Two farmers for this episode of DeRusha Eats: One is a cheesemaker, Alise Sjostrom, her cheese company Red Head Creamery wins awards all over the world. What’s life like in the central minnesota town of Brooton? Trisha Zachman’s farm, Feathered Acres, isn’t that far from Brooton- Stearns County, Minnesota. Trisha and her husband practice regenerative hog farming - what’s that about? We can’t enjoy great food, without great farming - and that’s in the spotlight in this episode of DeRusha Eats.

She’s a woman who owns a butcher shop! An unusual combination, but Teena Matson joins us to talk about why she thinks women have an advantage in this traditionally male-business. She owns Anoka Meats in the north suburbs of Minneapolis. Plus Jill Holter, talks about how one of the oldest co-ops in the country, the Wedge in Minneapolis, has adjusted with the times and with the increased competition in the grocery space.

Two of our most awarded chefs, both James Beard Award winners, talk about the challenges in their businesses. Sean Sherman’s Indigenous-focused restaurant Owamni was named Best New Restaurant in America by the Beard Foundation. What is Indigenous cuisine? Why has it been so hard for Native Chefs to get started? And Alex Roberts won Best Chef: Midwest in 2010, how he’s achieved more than 20 years with Restaurant Alma, and his plans for his fast-casual restaurant Brasa.

A national bartending competitor, a CEO driving innovation in CBD, THC, seltzers, sodas and beer, and a founder who's started multiple drinks companies. What's new, what's hot, what's coming?

GUESTS: Jessi Pollak, Bar Manager, Spoon and Stable; Janet Johanson, CEO of Bev Source and The Lab; Joe Heron, founder of Bar Diver, Crispin Cider

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.