Melissa Kelley, as part of the Pecha Kucha style speakers at the Camden Garden Club Garden Expo, will share her vision for Primo as a working, sustainable farm-to-table restaurant in Maine. She is an advocate of the farm-to-table movement or as she refers to it, the “Full Circle Kitchen.” With pastured animals and biodynamic practices that inspired farms around the country, Melissa has been a pioneer in setting the standard for what serving fresh, local food can be and Primo has put the midcoast on the map of culinary excellence. Tickets for the Garden Expo are available now to limited seating.

The Club is delighted to host Melissa, who has a long-time passion for serving food simply and beautifully. She is the Executive Chef and proprietor of Primo, a local gem of a restaurant located in Rockland, Maine. She is the 2013 James Beard Foundation Award winner of the American Express Best Chef: Northeast Award. She also received this award in 1999, making her the first 2-time winner of the same award.

Her earliest cooking lessons took place in her Italian grandmother’s kitchen. In fact, she still favors Mediterranean accented foods.

 Melissa was influenced by Alice Waters, her boss at Chez Panisse. Melissa says, “I didn’t have a style when I got there. By the time I left, I did: simplicity, seasonality, freshness.” Celebrating her 26th season, she is a two-time James Beard Award winner.

Camden Garden Club invites you to a rare opportunity to hear Chef Kelley. She is part of an exciting day of learning from local Midcoast talents:

2025 Expo: “Edible Gardens & Bountiful Tables” Overview of the Day

8:15 - 9:00 Doors Open at Camden-Rockport Middle School

Show your ticket receipt on your mobile phone or a receipt print-out

9:00 - 1:00 Bountiful Tablescapes, Center Hallway

View tabelscapes spanning a number of “themes” and styles from rustic to whimsical and from contemporary to traditional.

9:00 - 10:00 Pecha Kucha Style Presentations, Auditorium

Enjoy fast and furious presentations by four noteworthy speakers: Rory Keohane, Tenderwild Farm Charlie Costello, Marilak Farms Hannah Semler, FarmDrop Gleaners Melissa Kelly, Executive Chef and Owner, Primo Restaurant

10:15 - 11:15 Keynote Speakers, Auditorium

Barbara Damrosch Nancy Harmon Jenkins

11:30 - 12:30 Breakout Sessions, Auditorium and Cafeteria

Choose two breakout sessions to attend (25 minutes each)

Caleb Goosen, MOFGA- The Right Soil Recipe 

Josh Hixson, Former Head Chef/Owner, 40 Paper- Making sauces with fresh garden herbs

John Fromer, Merryspring Garden- How to Plan a Kitchen Garden

Stacy Leafsong, Leafsong Family Farms- The Beauty of Decorative Edibles

11:30 - 1:00 Booksigning with Barbara Damrosch and Nancy Harmon Jenkins

Left Bank Books will host a book signing session with our keynote speakers. A selection of each author’s books will be available for purchase (credit cards only) or participants may bring their own book. A wonderful opportunity to meet and greet the authors.

1:00 - 4:00 Old Souls Farm Tour

Tour David Kibbe’s farm in Camden. This small-scale growing space is located in the historic Chestnut Street neighborhood. The focus is on regenerative practices, seasonal crops, native plantings and includes vegetables, native flowering perennials, honey bees, chickens and a small fruit orchard.