KENNEBUNK — The National Restaurant Association announced recently that Chef John Hughes of Kennebunk was the runner-up in its 2008 "Hot Chef Challenge."

Contestants of the challenge had to produce and submit a 2-minute video showing their culinary expertise using "hot" ingredients from the Restaurant Association's annual "What's Hot, What's Not" Chef Survey and post it on YouTube before May 7.

Hughes selected Bangs Island Mussels for their sustainability as well as their sweet taste. Hughes then paired the Casco Bay mussels with jalapeno pepper, cilantro, shallot, garlic and an IPA from Redhook Brewery.

Hughes' video was seen by more then 1,200 unique viewers and received hundreds of "thumbs-up" votes to win the number two slot in the competition.

Last August, Hughes was given one of the National Restaurant Association's "Restaurant Neighbor Awards."

As Dick Groton, president and CEO of the Maine Restaurant Association noted, "This important NRA award honors chefs and restaurateurs for consistently going above and beyond in giving back to their communities."

Hughes, he added, "is a credit to Maine for his active role in so many neighborhood efforts and charity events here in our great state."

Hughes has over 35 years experience working in professional kitchens from New York to Mexico, from California to Maine, and has been a pioneer in the farm-to-table movement promoting fresh, local, all-natural and sustainable ingredients.

Hughes, formerly chef/owner of the famed Windows on the Water Restaurant in Kennebunk's Lower Village, now owns and operates COOK with JOHN, a professional chef service that conducts in-home cooking demonstration dinners, private cooking lessons, and "cast-iron" chef challenges throughout southern Maine and New Hampshire, and northern Massachusetts

In addition to Hughes' busy cooking schedule, he maintains a Web site, www.cookwithjohn.com, which features recipes, cooking tips, seasonal food buying guides and more. He also writes a weekly food blog called "FOOD for THOUGHT," which can be read at http://blogcookwithjohn.blogspot.com/.

Hughes also performs guest chef appearances throughout the country, and reports that he is in the process of writing a series of seasonal cookbooks featuring healthy, all-natural ingredients and hopes to publish the first of the series in early 2009.

He resides in Kennebunk with his wife, Cynthia.

Both are active participants in local charitable organizations, including Community Harvest, a local 501(c)3 that Hughes co-founded in 1998.

For information, contact Hughes by e-mail at john@cookwithjohn.com, or by mail at P.O. Box 366, Kennebunk, ME 04043