James Beard Award 2020 Semifinalists

James Beard Award 2020 Semifinalists

by | Feb 28, 2020 | people/passions

The James Beard Award semifinalist list is out! That’s the long, long list that the eventual short nominations list will be culled from, and announced on March 25, leading to the anointment of winners in May. At this point in my career I might really love the long list most—possibly how baseball writers come to love spring training most, when all things are possible? Possibly because the voting is political and regional, and in the national categories there are simply more coastal voters who support their hometown heroes, eliminating Minnesota contestants from the pack. (I am talking about James Beard awards here, not presidential candidates, although of course the dynamics are identical.) I also love the long list because it functions as both a mirror and stress test on our local restaurant system, showing what outside forces see and bring to light when they examine what’s going on here.

What do I see when I read this year’s long list/mirror/stress-test?

Minnesota is having it’s strongest year ever, nationally:

Last year was our local Year of the Woman. But that year, and every year before this one, the Twin Cities has tended to mainly give our attention to the single local James Beard Award category of “Best Chef Midwest”, because that’s the only place we’re nominated. I mean, there have always been a few nominations in the national categories, but a very few. This year is different! We’ve got six nominations in national categories, compared to a mere five in best-chef-midwest category. Pretty sure this is our first ever time having more national than regional nominations.

But who is nominated? The big shockers are our young guns, Marco Zappia, for Outstanding Bar Program at Colita, and Rikki Giambruno of Hyacinth, for Rising Star Chef of the Year.

Colita is one of two places for the new, small, killer empire run by chef Daniel Del Prado, comprised of Martina and Colita, and the bar program at Colita is absolutely brave and idiosyncratic, composed as it is based entirely on unique-in-the-world house ferments. In a world where you can travel around the world and eat at a thousand restaurants and have a Cuervo margarita in all of them, it’s frankly both staggering and rewarding to see something so unique being recognized. Of course I had to call Zappia to offer my congrats. “Holy shit,” said Zappia, after being woken up by text barrage. “I thought we were three years away from this at least. It feels really good.”

Restaurant Alma, founded and led by stalwart and ethically-rooted chef and Alex Roberts, is up for the national category of Outstanding Restaurant, as it has been many times before. If you doubt that Alma is a regional treasure let’s go fight in the alley, I will win.

The remaining three, count ‘em, three national awards all go to the Gavin Kaysen empire.  Demi, which I am so closely associated with raving about that people come up to me at the gym to give me spot updates on current conditions, Demi was nominated for Outstanding New Restaurant. This is wildly deserved, it’s an amazing place where people are cooking and serving their little hearts out, and I love to see the passion and work recognized. Diane Moua is up, yet again, for Outstanding Pastry Chef, at Spoon & Stable, though of course she’s also in charge of pastry at Bellecour and Demi, and if you live near enough to Bellecour to get things from the pastry case and don’t you are doing the thing that is called: Wasting your precious moments on earth. Gavin Kaysen himself is up for Outstanding Chef. Is it awkward he’s up against Missy Robbins, who he is bringing to town for what I earlier said would be a very emotional Synergy Series guest spot, but now might be even more high key?

The only thing I have to say about this category is that in addition to being a great honor, I see he’s up against David Kinch at Manresa, and how is it possible that Kinch hasn’t already won and been retired from all this? If anyone doubted Kaysen was an outstanding chef before, you can simply flash this stunning three national nominations situation at them, when Kaysen has already won Rising Star and Best Chef Midwest, and then that doubter will have to run home to their doghouse and whimper, because there’s no arguing with excess.

Minnesota is having a below-average year, regionally:

Ever since Minnesota was taken out of the regional category that included Chicago, the Twin Cities has big-footed around, pretty handily vanquishing rivals such as St. Louis, Kansas City, and Milwaukee. Not this year! The suburbs of Kansas City and St. Louis are having their strongest year ever, and I’m happy that they get some love and attention. This year we’ve got five nominations.

Congrats Jamie Malone, Christina Nguyen, Steven Brown, Daniel Del Prado, and Hai Truong!

Expanded thoughts: Jamie Malone, of Grand Café and Eastside; Christina Nguyen of Hai Hai and Hola Arepa were both nominated last year, in the group of strong Minnesota women that produced winner Ann Kim (Check out our recap of that whole awards weekend!). (Once you win you’re retired from your Best Chef Midwest category, though you can compete in others: previous winners include Isaac Becker of Burch Steak, Snack Bar, Bar La Grassa, and 112; Gavin Kaysen; Alex Roberts; Tim McKee of Octo Fish Bar; and of course last year’s Ann Kim.)

