Guy Hernandez Culinary Project Manager

Chef Guy Hernandez’s path to the hospitality industry has been anything but linear.  He was trained as an architect, spent time on the faculty at Washington University, taught both graduate students and fourth graders, and was an engaged member of the architecture community in St. Louis.

After moving to Portland, Maine in 2001, however, Guy took advantage of an opportunity to work in a small artisan bakery, pursuing a long standing interest in professional cooking.  This early experience was seminal in inspiring his dedication to craft, hospitality, and entrepreneurship that led to opening his first restaurant, Bar Lola.  This neighborhood establishment paired Guy’s leadership in the kitchen with his wife’s direction of the front of the house.  While the early menus and service model were loose and casual by design, the restaurant evolved over time into a fine dining destination, built around multi-course tasting menus and carefully considered wine pairings.  

Driven by curiosity and a willingness to challenge themselves, Guy and his wife reimagined this original restaurant into a smaller yet ironically more complex operation.  Lolita:vinoteca+asador was equal part ambitious wine bar and approachable restaurant organized around a wall of wine and a custom wood fired grill.  The experience was intimate and the small-plate menu was inspired by all corners of the Mediterranean, from Italy and Spain, to Tunisia, Lebanon, and Greece.

With more than two decades of experience as an owner and operator in the industry, Chef Hernandez brings a respect for rigor, instinct, and creativity to his role at Shokutsu, Chef Garces’ culinary studio in Biddeford, Maine.