09/09/2026
Behind every small business is a story of passion, perseverance, and a connection to the community that helped shape it.
This week’s Down to Business newsletter highlights Chef Evan Hennessey and a story that is, at its heart, very much a Dover story. From building Stages at One Washington to creating The Living Room and, most recently, Topolino, Mediterranean Restaurant, Evan has built an extraordinary culinary career while remaining deeply connected to Dover and the community he continues to call home.
Earlier this year, Evan became the first New Hampshire chef to win the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast, an achievement that has brought national attention not only to his restaurants, but to Dover and the broader Seacoast community.
Read Evan’s story in this week’s Down to Business through our Linktree. It’s a story about food and entrepreneurship, but even more so about coming home, investing in your community, and leaving a place better than you found it.
This evening, our community has an opportunity to celebrate Evan together. Mayor Shanahan and the Dover City Council will present Chef Evan Hennessey with a Key to the City of Dover, today, Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Dover City Hall. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend this special recognition.
Congratulations, Chef Hennessey, on this remarkable achievement and for making Dover proud to call you one of our own!
