The 2005 FSN TOP 10 CHEFS

By Mike Mitchelson

One of the difficulties (if you can call it that) of being an industry publication is we get to know a lot of chefs who do outstanding work outside of restaurants. There are excellent chefs working at convention centers and country clubs, and top-notch innovators in test kitchens. Narrowing it down to a top 10 is, obviously, difficult. For our second Top 10 Chefs list, we narrowed the focus and set stringent criteria: We considered chefs in the Twin Cities area who only practiced their trade in a restaurant and earned recognition from local and/or national media—we eliminated those who had not been in their kitchen for most of the year. They (and their kitchen when they’re not there) must produce consistent product with creative flair. And, finally, does their product have “bang for the buck”—does the quality (and in some cases, quantity) of their meals meet or exceed expectations for the price charged.
Aiding us in our quest to find these 10 best chefs was Kiersa Notz, editor of Buon Gusto magazine; Stephanie March, food writer for The Rake magazine, and the James Beard Award-winning Sue Zelickson of WCCO Radio. We thank them heartily for taking time from their busy schedules to contribute their thoughts.

While these are, in our view, the Twin Cities’ 10 best for 2005, there are certainly candidates out there who can crack the list for next year. To that we ask: keep us informed and e-mail us your suggestions. We’re always looking for a great meal.

Congratulations to our Top 10 Chefs, who are making the Twin Cities a dining destination.

—Mike Mitchelson, Editor


Lucia Watson, Lucia’s

“Lucia Watson is practically the inventor of upper Midwest cooking; she embodies the best of the Midwest.”
—Kiersa Notz, Buon Gusto

Background: It’s hard to believe that Lucia Watson’s eponymous restaurant opened 20 years ago. She continues to prove daily that “gourmet Minnesota cuisine” are three words that do, in fact, go together. She’s been nominated for two James Beard awards and co-authored a cookbook. In September she opened Lucia’s Bakery & Take Home next door to her restaurant.

After 20 years, why the take away/bakery? The space opened up a number of times in the past, and it’s never felt right. But this time I felt I had a great staff and I had a good idea, and so I just decided to go for it.

What are you doing to keep ahead of the pack? I don’t know. I just keep doing my thing and keep plugging away. I pretty much stick to what I’ve always done, which is always high quality food, reasonably priced and in a friendly place. I’m blessed with a great location and a great staff, and now my expansion will offer people my food to eat at home.

Memorable career experience: To be nominated twice for a Beard award was really a thrill; it was a great experience, you get to go out there, it was terrific.

Favorite ingredients to work with: It really depends on the season. In the winter I like braising a lot and more robust sauces. In summer I like quick sautés with vinaigrettes. In the spring, when the local stuff starts coming in, beautiful things like watercress is really inspiring and fun.


Steven Brown,Levain

“Finally finding a home at Levain, Steven Brown’s food is honest and real, but not afraid to push the envelope. “
—Stephanie March, The Rake

Background: Steven Brown’s arrival at Levain firmly placed the South Minneapolis restaurant among the Twin Cities’ upper-echelon eateries. His culinary education came from the area’s best-known restaurants, including Lucia’s and the Loring Café. Before Levain, Brown was top toque at Rock Star in downtown Minneapolis. “It lasted about a minute, I think,” Brown joked. But that year-long “minute” allowed him to push culinary boundaries. “It’s when I first became interested in the more scientific approach to cooking.”

What brought you to Levain? Rock Star was an interesting but risky venture—I was very dubious about it. I thought I should get an employment contract. A friend suggested I talk to Harvey McLain (owner of Turtle Bread and Levain) who’s a lawyer. Harvey helped write my employment contract, and we struck up a relationship. The previous chef at Levain, Stewart Woodman, laid a great foundation. And as things worked out, here I am.

What influences are you bringing to the menu? We bill our food as American cuisine with Mediterranean influence, also some French and Italian. But we also keep our fingers in other things, such as Japanese influences and some of the modern molecular gastronomy.

Molecular gastronomy? The Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire, England, with chef Hestin Blumenthal, is considered by many to be the most innovative restaurant in the world. I had the opportunity to dine there, and was very impressed and started researching what he’s doing. What I try and do is take the best of both worlds. Some of these molecular gastronomy places are very avante garde, but there are a lot of techniques and information that they’re dredging up that is really applicable to what we’re doing.

