Congratulations To All! Congratulations To All! Roger Bintliff, left, celebrates his new cooking show with a bottle of Maine's blueberry wine, shared with television host Hope Cohen, Commissioner John Richardson and celebrity Chef Chris Lee. (Photo Barbara Martin)

Is Edgecomb the Napa Valley of the East Coast? That's what Nicole Woodruff, Executive Producer for the cable broadcast cooking show "Chef's Kitchen," has decided.

"The local products in Maine are amazing, as they are in Napa Valley. They're fresh, organic and filled with taste," she said.

Woodruff was here on October 1 to film the first five of 15 "Chef's Kitchen" segments for national syndication, kicking off another Roger Bintliff's venture.

Owner of Bintliff's Ocean Grille and the Sheepscot River Inn, Bintliff has been moonlighting by sharing his cooking skills with fans of Fretz Kitchen, another cooking show that has a national following.

There's no doubt this entrepreneur with visionary overtones is high on his adopted hometown of Edgecomb, and it doesn't appear that procrastination is one of his failings. Idea in - project out.

It's all happening right across the street from his restaurant and inn. Bintliff recently purchased the building on Route 1 that housed the gift shop, "Mostly Maine." What's going on inside may have changed, but the "mostly Maine" theme will not be lost. The TV studio that has been created on the second floor of the building will bring in the best chefs from across the nation and abroad, keeping the focus on the fabulous fare available at our doorstep.

Commissioner John Richardson from the Department of Economic and Community Development joined the filming to lend his endorsement to the project that will explore another of the state's national resources - great food.

"Thanks for coming to Maine," Richardson said. "We're excited you're here and know that the beauty of Maine will shine in the broadcasts."

In addition to teasing the taste buds of food lovers nationwide, Bintliff plans to open a cooking school that will be affiliated with the New England Culinary Arts Forum. The scope of the school is as broad as the Napa Valley. Plans include weekend trainings for professional chefs, cooking lessons for aspiring amateurs, as well as special trainings on wine selection and table art.

And Bintliff has no intention of slighting the small food lovers among us. He plans to have cooking classes for children. Noting that cooking shows often have a large teenage audience, the school will reach out to the "next generation of chefs," as Bintliff says. He plans to offer a scholarship to a graduate of a local high school for further education in the culinary arts.

The program "Chef's Kitchen" was created by Steven Horn who was on hand to direct the filming. According to Woodruff, the show has 26 million viewers nationwide and can be seen locally on WMTW, Channel 8.

Be prepared Edgecomb, "The top chefs in America are coming," Bintliff said.

There's no sneak preview of what's next on Roger's agenda. But one thing is certain - if you're curious, you won't have long to wait.

Is Edgecomb the Napa Valley of the East Coast? That's what Nicole Woodruff, Executive Producer for the cable broadcast cooking show "Chef's Kitchen," has decided.