Chef Kevin Wagner grew up in a cooking environment and spent his teenage years cooking at his parent's family owned restaurant, which helped to shape the destiny of this gregarious local chef.

Always very outgoing and helpful, Kevin is well known for his ethnic-fusion style of cooking, creating dishes using local products but with definite global influences. While his preferences are Old World traditional diets such as Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, he is also very comfortable with other types of cooking as well. Of course, these include traditional and local styles, which are also a large part of his vast repertoire.

In 2002, recognizing the need for a high quality catering service in Western Nova Scotia, Chef Kevin formed "Cooking Solutions" Catering, Teaching & Consulting Services. The company, a reflection of Chef Kevin's personality, has a very personalized approach to business and values client relationships with utmost respect

Along with Cooking Solutions, Chef Kevin also owns & operates The Down East Coconut Company. Created in early 2009, it is the only Atlantic Canadian company dedicated to providing affordable coconut products. These include coconut oil, coconut flour, coconut butter and desiccated coconut… all natural and produced in Vietnam.

www.cooking-solutions.com

Turkey Hunting Roost to Roast
Turkey Hunting Roost to Roast will introduce both spring and fall turkey hunting, turkey biology, habitat, scouting, calling and hunting techniques for the novice and advanced hunter.  We will discuss "doggin" fall turkeys over hunting dogs which is legal in Maine.  The New England Grand Slam turkey hunt will be featured.

If you build it, they will come: a wildlife habitat primer for landowners
The habitat workshop will discuss habitat modifications and techniques to improve lands for deer, woodcock, grouse, and for the eventual introduction of the wild turkey. We will discuss food plots, as well as utilizing forest, water and field to improve wildlife usage on private landowner holdings. Questions are encouraged!

NWTF (USA) - Maine & Vermont Chapter special guests

Jim Wescott
Jim is a trained wildlife biologist that has been involved in the introduction and estimated growth of Maine’s wild turkey populations to its current 60,000 bird population. He has been a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation since the early 1980's holding positions as state chapter president, board member and a participant on Maine’s Wild Turkey working group which guides the states turkey conservation policies. He is an ardent hunter, Registered Maine Guide and is a partner in Maine’s premier turkey guide service, the Tenth Legion Guides. In 2011, Jim received the NWTF's prestigious Roger Latham Service award in Nashville, Tennessee for his efforts as a volunteer in Maine's turkey restoration project. 

Robb Cotiaux
Robb Cotiaux was introduced to wild turkey while employed as forest land manager for West Virginia University in 1980. Robb has been involved in working with wild turkey in Maine since 1995.  He has been a member of the National Wild Turkey Federation since those early years and in 2010, received the Roger Latham Service award for his work in fostering the efforts of the NWTF in Maine. He is a consulting forester working with Northeast Natural Resource Management, a wildlife and forestry land management company. Robb is a registered Maine guide and partner with Jim Wescott in the Tenth Legion Guide Service. He also guides upland hunters at Weatherbys Lodge in Grand Lake Stream, Maine over his English cocker and English Springer Spaniels.

Nick Smith
Nick Smith owns the Northeast Natural Resource Management company, a full service forest and wildlife consulting firm with offices in New Hampshire and Maine. He is a registered deer and turkey guide in Vermont and New Hampshire.  Nick has written several books about fishing and duck hunting in New England. He is also a full service dealer for Whitetail Institute products. Nick is a chapter member and supporter of the National Wild Turkey Federation in Vermont. He is a champion turkey caller having competed in the NWTF Nationals in Nashville as well as many New England calling contests.