Steven Brown, the guru-chef/philosopher behind Tilia and St. Genevieve, is nominated for the umpteenth time, I love his food and restaurants, though do wonder if his natural aversion to politicking will forever keep him away from a medal.

The big surprise this year is the two newcomers to the nominations: the very worthy Daniel Del Prado for Colita/Martina, and to my surprise and delight, Hai Truong of the national treasure Ngon Bistro, in Frogtown.

And then I’m also very happy about Daniel Del Prado’s nomination too. Del Prado has, over the last five years, proved himself not just a consistent and artful chef, but a curator of spaces that feel culinarily whole and complete, from appetizer to cocktail, and his art of place-making is a great asset to our towns.

Needless to say, I’m delighted to see Christina Nguyen nominated again, Hai Hai is such a fun destination, so full of surprises, every time I go I feel like I’m walking into a party and everything is going to be so fun—and then it is. The very definition of delightful.

All this said, if I had to handicap a winner from the region, I’d say Jamie Malone (whom we named Chef of the Year in 2018). When I talk to national critics and out of town chefs hers is the name that floats to their lips, and I’m starting to hear more and more tones of breathy disbelief asking: Do you know her? The way people talked about, say, Prince. It is not original to note that star-power is one of those qualities you either have or you don’t, and while Malone’s star-power has always been real, it also seems to be growing. Among your many tasks to make your life delightful and delicious I insist you add visiting Grand Café.

And that’s it folks!  2020, it has barely begun, but it’s already pretty cool. Congrats to the nominees, and congrats to all of us for co-creating a food scene with so much to celebrate. You did it, chefs and bakers and barkeeps! You did it Twin Cities! Raise a glass.

 

by

Heimie’s Haberdashery: One of St. Paul’s oldest legacy Clothier

Heimie’s Haberdashery: One of St. Paul’s oldest legacy Clothier

by | Feb 22, 2020 | people/passions

Heimies’ one of St. Paul’s oldest Clothier- Retailers, has specialized in Custom and Ready to Wear clothing for nearly 100 years. In 1917 Heimie escaped from the dangers of the Russian Revolution and brought his clothing and tailoring trade to America.

As classically trained haberdashers, our calling is to help each of our customers define their own personal style for work, for pleasure, hobbies, for travel and by season. To discover the styles, fabrics, and colors you can wear visit us and experience Heimie’s. Located in the Historic Hamm building, off St. Peter Street, you will find the Haberdashery set along a beautiful parkway among the districts best restaurants, theaters and hotels. Whether it’s your first suit, an addition to a wardrobe, or casual wear, our goal is to always fit you in clothes that will bring out the best in you.

Merchant makers

Heimie’s proudly takes its name from its legacy. Designer and makers, Heimie’s owns and manufactures handcrafted leather and canvas luggage and hand bags in the same heritage and tradition as it’s clothing. Heimies’ love for the outdoors moved us to design and make quality stylish outdoor gear for the discerning lady and gentleman. From briefcases to totes, Gun slips and fly-fishing gear you can now carry the finest luggage and hand bags available. Whether enjoying a day in the country or commuting in the cities, carry a Heimie’s leather product. See our collection influenced by the English country side and made in the USA, St. Paul, Minnesota.

About Heimie’s Haberdashery

1921 – Heimie sets up shop in a warehouse district of St. Paul
1947 – Heimie opens first retail location off Seventh Street Lower town Ralph back from war
Ralph works along-side his father expanding its offering.
1974 – Ralph Andler Heimie’s son moves into new free-standing retail outlet selling and tailoring
Readymade clothing.
1976 – Anthony starts his long apprenticeship under his Grandfather.
2007 – Anthony R. Andler (great grandson) moves store back to its origins in Downtown St. Paul.
2010 – Heimie’s expands its retail and Manufacturing.
2016 – Heimie’s builds a new state of the art tailoring facility.
2018 – Future expansion of its new Life Style store.
2019 – 5,000 square foot expansion opens to the public September 27, 2019

Barber Shop/Services

The best investment a gentleman can make is in himself, and nothing helps a gentleman feel more confident than a clean, classic cut and a close shave. Our barber shop and shave parlor specialize in the most exceptional traditional grooming services around. Choose from our menu of cut and shave options to achieve your desired look and our master barbers will take it from there. You will walk out of our men’s sanctuary feeling rejuvenated and better than ever, ready to take on the world.

