visit their website at http://www.blueskyonyorkbeach.com
Lydia started her career at Maison Robert as “salad girl” and worked her way up to become the Chef
of “Bon Homme Richard”, the fancier dining room at Maison Robert. She remained there for 3 ½
years when she was wooed away by Julia Child to become the chef of the well-respected and daring
restaurant in Cambridge, MA called the HARVEST, which was an entity at Boston’s infamous Copley
Plaza Hotel. Lydia then moved on to another grand hotel, The Parker House. She made her mark in
Boston’s most respected restaurants with four- star reviews.
Lydia earned national recognition with the opening of the Seasons at the Bostonian Hotel in 1982. In
1986 she became the first woman executive chef of a Four Seasons Hotel with the opening of their
new luxury property in Beverly Hills. Not even the sun and glamour of California could sway Shire
from her ultimate dream of opening her own restaurant in Boston.
Lydia’s dream of opening her own restaurant materialized in 1989 with “Biba”, meaning “Back in
Boston Again”. Shire’s BIBA was the cutting edge of international cuisine, presenting a menu of types
of food that were bold and daring and Shire had created an amazing hit Boston had never seen before.
The critical acclaim poured in, and Shire was honored as “America’s Best Chef- Northeast” and “Who’s Who of Food and Beverage” by the James Beard Foundation in 1991. That same year, Food & Wine Magazine reported that Shire was “one of America’s Top Ten Chefs.” In 1994 Shire earned
the prestigious Ivy Award for up and coming trendsetters. Again in 1996, the James Beard Foundation
acknowledged Lydia, and this time nominated her as “One of America’s Top Five Chefs”.
In 2001 Shire shocked ‘property Bostonians’ as she dared to take over the city’s venerable
Locke-Ober. Shire restored the restaurant’s opulence and grand tradition of fine American and
European cuisine. Again, she made history as the chef/owner at this institution, which had proudly
prohibited women from its dining room for 97 years.
A never-ending creative force, Shire’s passion for excellence and creativity is showcased by all that
she does, inside and outside the restaurant. Famous for “always having the longest line” at the city’s top
culinary fundraisers, it is a well known fact that Shire’s mission is to work hard and do her absolute
best. Lydia is also proud of the long list of prestigious chefs who began their careers with Lydia- such
as Jody Adams, Dante de Magistris, Gordon Hamersley, Amanda Lydon, Louis Morales, Corinna
Nozo and Susan Regis.
Lydia continues her commitment to hard work and
limitless creativity and yet again, will produce only
the best at BLUE SKY.
