Culinary Captains

The Chefs of the Port of Call Restaurant and Lounge
We have raised the standards of dining by bringing Annapolis’ award-winning Executive Chef Charles McKnew as well as Chef Nicolai Vuxinic and Executive Sous Chef James Evans to our culinary crew. From all of us at the Ports of Call Restaurant and Lounge – “For our guests, the sea's the limit!”

Charles McKnew
Chief Executive Chef

Charles was born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland, and his official career started at 14 as a dishwasher at the Holiday Inn Annapolis.

“Before long I was working my way through the kitchen as prep cook, breakfast cook, dinner cook and purchasing. I completed my formal education at Baltimore International Culinary Institute in 1982 while performing Sous Chef duties at the Holiday Inn. In 1988, I was promoted to my current position as Executive Chef for the Doubletree Hotel Annapolis. I became active in the American Culinary Federation shortly after, holding office as treasurer and vice president along with performing charity work on their behalf.”
– Charles McKnew, Chief Executive Chef

Honorable Achievements
1995, 1996, 1997 First Place Vegetable Crab Soup in Maryland’s Seafood Festival
2001 Voted Chapter Chef of the Year
2001 Certified by American Culinary Federation to level of Certified Executive Chef
2001, 2005, 2006 First Place, Chesapeake Gumbo in American Culinary Competition
2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 First Place, Cream of Crab Soup in Maryland’s Seafood Festival
2005 Awarded Chef Professionalism Medal for Mentoring Young Apprentices

Best Moment
Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. presented me the gold medal for
Best Cream of Crab soup in the State


Nicolai Vuxinic
Restaurant Executive Chef

Cooking philosophies of Nicolai Vuxinic : First, simplify ingredients to compliment their own flavors. Second, always be ready, willing and able to learn new things. You will find that Nicolai is livings out these philosophies and more when he delivers seafood sensation and more at the Ports of Call Restaurant and Lounge.

His previous experience serving as the Sous Chef at Lowes Giorgio and Sushi Chef at the Ritz Carlton has allowed him to take his great culinary influences and turn them into a culinary adventure.

“At fourteen years old I started out as a dishwasher at a local restaurant in Colorado. I worked my way up to head line cook and still have a good appreciation for all kitchen positions. At seventeen, I decided to make this a career and began a three-year apprenticeship program at Pinehurst Country Club. There I learned everything from Garde Manager to ice sculpting. The advantage of a country club is that food cost is not a factor and I was able to bring in whatever ingredient I wanted.”
– Nicolai Vuxinic, Restaurant Executive Chef

Honorable Achievements
Gold Medal winner in the Hot Food Shown competition
18 years experience, three as a Sous Chef and the last seven as an Executive Chef
Employment: Lowes Giorgio Colorado, Pinehurst Country Club Colorado,
Ritz Carlton St. Louis MO

Signature Recipe
Sesame Ginger Salmon


James Evans
Executive Sous Chef

Jamie enjoys working with all types of food and likes to "think out of the box." He alters menus for clients and enhances all entrees with his special presentation skills.

“Inspiring to become “an artist” was and is my goal from an early age. Especially in my teen years in high school, I developed and trained myself in all aspects of painting, drawing and sculpting. Along with support from teachers, family and friends, I won numerous awards. By the time of my high school graduation, it was time for me to find my career. The choice was to cook. It opened a whole new world of creativity to me, and allowed me to take basic art techniques and implement them into the culinary field, which is a dream come true. As you may know, the culinary field is art as well and I enjoy what I do. I strive for creative excellence every day and that is what I live by.”
– James Evans, Executive Sous Chef


Honorable Achievements
American Culinary Federation National Gold Meal Cold Food Competition
Five Bronze Medals, American Culinary Federation
Two first place trophies, American Culinary Federation
Two first place Ribbons, American Culinary Federation