Andrew Zimmern: ‘What’s Eating America’

by | Feb 15, 2020 | people/passions

Andrew Zimmern and José Andrés walking, with the Washington Monument in the background.Andrew Zimmern and José Andrés in the series premiere of What’s Eating America. Photo courtesy of NBCUniversal

Andrew Zimmern’s New Show, ‘What’s Eating America,’ Will Tackle the Politics of through Food. More than a year after the end of Andrew Zimmern’s long-running Travel Channel series Bizarre Foods, the chef/television host has shifted gears for a new show that sounds decidedly more serious in tone, called What’s Eating America. In the five-episode series, which will air on MSNBC, Zimmern explores political and social issues — immigration, climate change, addiction, voting rights, and health care — through the lens of food.

“There is no more important time than right now to be telling stories about civics, politics and culture through food,” Zimmern said in a press release. “Kitchen table civics and food politics have been absent from our dialogue at this level for a long time.”

This turn towards the nuances of food, politics, and culture — which, as the Washington Post points out, echoes a path Anthony Bourdain carved out when he left the Travel Channel for CNN — will undoubtedly raise some eyebrows, considering Zimmern’s last major turn in the headlines. In late 2018, he publicly apologized for comments he made that suggested his new Minneapolis restaurant Lucky Cricket would be a savior of Chinese food for Midwesterners: “I think I’m saving the souls of all the people from having to dine at these horseshit restaurants masquerading as Chinese food that are in the Midwest.”

The backlash to Zimmern’s comments “was never a conversation about whether a white man could cook Chinese … It was about the strange idea that the food-court Chinese joints of the nation were a problem that needed fixing in the first place,” Soleil Ho, in a review of Lucky Cricket for Eater, wrote at the time. “Call me optimistic or naive, but I don’t think that the diners of Middle America, an increasingly diverse and worldly bunch, would be satisfied with an experience that is actually worse than food-court Chinese.”

 

What’s Eating America debuts on February 16 with a two-hour episode featuring fellow chef and humanitarian José Andrés.

 

by: Jenny G. Zhang  
Survey: Minnesota second-worst tipping state in America

Survey: Minnesota second-worst tipping state in America

by | Feb 7, 2020 | people/passions

 Getty Images/iStockphoto

Your Baby Boomer uncle thinks this tip is just fine. 

  

Minnesota’s one of seven states with no so-called “tip credit,” which lets employers factor an employee’s tips received into the mandatory minimum wage. This means no large employer (revenue above $500,000 annually) can pay less than $10.00 an hour, and no small employer (less than $500,000 revenue) can go below $8.50.

Do Minnesotans know this fact and have it in mind when they go to sign the check at a restaurant? Or are we just cheapskates?

 

Make that self-reporting cheapskates: A new survey says on average, Minnesotans tip second-lowest, percentage-wise, in America. We could’ve lied! We could’ve said we tip more. Instead, we choose to be stingy but honest.

The people at moneypenny.com say Minnesotans tip servers 17.21 percent, second-lowest in America, and higher than only Idaho’s 16.71 percent. Our Upper Midwest neighbors North (17.22 percent) and South Dakota (17.29 percent) are virtually tied with us, and ranked as America’s third-worst and fifth-worst tippers, respectively.

Wisconsin (18.02 percent) and Iowa (18.5 percent) rank near the middle of the pack.

 

The survey breaks down responses by gender, with Minnesota’s men (17.37 percent) tipping only slightly better than its women (17.04 percent), and/or lying slightly more about being good tipped. Nationwide, results show no discernible pattern along gender lines. (Women are about twice as likely as men to have personal experience working a tipped job; they also make a lot less.)

More interesting, locally, is the generational gap. Consult any recent research and you’ll learn Baby Boomers (age 55-73) are easily the richest age cohort in America, with something around 50 percent of America’s total wealth. Gen X (age 39-54) has closer to 20 percent, while millennials (23-38) have less than 10 percent. The average Boomer ($1.2 million net worth per household) is worth more than 10 times as much as the average millennial ($100,000 average per household).

Despite all that math, in Minnesota, it’s Gen X (17.77 percent) and millennial (17.48 percent) who tip better, while the state’s Baby Boomers tip just 15.88 percent. Only worst-in-the-nation Idaho’s Boomers (15.42 percent) give less.

