Opus Restaurant

Welcome a Masterpiece of Cuisine- Chef Roger Gelis and 
General Manager Virginia Yonek deliver Opus Restaurant
to the Bangor dining scene

For Immediate Release

Bangor, Maine, October 1, 2004:  Chef Roger Gelis and
partner, General Manager Virginia Yonek opened a
"New American" style restaurant, Opus, on the developing
waterfront area of Bangor. Opus will be open at 5:00 pm,
five nights a week for dinner, Tuesday through Saturday.
They will also host specialty wine dinners one Monday per
month, dates to be announced.

Chef Gelis brings his own style of creative cuisine to
the helm at Opus with signature dishes like spinach salad
with Brie cheese fondue, duck three ways, and fried lobster
tail with vanilla bean aioli. The moment one sits down at
Opus a culinary adventure begins. Even the whimsical Amuse
Bouche (chef’s complimentary taster) is enough to make the
trip worthwhile, with treats like miniature lobster club
sandwiches on toasted brioche, tempura green beans with
sherry vinegar, and carrot flan with crispy flatbread.
The menu goes along with Chef Roger’s creative whimsy.
It consists of three parts:
the strings and woodwinds-appetizers,
the brass and percussion- salads,
and grand orchestrations- entrees.
The entrees are supper-house sized;
the diners will leave full after sampling dishes like beef
tenderloin with buttermilk onion rings and homemade ketchup,
or seared sea scallops wrapped in pancetta. The wine
list continues to grow, with 13 wines by the glass
and bottles ranging from $18 to $190. They also offer
signature grand martinis, such as the "Mona Lisa." Made
with fresh espresso, this concoction is decadently creamy-sweet,
with a jolt of caffeine.

Opus offers special dishes when seasonal produce and seafood
are available. In an effort to support local and organic farms,
Chef Roger buys produce from Levant, East Corinth, and Carmel.
He also smokes his own meats and bacon with locally harvested
cherry and apple wood chips. 

Opus Restaurant is located at 193 Broad Street, facing the
Penobscot River in the area locally known as "The Waterfront."
In the 1980’s, this same spot housed "The Greenhouse Restaurant,"
known for its high end cuisine and table side service. Opus is on
a more intimate scale, with just 60 seats and a comfortable lounge
area. Private parties can reserve a side room holding up to 20
diners. In the spring and summer, the spacious patio will be
opened for outside dining and private events. 

The décor at Opus is urban, with rich indigo tones contrasting
creamy whites. The enormous windows further offer diners a
city feel, as the lights of Bangor and the river are visible
just outside. A wonderful experience would be to watch the
snow fall during an early dinner at Opus. The current artwork
on display is by David Allen, a Maine native with ties to the
Bangor area. There are several large scale pieces as well as
some smaller historical paintings of Bangor events.
Most displayed artwork is available for purchase.

For more information, please contact Virginia Yonek at 207.945.5100
Opus Restaurant, 193 Broad Street, Bangor, Maine 04401


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Chef Roger Gelis- Biographical Information

As a young boy, Chef Roger Gelis walked the beaches of Jupiter,
Florida. He experienced just caught seafood and quickly learned
the connection between freshness and taste. To this day,
"anything from the ocean" remains his favorite ingredient.
This lesson in taste was furthered by summers spent on his
grandparent’s farm in Liberty, North Carolina. Roger helped
with duties like milking their two cows, shucking fresh corn,
picking beans, shelling peas, and even with canning of fresh
vegetables. He watched his grandmother at the stove, tasting,
seasoning and ever offering a sample. Roger’s love of food was
born early. 

During high school, Roger learned about life in a professional
kitchen by starting his first job as a dishwasher at a busy golf
and ski resort.
Roger traveled across the United States to begin his culinary
education. He entered The Western Culinary Institute in
Portland, Oregon in 1994. His years spent at WCI exposed Roger
to new ingredients and styles of cuisine, particularly those
native to the northwest like fresh Pacific seafood and Asian
fusion. His mentor in Portland was Chef Catherine Bliss of Maxi’s. 