How scientific is the home cooking? (Laughs) Almost never. When I first started cooking, one of my impetuses was making dinner for my girlfriend or for myself, and I was often frustrated because most home kitchens are considerably more humble (than a restaurant’s). So now I try to do things that are much more simple…and short order a meal for me and my wife.


Lenny Russo, Heartland

“Lenny Russo has proven that Minnesota doesn’t just grow Bisquick. Regional is a religion to him, and his devotion to the land is evident in every beautifully crafted dish.”
—Stephanie March, The Rake

Background: Lenny Russo’s Heartland in St. Paul has always been lauded for its organic, locally grown ingredients on the menu. Last year Russo pondered a move to Minneapolis, but instead added a wine bar and is staying put. “After establishing yourself and people are discovering you, it’s tough to start all over again,” he said. “And I live seven blocks from here; I get to pay my taxes in the city within which I live.”

Why a wine bar? I needed someplace for guests to wait for tables, particularly in winter. But it’s turned out to be an entity onto itself—I had to buy more seats. On Saturdays, the bar is standing-room-only. It’s a great problem to have.

A recent menu had herb roasted wild boar. How do you sell that? The boar is always really popular here; we have a hard time keeping it in the house. I also grind the meat and I make terrines out of it. I think when people come here they expect to have a bit of an adventure.

A favorite ingredient/protein to work with: I like working with lamb and with game meats a lot. They have such great flavors and you can do such terrific things with them. And I like working with rabbit; it’s very popular.

Does the adventurous cooking continue at home? You’d think I’d have a lot of the same things, but I don’t. I eat more of a Mediterranean diet at home, having been raised that way. It’s olives, anchovies and sardines in the fridge and lots of pasta, tomatoes and olive oil.


John Occhiato, D’Amico Cucina

Background: Originally from Connecticut, John Occhiato arrived in the Twin Cities in 1993 not to cook, but to be a theater director. He worked days in restaurants, and met his wife at The Times, who convinced him to go to culinary school back East. They returned in 1999, and Occhiato began working at D’Amico Cucina—exactly where he wanted to be. He’s been executive chef nearly three years.

Cucina has a long line of well-known chefs. How are you putting your stamp on the restaurant? What I’ve been hearing since I’ve taken over is that the food is more Italian. A lot of it is taking traditional Italian dishes and retooling them, staying on top of the season and keeping it as simple as possible.

Does that ‘retooling’ require watching trends? Yes, but it doesn’t translate directly in the food. You’re always looking to see what other people are doing, and then figuring out how can you make it work for you without it seeming strange. I do spend a lot of time on the Internet.

Do you follow the mass of food blogs? I go to eGullet occasionally, but sometimes it seems like a lot of gossip. Mostly I look at the New York Times and I look at Web sites and menus for specific restaurants.

What are your goals for the restaurant? I’m happy with the menu, and we’re finally fleshing out a style. Italian food is innately rustic, and we’re finding a balance between that and fine dining. Cucina has been around a long time, we’ve been forgotten about a bit. We want to get back to when people mention La Belle Vie and Levain, that they also mention us again.


Isaac Becker, 112 Eatery

“Isaac Becker has managed to turn a cursed spot into one of the hottest restaurants in town, while still keeping the atmosphere quaint and inviting. The food is approachable, not at all high-brow.”
—Kiersa Notz, Buon Gusto

Background: The 112 Eatery, owned by Chef Isaac Becker and his wife, Nancy St. Pierre, has been deemed the rarest of fine-dining restaurant—it’s tasty, cheap and open late. Diners and critics continue to pile praises on his menu, but for Becker, the formula is simple: “I feel like I’ve created a place that I want to eat at, and the menu I’ve created is what I’d want to eat.”

Where did you start? I worked at Lowry’s for about five years, and in 1994 I went to work at D’Amico Cucina. From there I went on to Campiello on Lake Street and in Eden Prairie, then I opened and operated Café Lurcat for the D’Amicos.

On picking his career: I started cooking in my late teens and I was also in a band. Cooking was just a job. When I was about 22, I realized I had more of a future in the kitchen and that cooking could be a creative outlet. When I realized that, I became enthusiastic about it and took it more seriously.

So how is cooking a creative outlet? What’s funny is, over the years, I feel less like an artist and more like a craftsman or carpenter. It’s really hard to come up with dishes that are works of art that taste good. What I strive for is food that tastes good, not necessarily ground-breaking. Not that it isn’t interesting or unique, but I don’t feel like it’s so much of an artistic thing anymore.

