America loves Maine lobster, that claw-heavy creature with the snow-white flesh that seems made for melted butter. Tying on a bib and getting up close and personal with a whole boiled Maine lobster is the epitome of summer feasting for many.

But when it comes to enjoying lobster, there’s a world beyond boil-and-eat. The Southeast Asian flavors so popular today—think lemongrass, fish sauce, coconut milk and chilies—can give lobster a new attitude. In a south-of-the-border restaurant concept, Maine lobster can add value to ceviche, fish tacos, tamales and quesadillas. Chefs working in a contemporary American style can use lobster to update a classic, like a chowder, club sandwich or creamy grits.

Americans love the sweet, succulent flavor of Maine lobster. Its cachet elevates seafood dishes to premium status, and its high perceived value will help your check averages soar as customers trade up from a chopped chicken salad to the same dish with Maine lobster. Why put “lobster” on your menu when you can put “Maine lobster,” the brand customers prefer and recognize as the best?

In the following pages, you’ll learn everything you need to know to capitalize on Maine lobster’s near-universal appeal:

• How the sustainable Maine lobster fishery maintains this valuable ocean resource
• How Maine lobsters are caught and how to keep them in good condition in your establishment
• How Maine lobster differs from (and surpasses) its look-alikes and competitors
• How to estimate the meat yield from a whole lobster
• How to tell a male from a female lobster, and why you would want to
• And how to choose an appropriate beverage for lobster

You’ll find detailed instructional videos on how to shell a cooked lobster and extract the most meat, how to split a live lobster, how to grill a lobster, and how to prepare a variety of contemporary lobster dishes, demonstrated by chef-instructors from The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. With this information, you’re well on your way to making the versatile, value-added Maine lobster at home in your kitchen.