The Lost Kitchen

Get Lost in Freedom

It was a beautiful autumn day in Maine. Surrounded by trees bursting with vibrant shades of crimson red, fiery orange, and glistening gold, it’s a season that invites us to slow down and savor this beauty. That day, it was my intent to relax and be in the moment, to appreciate the beauty that draws an army of leaf peepers to Maine to view the foliage, but I am a real estate agent and I had a listing to photograph. So a day enjoying the scenery on a long leisurely ride to Freedom, Maine with my good friend and photographer to photo shoot my new listing was already a double win but having the property just down the road from The Lost Kitchen restaurant tripled it. On the day we were scheduled for the photoshoot, fortuitously The Lost Kitchen was having an event and the last of the season for the farmer’s market. Their Home Shop and Wine Cellar was open to the public, but the much coveted restaurant, generally not available, was serving homemade doughnuts and fried chicken. We thought we would just stop by for a quick visit; however, upon our arrival, being faced with hundreds of cars, we were forced to reassess our plan. A quick mathematical equation based on the number of folks in line and rate of movement of said line, and we determined it was going to easily take 2 plus hours to reach the sure-to-be delicious chicken and doughnuts. We decided to pass on the food although the tantalizing aroma emanating from the open door to the Kitchen tortured us, to be so close and not get fed. 

We worked our way around the long line and made it to the Shop. The Home Shop is full of thoughtful, small-batch, and handmade pieces for everyday living filled with home goods, books, works by local artists, kitchen wares, antiques, and snacks. I saw several kitchen gadgets that I wanted but never knew I needed. The shop was beautifully curated and decorated. I took so many photos of flower filled vases on display to use as inspiration. Our next stop was the wine cellar appropriately located in the cellar of The Old Mill. Beautiful bottles of wine juxtaposed against the  stone walls made for an instagram worthy photo. I was treated to a wine tasting of a lovely full bodied red blend. Alas, at $60 a bottle, it did not come home with me. The staff were knowledgeable about each wine and I certainly enjoyed the education. 

For years, The Lost Kitchen restaurant was a well-kept Maine secret: a Michelin-esque dining experience owned by local Chef Erin French. Tucked in the little town of Freedom, Maine, the restaurant is a destination. Serving Farm-to-Table fresh food, TLK does not take reservations but rather offers a lottery system for potential diners. To enter, you send in a postcard through the mail and cross your fingers that you’ll get a call back for one of the limited slots for their seasonal dinner service—just a small collection of tables and one seating each night. Open seasonally, the restaurant is open May through September. Travelers from all around the world, as evidenced by the variety of license plates, gather in Freedom for the experience. 

Not only is Erin French an extraordinary Chef, she is also an amazing entrepreneur and genius at marketing. TLK has expanded from just the restaurant experience, to retail shops, venue for local farmers market and recently offering lodging with several well appointed cabins for overnight stays.

I stumbled across another family's experience who had their postcard drawn and documented their visit. If you'd like to live vicariously through them, be sure to check out The Woks of Life's experience at The Lost Kitchen.