After graduation from WCI, Roger returned to the southeastern
United States. Under Chef Louis Patricio Santamaria of Lickskillet
Farm in Alpharetta, Georgia, Roger held the positions of Sous Chef
and Pastry Chef. He moved on to become Executive Chef of Marra’s
Grill, a seafood bistro in the heart of Atlanta. His cuisine there
gained him the "Most Outstanding Seafood Award" citywide in 2001
by Where Atlanta Magazine. To compliment his culinary career, Roger
also wrote for the Atlanta Wine Report. 

In 2002 Roger took his chances on a small town in Maine by becoming
the Chef of Bangor’s New Moon restaurant. While leading their
kitchen, he gave their menu a much-needed facelift, bringing their
cuisine up to date with culinary trends. 

Beyond his experience in smaller fine dining establishments, Roger
has managed large commercial kitchens like the Sun Valley Lodge
(AAA four diamond rated) in Sun Valley, Idaho, and in Salt Lake City,
Utah, for The International Sports Broadcasters at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
He has served anywhere from ten to twelve hundred people at a meal.
As Roger’s experience in kitchens has been eclectic, and so too is
his culinary style- in the best possible way. He has no fear of melding
flavors, or experimentation with new produce, meats and seafood. He has
been exposed to Italian, French, Asian, Southern, fusion, and
American cooking. This allows Roger to push his "New American"
style menu in any direction, using technique and flavor from
any chosen area. His success has been noted. He won "Best of
The Best in the Region" from Market Surveys of America during
both of his two years at New Moon Restaurant. Roger works
diligently to develop his menus, showcasing the best flavors
and ingredients he can find- particularly local. He uses
over 25 local ingredients, from seafood to baby lettuces.

Roger chose to locate his stylish new restaurant, Opus, in 
Bangor due to his believed growth potential of the city,
particularly in the Waterfront area. This part of Bangor
will undergo a $150 million rejuvenation in the near future.
Roger also gained a loyal following during his time as
Chef at New Moon. Indeed, Roger states that "My regular guests
inspire me, as I can tell when they genuinely like and understand
what I am trying to do with a particular dish or menu." It is a fresh
wind to hear a chef speaking of his customers as if they are the
audience to his symphony, and his greatest wish is for them to
love every moment.

Roger lives in Bangor with his partner, Virgina. He enjoys spending
time with his sister, Kimberly, eating out, and playing pool.


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General Manager Virginia Yonek - Biographical Information

Virginia, often called Ginny, grew up in Monongahela, PA.
From her early experiences in the restaurant business, Virginia
liked what she saw. The high energy atmosphere and exceeding guest
expectations in service challenged her.  The multi-faceted personal
interactions with co-wokers and guests guided her to make it a career.
She graduated East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg,
Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management
in 1984.

During her college years, Virginia worked as a night auditor in a
multi-million dollar Pocono Mountain resort in Pennsylvania, the Fernwood
Resort.  After her time spent in the north, impressed by warm 
southern hospitality, Virginia opted to move to Atlanta, Georgia.

In Atlanta, Virginia was the Food and Beverage Director for a high
volume Holiday Inn. She served as General Manager for three different 
restaurants in Atlanta.

After meeting Chef Roger Gelis at Marra's Grill in the heart of Atlanta 
where he was the chef.  They shared a passionfor simple elegance through
dining. Virginia opted to move with him when he took the Chef position
at New Moon in Bangor, Maine.  Virginia quickly acquainted herself
with the restaurant styles of the Bangor area by taking jobs at high
end local establishments, including the now closed Pilot’s Grill and
Guinness and Porcelli’s.  Her experiences in Bangor eateries led her
to believe that she and Chef Gelis would have a great opportunity at
hand should they open a place of their own. Opus was born.

Spearheaded by Virginia and with help from friends and family,
the Opus renovations were completed in under two months. That included
removing walls, new flooring, refinishing and upholstering all sixty
chairs, and a kitchen overhaul. Virginia had great support from her
family for the Opus venture. Gary and Peggy Burgoyne traveled from 
Monongahela, PA to Bangor several times to assist with the renovations
and opening.

Virginia takes great interest in the wine menu and also works
diligently in training her wait staff to be eloquent and friendly.
She hopes to host more private parties in the future for weddings,
birthdays, corporate events and other special days.