Niall D. Campbell II, Executive Chef/Owner firefly grill

Born: 1974. Raised: Vassalboro, Me

Experience: Last Unicorn, Waterville, Maine; Alden Camps, Oakland, Maine; the Bread Box Café, Waterville, Maine; the Blue Macaw, Vieques, Puerto Rico; Larkcreek Inn, Larkpsur, California

How he got into the food business: Working as a dishwasher at the Last Unicorn to pay the bills and eat during high school. “Money was tight when I was growing up; I grew up on a dairy farm before moving out on my own at 16. I was home alone a lot as a kid & experimented with what little we had in the kitchen, that’s where I got the bug. But when I got the dishwasher job, I got fed and I got a paycheck, it was a necessity.”

Biggest influences: Rick Gallup, who started the Last Unicorn. “Rick is a monster in the kitchen. He taught me to not get in the way of great ingredients, to not be afraid to push myself & to always keep my menu fresh and new. At firefly we change our menu everyday, I got that from Rick.”

Memorable cooking experience: Cooking for my wife for the first time. She was a tough nut to crack but when I made her a lobster, mango and avocado salad with the Puerto Rican sun setting in the background, I think she was ready to marry right then.

What his next restaurant would be: A taco shack on the beach in Costa Rica. My wife and I bought a small farm in Pavones on the Pacific Coast and hope to retire down there someday and feed all of the surfers.

Favorite cheap eat: Big Star, Wicker Park, Chicago. “Their Sonoran Hot Dog is money – I love it!”

Favorite cookbook: Bouchon, Thomas Keller. “That guy has style and unbelievable finesse.”

My Cooking Philosophy: “Don’t get in the way of great ingredients, keep it simple and let them speak for themselves.”

Kristie Campbell, Owner firefly grill

Kristie Samuel Campbell is a native of Effingham, IL and graduate of the University of Miami where she received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Math. In 1996, she began her career with Fidelity Investments, quickly moving to the coveted Equities Desk and in 1998 she became Fidelity’s youngest trader. Kristie joined the structured equities team and was responsible for the execution of programs trades ranging from a few hundred thousand to several billion dollars.

Disillusioned by the tragedy of September 11th, Kristie took a leave of absence, traveling to Puerto Rico where she met and fell in love with her husband, Niall. She resigned from Fidelity, choosing to remain with Niall in Puerto Rico where she began her induction into the restaurant business.

Kristie’s business savvy and newfound appreciation for the culinary world makes for the perfect professional partnership in her role as Firefly’s CEO. She manages all areas of the restaurant exclusive of the kitchen. Kristie also serves as head cheerleader, greeting guests, motivating the staff and setting high standards of customer service to insure that all guests have an enjoyable experience at the firefly grill.