Since 1950. Al’s breakfast has been part of the fabric of the minnesota food scene. What are we without our icons and classics. The spots that have been a part of life since before we were around. The spots we take our kids so they understand that they’re part of something bigger. Al’s Breakfast is that to Minnesota. It’s won most awards out there, and a former server, Alison Kirwin, is now the owner. She tells how it’s surviving. And Zorbaz! Around since 1969, now 11 locations all along Minnesota lakes. An essential part of the summer cabin trip, the weird, mexican-pizza combo works. The original owners son Cole Hanson is now running it, and he joins us on this edition of DeRusha Eats.

Two risk-takers. Innovators. Building an audience for great food in unexpected locations. Justin Ahlstrom and his wife opened Margie’s in a North Suburb of Andover. Craft cocktails. Food from scratch. Live music. Just a great scene. And Mik German - a master of the burger… who’s carved out a niche of terrific, creative bar food inside an American Legion Hall in St. Paul Park, the 328 grill. 

Two men who both should be in the mix for the next cycle of the James Beard Awards: Jorge Guzman has been there, Gustavo Romero should be there. Jorge Guzman  has been a beard award nominee for his work as the executive chef at Surly Brewing’s A Brewers Table… an awesome restaurant. He’s been at Solera, a distillery in LaCrosse, and now at Petite Leon in Minneapolis - we talk about expectations of a Latino Mexican chef, when it comes to the types of food that he cooks. Very interesting. Plus Gustavo Romero brought his love for heritage corn into a tortillas like the twin cities have never seen. Nixta changed the game with nixtamalized tortillas that taste like corn, instead of nothing. Now he’s opened a restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis. We talk about his work bringing together a group of Latino chefs and bartenders as K’ooben- raising their profiles, and drawing attention to some incredible talents in Minnesota. 

Three powerhouse women making a real difference in St. Paul, Minnesota. One - the daughter of a founder, Milissa Silva is running her family’s business, El Burrito Mercado. We talk grocery, we talk the pain that comes with change, as she is mixing up the way her store does food service. Plus, two women who met in Chicago working at Girl and the Goat, have come back to St. Paul to open a modern clubhouse with incredible food. Tara Coleman started with Hot Hands Pie and expanded next door with Gina Mangiameli to open one of my favorites, Chip’s Clubhouse. Let’s have some 651 love in DeRusha Eats.

I’m fascinated by the creative process in restaurants. How do you avoid the regular. The boring. The road oft traveled. Two real creative people here… Steve Schussler is the creative genius behind Rainforest Cafe. He’s created dozens of interactive restaurant concepts - including the incredibly successful Boathouse in Downtown Disney in Orlando Florida. His lab is based in suburban Minneapolis - he talks about what drives his creativity today, what diners want, and the difference between Minnesota diners and Disney diners. Plus, Jami Olson. The former bartender became a restaurant owner with Centro and a high-end mexican restaurant. Then the pandemic hit, she shifted, and also has come up with a new ghost kitchen concept called Hippo Pockets. Two creative people… getting it done. 

An East Coast businesswoman left a lucrative career in investment banking to follow her husband to the Twin Cities - but food kept calling Lindsay Pohlad. She attended culinary school and opened a restaurant in her adopted home of Wayzata right as the pandemic began. The Grocers Table was named MInnesota Monthly’s restaurant of the year - she shares the story of her number one seller, THE Chocolate Chip Cookie. Plus Anne Andrus left a career in nonprofits to go to culinary school in San Francisco. She came home as a baker and opened Honey & Rye Bakery in St. Louis Park. How she finds inspiration in the routine and repetition of baking.

An emotional episode: featuring Jamie Yoo, a Korean immigrant who lost his job when his high end restaurant Bellecour shut down during the pandemic. Yoo felt like a failure, considered quitting the field, until he ended up at a food hall in Minneapolis. Abang Yoli has been a huge hit with it’s flavorful Korean Fried Chicken among other treats. Plus, John Ng and Lina Goh came to the Twin Cities from San Francisco because a friend suggested it would be a good place to launch a ramen shop. Zen Box Izakaya became the leader in the midwest, now this couple has launched a food hall called Eat Street Crossing.

The runaway hit new food at Target Field is a combination of high tech and high culinary. Is there anywhere else in the country you can get a 4-piece of chicken? Jared Brewington talks about being a black businessman and bringing broasted chicken to Twins fans. And hopefully beyond. Plus Khalid Ansari is a restaurant baby - growing up with his sister in his dad’s suburban Mediterranean restaurant. They launched a hummus called Baba’s in local grocery stores, exploded in popularity with a last-minute booth at the Minnesota State Fair, and are now opening a restaurant in Minneapolis. 

Two Minnesota women leaders talk about inspiration, creativity and their top-notch restaurants. Sarah Botcher is the chef/owner of Black Walnut Bakery - she finds inspiration in the routine of baking. Her croissants and cakes are among Minnesota’s finest. Karyn Tomlinson has cooked around the world, her St. Paul restaurant Myriel is taking fresh, local ingredients and bringing them to new heights. We talk about innovating and femininity in the feel of her restaurant.

Steven Brown is one of the finest and most acclaimed chefs in Minnesota. He owns two of his own restaurants (Tilia and St. Genevieve) in Minneapolis, and also is the Executive Chef at Giulia in the Hotel Emery. Marque Collins has worked at top restaurants in Chicago for a decade and now is the Executive Chef at Tullibee, inside the North Loop hotel hotspot, the Hewing. Both share the challenges and advantages of working in a hotel, and why a great hotel restaurant is often overlooked in Minnesota.