Victoria and Tom Barthelmes are a wife and husband team, and co-owners of Finestkind. Both originally from the northeast, they met at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park while working at the campus’ acclaimed Apple Pie Bakery Cafe under Chef Francisco Migoya. They moved to New York City after school and spent three years there.

Victoria left her construction job for a pastry role at Lincoln Ristorante on the Upper West Side under Chef Richard Capizzi. Tom also worked at Lincoln under Chef Jonathan Benno for nearly two years before moving on to work at Thomas Keller's per se in Columbus Circle.

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Victoria and Tom moved to Portland in the fall of 2015, and have found a home and community in Maine. Tom became the General Manager at beloved Portland restaurant Hugo’s before returning to the kitchen to work for Chris and Paige Gould at Central Provisions. In his almost four years of employment with the Goulds he has served as sous chef and then kitchen manager. Victoria served as the General Manager for the Gould’s at Tipo in Portland’s Back Cove, while also serving as wine director for both Tipo and Central Provisions.

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Chris and Paige Gould add a third restaurant to their portfolio with Finestkind, also owning and operating the nationally acclaimed Central Provisions and Tipo in Portland.