways, the ideas are endless for fillings.
What’s your go to kitchen tool? One you can’t live without?
The one tool I can’t live without would have to be my chefs knife. I can cook with or on anything but if I can’t cut anything prep becomes nearly impossible. I don’t want to use anyone else knife, and keep your hands off mine! haha
You told me previously you always wanted to work in kitchen, you always wanted to get behind the kitchen doors and see what was going on, and you finally had a chance in high school. Can you tell me a little bit about that first job?
My first job at 14 was at the Long Lake Sporting Club in Sinclair, ME. It was the place to go at the time, nestled on Long Lake. They were well known for giant hard shell lobsters, fried & broiled seafood, house smoked ribs, and would age porterhouse & T-bone steaks for 21 days before before cutting. All tables were served freshly made Acadian ployes, an old traditional buckwheat pancake that all Memere’s know how to make. I was a dishwasher to start, I learned what hard work was immediately. I was brought up to cook shortly after where I failed miserably, it was too much, too fast. I got sent back to dish for a month. From there I started to watch how the other cooks handled the pressure, how they set them selves up, and how to stay afloat with all the orders to juggle. Once my name was called again I was ready, learned how to grind and push myself. It was a great feeling to crush a busy Saturday night, with few errors and quick ticket times. I was off and running from that point on and was running shifts by my senior year in high school. I gained the foundation needed, and loved the rush of the kitchen. I became hooked for life.
What’s your favorite part about cooking? About being a chef?
The best part of cooking is hard to narrow, but I do love foraging and sourcing foods. It excites me when the ingredients I’m using have a story, weather it be mushrooms I find in the woods, talking with the farmers that grew vegetables, listening to the love, care, and pride they put into their work. Then taking these, and showcasing their deliciousness by putting my passion behind it, to make them shine on the plate, and share the trip from discovery up to the dinner table. It takes the dish to another level when there’s a story on how you acquired, found, or discovered the ingredients. Then watching people eat your food, their reactions to tasting my work, that’s what fuels my soul as a chef, hearing the mmmmmmm’s. Sharing my passion for food is why I’m here.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?
Career wise I can’t think of anything else I’ve ever wanted to be, but dream wise I’d want to be a pro golfer, travel the world playing the best courses, week after week, sounds great to me.
Of all of the chef experiences you’ve had, all the stories, what you #1, what’s your story, what’s your favorite story to tell?
Cooking for a celebrity on his many visits back home to Maine. Once I had to cook food at a camp on a lake, then pack up on jet skis and deliver to his boat on the lake. Cooking for him is like a cooking game show, every meal seems to have a challenge, a new place to work from, constantly changing scenarios but I love ever second of it! From someone that eats at the best restaurants around the world and be told my foods his favorite brings me great joy! Really have learned that the possibilities are endless, and just roll with the punches knowing I can cook with anything, as long as I have my knife of course.
Also the drummer from Tool said I made the worlds best potato skins, being one of my favorite bands I’ll always love that story. He also gave us near front row tickets for the show that night and they killed!!
What are you most nervous about starting this new job at Dennis?
I think getting comfortable in front of the camera would be what gets me nervous. I’m more of a humble chef without the big ego and let my food do the talking. I’ll learn to explain my passion and  I have great teammates that I know will help me to push forward on this. I’m ready for the new challenge!
What excites you about Dennis?
I’m excited to help anywhere I can. I want to help local restaurants, schools and businesses to be better. I’ll be looking to assist them to save time, money, and labor. I feel my experience will be used as a great asset by our customers. I want to build a trust between Dennis and the people we serve. If they win, we win.
Is there a famous or well known chef you look up to, or learn from?
There are many chefs I look up to, I can’t really narrow to just one. I do enjoy reading up on their stories, how they got there and their influences. They all tell the tales from struggle to success and can find inspiration thru all of them. Anthony Bourdain, Thomas Keller, Micheal Chang, Eric Ripert, Gordon Ramsey, Marco Pierre White, Daniel Boulud to name a few, the list can go on. All of which have stories to be admired and are full of passion that helps fuel mine. I get excited reading about them, makes me want to get into the kitchen and run!
My Mom has always been a huge cooking influence on me as well, she can cook most of us under the table, I truly admire her kitchen skills and her food is always delicious!
And lastly, what’s your favorite color?
My favorite color would have to be green.
Dennis Food Service Welcomes Chef Trevor Lizotte as New Corporate Chef
Hampden, Maine – Dennis Food Service is thrilled to announce the appointment of Chef Trevor Lizotte as its new Corporate Chef, starting August 5, 2024. This key addition to the team reflects Dennis Food Service’s ongoing dedication to culinary excellence and superior customer support.