How do you keep the ideas flowing? I read constantly. I spend my leisure time either cooking at home or reading cookbooks. I don’t have visions or dreams and put them on the plate. Some people either think that’s what the work is, or that is what the work is for them.


Seth Bixby Daugherty, Cosmos

“Seth Bixby Daugherty is on the list not just because he’s a Food & Wine cover boy (this year for being one of America’s 10 Best New Chefs), but because he can construct a dish that is both thrilling and adventurous, but familiar enough to make you hungry, really hungry.”
—Stephanie March, The Rake

Background: Seth Bixby Daugherty is a true restaurant lifer. “I’ve never made money any other way; my first restaurant job was when I was 12 years old,” he said. He trained at the Culinary Institute of America, then worked at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington DC. He also worked at La Bernardin and the Four Seasons Hotel in New York City. He came to the Twin Cities in 2000 to be executive chef at D’Amico Cucina, leaving for Cosmos in the Graves Hotel in when it opened 2003.

When he knew he wanted to be a chef: In high school, instead of having a big keg party at my house, I was making spring rolls and whole wheat pasta. All my friends thought I was crazy. My mother was a pastry chef growing up, so I was exposed to food my whole life.

What appealed to you about the Cosmos opportunity? That the plate was wide open—I could do whatever I wanted and truly think outside the box. If I didn’t have hotel experience, I don’t think I would have looked at this job. It’s a different animal altogether—we never shut down. We do banquets and feed 300 people a day in just our staff cafeteria.

With no limitations, do you try to follow or set trends? We look at trends, but ultimately what I look at is, does it smell good and does it taste good. You can do great experimental stuff, but if it doesn’t taste good it’s a waste of my time and the guests’ time.

How does ‘outside the box’ cooking work in Minnesota? You still need chicken and steak on your menu. Maybe they don’t want a bacon mushroom foam with their scallops. We’re thinking outside the box, but remembering we are in Minnesota. People are really price conscious; they want good value for what they are paying.


Tim McKee, La Belle Vie, Solera

“No one does beautiful flights of food like Tim McKee. Tasting dinners at Solera are more affordable than a trip to Madrid, but just as fun and mind-opening.”
—Stephanie March, The Rake

Background: Tim McKee’s status as a chef in the Twin cities has grown to near-mythic proportions, first when he and business partner (and former sous chef) Josh Thoma opened La Belle Vie and then Solera. Yeah, there’s all those awards—including being among Food & Wine’s best new chefs in 1997—piling up like a varsity athlete’s trophy collection. But no matter the acclaim, a chef’s greatness always comes down taste, and McKee delivers with unparalleled consistency. Recently, La Belle Vie moved from Stillwater to Minneapolis, taking over the 510’s old home on Groveland Avenue.

Why move La Belle Vie to Minneapolis? Most of our guests coming to Stillwater were from the Twin Cities and western suburbs. Stillwater was very supportive, but this move allows us to be nearer to those guests and have a broader clientele.

What are the particular challenges for La Belle Vie inMinneapolis? Part of it is we have that much broader clientele than in Stillwater. So, we’re really pushing ourselves on this one, raising the bar a bit with five- and eight-course tasting menus.

The significance of the 510 location: It’s very special to be opening in this place. This was the first fine-dining restaurant in the Twin Cities, and it’s where a lot of great chefs, like Lucia Watson, Ken Goff and Jay Sparks, got their start. It’s great to be part of that history.

Which is more satisfying as a chef to work with, the tapas menu at Solera or the multi-course menu of La belle Vie? They both are satisfying, but the one thing you get to hear at La Belle Vie on occasion is, “This is the best meal I’ve had in my life.”


Alexander Roberts, Restaurant Alma

“Roberts is best in town at providing the Perfect Bite: that one scoop of all the elements of a dish that come together in a single forkful to stop you cold in your tracks with perfection.”
—Stephanie March, The Rake

Background: Restaurant Alma seemed to have hit its stride as soon as it opened in 1999. Rave reviews for Alexander Roberts earthy, innovative dishes began pouring in from both local and national media, and they have not abated. Yet none of that has gone to Roberts’ or co-owner Jim Reininger’s heads—Restaurant Alma remains a true “neighborhood” bistro.

You cooked with top chefs in New York City. Why did you return to the Twin Cities? I assumed I would come back, but then went through a period where I didn’t want to come back because the food scene here wasn’t at New York’s level. But a few more years went by and I started to see that Minneapolis is ready.

