Refined tapas-style restaurant Sur Lie recently named South Portland native Sam Helmke as its new executive chef.

Helmke has been running the kitchen at the acclaimed globally inspired small plates venue since mid-July. He replaces Chef Mimi Weissenborn , who had helmed Sur Lie’s kitchen for four years. Sur Lie owner Krista Cole said Weissenborn left to pursue opportunities in catering and private chef work.

“It’ll still feel like Sur Lie. It’ll just be someone else’s creativity and spin on fresh local food,” said Cole, a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2023 for Outstanding Restaurateur. “It’ll build on what (original Sur Lie chef) Emil Rivera did for six years and what Mimi Weissenborn did for four years. Now Sam’s going to steer it for the next chapter.”

“There may be new flavor

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