The Minneapolis Club

Leadership, Service, Community

Dining

The Minneapolis Club Kitchen Gets Ready to Send 2019 Out with Panache

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To plan for 2020, Håkan Lundberg is keeping one eye on the past. What worked, what didn’t, what guests enjoy most and how the Minneapolis Club has changed – he devotes as much time to thinking about where the Club’s cuisine is now as where he wants to help take it in the future.

“I definitely look at what worked in previous years,” Håkan says. “If there’s something we do and I get a lot of positive feedback on it, I don’t mind repeating that.”

The annual Open House, a make-your-own pizza event in the kitchen and other favorites could get a chance to return. But that doesn’t mean Håkan and his staff won’t try new things in the coming year – just that he knows how to make a good thing last.

“Everything kind of runs its course,” he says. “You get a couple years out of something and then members want to experience something new. But if I find something they really enjoy, I try to give them as much of that as I can.”

Chef recently shared some of his culinary secrets with eager members during his cooking demo in the third-floor kitchen. His first secret? After your food is in the pre-heated pan, just let it be. Resist that urge to stir, nudge or flip. Other secrets revealed included how to slow roast tenderloin so even when guests are late, you can serve a perfect meal. Want to learn more? Stay tuned for Håkan’s Culinary Class, new in 2020.

“Everything kind of runs its course”

In the nearer term (Thanksgiving and Christmas, for example), Håkan has high hopes for the kitchen – so high that he doesn’t want to mention some of his plans in case they don’t pan out in 2019. Growing up in Sweden, he didn’t grow up celebrating Thanksgiving, but he knows how important the holidays are to members and guests of the Minneapolis Club in particular.

The Club’s kitchen staff is diligent about creating beautiful buffets and menus to excite and impress; about buffets that help families connect over their favorite flavors; about helping members forge new friendships over a tasty side dish.

Before putting 2019 in the rearview, Håkan hopes to give the Club a few more memories by filling plates with classic dishes and new favorites. To schedule your private party or find out more about holiday cuisine at the Club, call Catering at (612) 334-0218 or get in touch with Jodie (jodiew@mplsclub.org) or Ashley (ashleyb@mplsclub.org).

Kitchen Table Dinners Create Fun with an Unforgettable Experience

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The cuisine of the Minneapolis Club has been heralded as some of the world’s very best by members and visitors alike. From daily meals, catered events and custom menus, seriously good food awaits. For those times when you’re looking for pure fun with something a little adventurous, that’s where Kitchen Table dinners come in.

Suitable for parties of two to 12, Kitchen Table dinners give you and your guests a unique peek behind the kitchen door and into the processes that help make the Club’s cuisine so well-renowned. “Every one is different,” says Chef Håkan Lundberg. “The only thing that stays the same between Kitchen Tables is that they’re all in the kitchen.”

To hear Håkan say it, Kitchen Table meals are more than just a new location in which to eat the same food; they create “new ways to eat” and equally fleeting flavors. “Some of the dishes featured at Kitchen Tables are once-in-a-lifetime,” he says. By that, he means that the chef in charge of the meal – whether it’s Håkan or a sous chef – can express a bit of themselves through the menu.

While preparations are made to suit the party (including identifying dietary restrictions and general dislikes), Kitchen Tables exist to surprise diners. “Sometimes, it’s a dish I was particularly in the mood for,” Håkan says of the myriad menu possibilities. Other times, it’s influenced by the day, time or season – but always with the intent to bring something new and unique to the party’s plates.

The seven to nine courses in a typical Kitchen Table (including appetizers and dessert) are tentpoled by what Håkan calls “familiar” and “comfortable” flavors – favorite entrées that anchor the meal and deliver the mouth-watering flavors Minneapolis Club members have long enjoyed. In between is where he says the meals get more surprising and exciting; for example, though the main course at a recent Kitchen Table was steak, a special shrimp dish served between courses was a highlight of the menu for diners.

There’s something else a Kitchen Table dinner provides that you can’t get in the Grill or even with a custom menu: interactivity. Based on what’s being prepared for your party, you can be part of taking it from parts to plate. Håkan said that can include stirring stock, plating and even simple meat preparation. Everything about Kitchen Table is in service of creating a memorable event for Club members and their guests.

“You don’t have to be a foodie,” Håkan says. “You just have to be curious and open-minded. Maybe a little adventurous.”

Craving something creative? Try custom menus at the Club

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The Club kitchen is as well known for its signature dishes as it is for its limited-run, creative one-offs – and you can leave your mark on any occasion with the help of custom menus from the Minneapolis Club kitchen.

Greek/Italian? Epicurean? Light fare with a twist? From specific themes to general vibes, our Club’s cuisine professionals work with members to pick the perfect dishes and make your event taste as unique as it is.

“We like to learn a bit about the event,” says Jodie Weappa, director of catering – “if it’s social or corporate, a little about the clientele or guests they have coming in. The time of year and season can also have a lot to do with the creation of custom menus.”

Not sure what you want – just that it has to leave an impression? We’re glad you asked. “Some of the best menus that have come out of the kitchen are from events that let Chef Håkan create something special.”

“Some members leave it all up to us,” Håkan says, allowing for dietary and allergy restrictions. “Seven courses and a wine pairing, leave it all up to us. Then it’s free rein – we do what we like with what we have. Some stuff is more experimental, more creative, more à la minute.” Sometimes, “magic happens” – completely unique dishes that’ll never be created again. “Sometimes, members like to be guinea pigs for ideas we’ve had for a while,” he said, but haven’t had a chance to serve. That’s where Håkan says he gets a “real sense of accomplishment.”