What changed in the Twin Cities? People have become more familiar with ingredients, and tastes have become more sophisticated. The Twin Cities’ population isn’t a huge number, but there’s a decent number of people that seems to keep enough of us independents going strong.

Your menu is often described as “Mediterranean meets Midwest.” Is that accurate? There’s some Mediterranean influence, but there’s a lot of Italian influence in the menu and plenty of French technique being used to create flavors. It’s eclectic. There’s a very strong European foundation of cooking. Flavor-wise, I use cilantro, coconut milk, soy sauce, pickled ginger and sticky rice, but I also use risotto, farro, and my stocks are reduction-based, naturally made. One thing we do is specialize in organic and local ingredients, so I buy whatever’s best on the market, period. I love working with local produce.

Do food trends affect what you do? I just do what I do. I think for those of us that eat out enough and travel enough, we see what’s generally going on. Maybe things inspire or influence you a bit, but I generally just cook from my head.


Vincent Francoual, Vincent: A Restaurant

“Not only is Francoual a fabulous chef, he seems to be a good guy—it’s refreshing to meet a chef of such talent who manages to leave the superstar attitude at home (or at least in the kitchen). He often donates his time to many good causes.”
—Kiersa Notz, Buon Gusto

Background: Real French cooking by a real French chef. That’s pretty much what Vincent: A Restaurant is all about. Since opening his restaurant in 2001, chef/owner Vincent Francoual has presented perfectly prepared French meals with his own particular flair. And he still finds time to compete in the occasional triathlon and, now, marathon—as this issue was going to press, he was running his first marathon in San Antonio.

The secret to his success: There’s no secret. I spend my life in the restaurant. You’ve just got to be there, and open your mind to what’s going on around. We didn’t do much different from last year, we just tried to improve quality—the service, the ambiance, the cooking, all these are together. It’s great to be among the 10 best chefs, but, frankly, it’s about the whole experience. Even though I get recognized, my team is behind me in all that.

What fuels your cooking ideas? I’ve got to a point now where I know what I want to do; I think I’ve found my own style with French cooking. I’m not much into trends now, but I like to play with Asian spice a bit. I involve my sous chefs in the cooking so they can also generate some new stuff.

Your restaurant is nearing five years. Did you have a five-year plan for yourself? Right now I’m really content with my life. I’ve got no plan. Some people have come to us to open a new place, but I’m not really sure I want to do one. I want to focus on this one, that’s really important for me right now. I don’t think I’ll be someone with a lot of restaurants. Things change, but right now I’m pretty happy.

On running his own restaurant: What I like is the discovery of yourself, you are challenged so many days. Part of the management and dealing with people is, I think, a great experience as a human being.


Filippo Caffari, Osteria I Nonni

Despite the pile-up of “Best Of” awards and diners swooning for his authentic Roman dishes, Chef Filippo Caffari at Osteria I Nonni still might be the best-kept secret in Minnesota. Caffari was born in Rome and made his living as a master butcher. Cooking was only a hobby, until he moved his family to the United States in 1993.

How did you become a chef? When I moved here, I decided not to do the butchering anymore because it was too boring. In Italy it’s much more competitive. You have to buy a whole cow, and try to sell everything together; steak, ground beef, for stews, whatever. Here, it’s much easier, so I didn’t like it—there’s no challenge. I decided to cook, and went through many different restaurants, and after I opened a couple restaurants by myself, I cooperated with Frank Marchionda (owner of Buon Giorno), and we opened this with the idea to bring out real Italian food—no compromises like spaghetti and meatballs or fettucine alfredo.

How did you think Minnesotans would receive your food? My goal was to make people understand that in Italy we have a lot of different food. We introduced gricia (pork jaw) to people. If you look on the menu of other Italian restaurants now, everybody uses it, and that’s a good thing. We introduced farro, too. Our challenge was to present a different dish. Now, after three and a half years, the people that come here want something different. They keep me and my cooks really interested in our jobs. We try to create a new dish or prepare an old dish with a twist.

Favorite ingredients to work with: I use a lot of herbs, like basil, garlic, rosemary, sage, especially on meats. And the experience I have as a butcher has given me the skills to take the best of any kind of cut of meat.

Do you also do the cooking at home? The cook at home is my wife. She’s a very good cook. I help her only when she asks me. I can’t touch anything in the kitchen. She’s the boss in there.

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