Month: June 2015

Ideas on Changing the Food & Farming System

Last week I spoke at the 75th annual American Public Gardens Association Conference, hosted by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. Before the event, I sat down with Lisa Marchand of Minnesota Monthly to chat about our broken food system and the state’s farming potential. Read the article here.   When…  Read More

My Hometown: Edward Kim’s Chicago

Edward Kim on Where to Eat & Drink in Chicago After graduating from culinary school, chef Edward Kim worked in kitchens in Los Angeles, Seoul and New York City—most notably under Thomas Keller at Per Se—before returning to his native Chicago to open Ruxbin in Wicker Park. After the wild success of his globally-influenced 32-seat neighborhood BYOB,…  Read More

7 Mouthwatering Minnesota Food Festivals

Minnesota summers may be short, but we never take a sunny day for granted. We jam-pack June-September with events celebrating the food, drink, art and music that make Minnesota an amazing place to live. You probably already know that my favorite food festival on earth is the Minnesota State Fair. But there are several other…  Read More

It’s time to change the tune.

For decades, big soda companies have spent billions of dollars trying to convince the world that soda equals happiness. Perhaps no other advertisement in history exemplifies that more than the iconic “Hilltop” ad, where singers on a hillside expressed their wish to “buy the world a Coke.” But the truth is, sugar drinks promote type 2…  Read More

My Hometown: Justin Yu’s Houston

Justin Yu on Where to Eat & Drink in Houston With an astounding blend of cultures and cuisine, Houston has long been one of America’s great food cities. But it’s only been until recently—with chefs like Chris Shepherd, Hugo Ortega and Justin Yu leading the pack—that anyone’s paid attention to the robust dining scene. Well…  Read More

Kickstarter Alert: Breaking Bread Cafe

I need your help.  I want to bring your attention to a new café that just opened in North Minneapolis. I’ve been working with Appetite for Change to get a youth training program started at Breaking Bread Café, and I thought you’d be interested. Take a look at the information below (including this video), and let…  Read More

Mixtli

Brilliant, Progressive Mexican Cuisine In a pint-sized, 12-seat restaurant operating out of a once abandoned rail car on the outskirts of San Antonio, chefs Diego Galicia, Rico Torres and the rest of their 5-person team showcase regional Mexican cuisine with modernist techniques. Every six weeks they create an entirely new menu highlighting specialties from one…  Read More

My Hometown: Andrew Taylor & Mike Wiley on Portland, Maine

Where to Eat & Drink in Portland Andrew Taylor and Mike Wiley are the chef-owner duo behind Portland’s Eventide Oyster Co., Hugo’s and the brand new, noodle-focused The Honey Paw. A modern take on the classic American oyster bar, I love Eventide for their amazing raw selection, inventive Asian-influenced lobster rolls served in steamed buns…  Read More

Eventide Oyster Co.

Modern Take on the Classic Oyster Bar This is an amazing raw bar that serves a couple dozen varieties of fresh oysters and shellfish with innovative accoutrements like pickled ginger or kimchi ice. Dishes like the house-cured herring with beet ice amiably remind you that the kitchen is jamming on all cylinders and knows what it’s doing.…  Read More

Peru’s Belen Market

Iquitos’ Belen Market Accessible only by boat or plane, Iquitos lies at the intersection of three great rivers, the Amazon, Nanay and Itaya. No place generates more energy in this city than the Belen Market, a brilliant show of colorful produce and ingredients from the explosively fertile Amazon basin. The flavors are intense and fresh, eaten…  Read More

Where to Eat in Milan

Five Great Meals in Milan By Devan Grimsrud Host of the 2015 World’s Fair, Milan is expected to draw a staggering 20 million visitors this summer. The 1 million square meter exhibition area features architecturally stunning pavilions built by participating countries, all exploring the overarching theme of Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. Learn about the…  Read More

Urban Roots Needs Our Help!

Operation Farm Rescue Record-breaking rainfall in Texas has had a devastating impact on communities and agriculture. Over the weekend, I received the following note from a friend, chef Rene Ortiz, with a call to action to help Urban Roots recover from flooding. An Austin-based non-profit, Urban Roots transforms the lives of young people through food and farming,…  Read More