Not every menu needs to be a leap of faith. Creating a custom menu is as simple as contacting Jodie at jodiew@mplsclub.org with all the information about your event, and Håkan and his team work directly with members to select dishes tailor-made to their tastes. “We like members to feel special,” Jodie says. “They’re very appreciative when Hakan works directly with them.” Optional tastings can help you narrow the field ahead of time. Custom menus from the Minneapolis Club kitchen provide one-of-a-kind experiences for diners, but they also help chefs cook outside their comfort zone, according to Chef Håkan, who says he still gets nervous putting together custom menus. “I don’t like [creating custom menus] – I love it,” he says. “If you’re not nervous to a certain degree, you’re not pushing yourself. You’re not as committed to it. You want to please, and you want to keep moving forward.”

Sous Chef Missy Petersen Places a Premium on “Putting Time and Love into the Food”

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The day we spoke to her, Melissa “Missy” Petersen was wearing many hats in her role as Sous Chef – which is actually the norm for her.

In addition to her regular responsibilities – ranging from cooking, plating and quality control to communication and more – Missy was helping manage the kitchen during Executive Chef Håkan Lundberg’s vacation. (Even chefs need a break sometimes.)

This is where Missy thrives: in a place where her skills bring vital structure to the kitchen and her efforts are apparent in each plate, bowl and bite. “We have a lot of great tools to work with,” she said of the Club’s capacity to support inspiration and intuition. “I really enjoy coming up with new things.”

As Sous Chef, Missy’s role is defined equally by the skillset she brings and the needs of the Executive Chef and the kitchen at large. In her own words, “The chef has a grand scheme – it’s my job to execute that.” Her lifelong passion for food definitely helps.

“I always liked to cook,” she said. “I experimented with it a lot as a kid, and I always enjoyed good food. I feel like that sounds like a pretty typical chef upbringing…  and then I decided one day that that’s the direction I wanted to go.”

After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu with the best of her class, she worked at Redstone American Grill, which she described as her first restaurant experience. “Coming from Redstone taught me a lot.” (She also helped launch a Redstone location in New Jersey, which she says gave her a bevy of insight into managing kitchen teams.)

Despite a lasting interest in cuisine and years of experience, she asserts that “chefs don’t know everything. We have to be open to learning from our staff and rely on them for what we don’t know.”

As an impromptu example, during our interview, Missy addressed questions from kitchen staff without missing a beat, meting out chickens for various dishes throughout the week. The interaction lasted all of 60 seconds, after which a clear plan of action was already in motion with all contingencies mapped.

Missy said her personality allows her to address situations like those, which require a certain degree of improvisation, with a level head. “There’s a lot that goes on at the Club, culinary-wise. I try to handle surprises as calmly as possible.”

Missy’s efforts (and those of the kitchen at large) are apparent in the Minneapolis Club dining experience, which Missy said is about more than food. “The Club’s dining experience is unique – it’s the service, it’s the food, it’s the ambiance. Dining is about the whole experience, and our members are proud to become a part of it when they come in for a meal.”

On the more recognizably culinary side of her role – that is, preparing and plating food – Missy prioritizes one thing above most other concerns: love of the craft.

“You have to put love and time into your food,” she said. “Passion and caring can be inherent, and knowledge is built over time” – and the “love” she’s talking about is what happens when the two meet. Members see both in action during Kitchen Table dinners, where groups can dine in the kitchen and back rooms to get a direct view of the passion and knowledge that create what’s on their plate. (For more information on Kitchen Tables, contact Catering or ask your server during your next meal at the Minneapolis Club.)

For Missy’s cuisine career, passion led to understanding, and understanding led to leadership. “We work as a family, working closely and watching each other’s back,” she said.

Pastry Chef Ali Boril Creates Sweet Memories

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Since relocating from California two years ago, Pastry Chef Ali Boril has continued the Minneapolis Club’s tradition of baking excellence, introducing inventive and fun new desserts while maintaining the high quality of popular favorites loved by members.

Boril is highly trained, with a background that includes graduating from the culinary program at Orange Coast College and a degree in Hospitality Administration and Management from California State Polytechnic University-Pomona. She previously served as pastry chef at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach, California. After moving to Minnesota, Boril accepted a position as a line cook at the Minneapolis Club under Chef Håkan Lundberg. When the position of pastry chef opened, she saw an opportunity to return to baking.

“I studied on the culinary side, but I eventually realized I loved pastry more,” says Boril. “Chef Håkan gives me so much freedom. I get to write my own menus and create my own specials. He’s always up for me trying any idea I have.”

Boril loves the wide variety of baking that she’s challenged with at the Minneapolis Club. “Chef Håkan is Swedish and I don’t have experience with Swedish desserts, so I look it up, fine-tune it and have him taste it. I just have to go for it and see how the flavors match. We create the same quality for each party – no matter if it’s five people or 500 people.”

Another attraction of baking at the Minneapolis Club is the rotating oven. This vintage mechanism has six levels that rotate up and down a shaft that measures a story and a half. Each level holds six sheet pans, allowing Boril to bake 36 full sheet pans at once – a huge advantage for a pastry chef who often caters weddings and events with hundreds of guests.

Boril is proud of a couple of new desserts she’s added to the Club’s menu. One is a delicious flourless chocolate almond torte with whipped cream and raspberry sauce. The other is an upscale take on the classic American donut. “We decided to do cinnamon sugar donuts. We have a lot of people who come sit at the bar, and it’s a fun dessert for when you’re hanging out, having a drink and being social. They come with caramel, chocolate and berry coulis for dipping.”

While she’s always experimenting with new desserts to provide a fresh taste, she’s also mindful of the need to maintain the high quality the Club members’ favorites. “The members are obsessed with banana cream pie! So, we do that often.”