Maybe if these foolhardy millennials learned from their elders, tipped a little less and saved a little more, they could afford one of those things everyone’s talking about these days. What are they called again? Oh, yeah, that’s it. Houses.

by Mike Mullen in Food & Drink

citypages.com

 

Award-winning Minnesota promoter Natalie Morrow elevates designers of color with Black Fashion Week MN

Award-winning Minnesota promoter Natalie Morrow elevates designers of color with Black Fashion Week MN

by | Feb 1, 2020 | people/passions

photo by Sarah Whiting

“I want to put Minnesota on the map more with arts and culture,” Morrow says. “We are already on the map with regards to the Penumbra and the Guthrie. These are house hold names and are well known across the country. That is exactly what I want to do when it comes to fashion and film.”

Although Black Fashion Week MN is still in its infancy, founder Natalie Morrow has been breaking down barriers and elevating artists of color across genres for over two decades. She was an influencer before that was even a term. “I was way ahead of my time,” she says.

In the 1990s, Morrow was one of the few female concert promoters in the Twin Cities, promoting artists like Nelly, Mos Def, and Jay-Z. An avid film-lover, in 2002 she started the Twin Cities Black Film Festival. Part of that event included themed Hollywood Fashion Shows, which were surprise hits that attracted the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Sean Combs, and Kevin Garnett, and garnered footwear, and clothing donations from companies like Converse and Nike.

Noticing how popular the event was and the lack of diversity in fashion shows she attended, Morrow knew it was time to spin the fashion show off into its own event featuring Minnesota talent. In May 2018, Black Fashion Week MN debuted at the Moxy in Uptown. It sold out.

“The most gratifying part of Black Fashion Week for me is having the ability to showcase different talents here in the Twin Cities,” says Morrow. That first fashion show featured Minnesota-based labels like HWMR and Akua Gabby Designs as well as designers Jacqueline Addison and Houston White.

The event has included themed shows such as Black Man Magic, celebrating Black men; 40 Lux, recognizing Indigenous and POC over 40; and Runway Africa, featuring African designers who call Minnesota home. Other happenings during the week-long soirée have included an A-list party, a cocktails and couture mixer, a fashion bazaar, and Opalescent, which gives young event producers the opportunity to put together a fashion show. The number of Black Fashion Week MN participants has grown to 1,000 since its inception, with each week involving around 50 models, 20 designers, and eight stylists.

“There are tons of creatives out here, from shoe designers to clothing designers to jewelry designers that are people of color,” Morrow say. “There’s a lot of talent right here in Minnesota and I do not think people realize it. This is why we have this platform.”

One barrier for designers of color is a lack of connections. “If you don’t know the right people, then there are not going to be events that will give you a chance to showcase your work. And that is where we come in,” Morrow says.

The other major fashion event in town tends to use a small core group of designers and models of color. Many designers have come to Morrow saying they have been shut out from that event. “We try to give everyone an opportunity if we see potential for them to do well [with more exposure],” Morrow says.

One of the hurdles is that not all designers know how to market their brand. To remedy that, in 2020, Morrow will incorporate a seminar on marketing strategy. Also in 2020, Morrow says she hopes to enlist experts, like celebrity supermodels and stylists, to inspire local designers with success stories.

Black Fashion Week MN is part of a national trend to spotlight Black designers. Morrow says Minnesota lags behind other states in extending opportunities to designers of color at all stages of their careers. She adds, “I am the type of person that if I start it, I am going to see it through and make it work.”

 

by Erica Rivera
GLOBAL PROBLEMS REQUIRE GLOBAL SOLUTIONS

GLOBAL PROBLEMS REQUIRE GLOBAL SOLUTIONS

by | Jan 24, 2020 | people/passions

CGS-MN MISSION:

Building a just, free, peaceful and sustainable world.

CGS-MN VISION:

  • To promote a consciousness of humanity as one community.

  • To build political will in Minnesota for global collaboration and democratic international institutions that respect the human rights of peoples and nations.

  • To advocate and educate for a model of inter-generational cooperation which can effectively address the many global challenges that we face in the present era.

Citizens For Global Solutions, And Its Affiliated Minnesota Chapter, Strives To Inspire Americans To Engage With The World.  We Recognize That In Today’s Interconnected World, Our Lives, Our Jobs And Our Families Are Increasingly Affected By Global Problems. CGS-MN Offers Local Programs That Strengthen Awareness Of Critical International Issues. The Focus Of Our Programs Is To Offer Perspectives On Possible Solutions To A Variety Of World Problems On Which We Endeavor To Shine A Spotlight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CGS-USA HERE

 

 

 

Pin It on Pinterest