Chef Kaysen To Host 4 Top Chefs At Spoon And Stable For Charity
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Spoon and Stable has earned national recognition since opening in 2014 in the North Loop of Minneapolis. From the finals of the James Beard award for Best New Restaurant in the nation to Restaurant of The Year in Food And Wine Magazine, chef and owner Gavin Kaysen's restaurant has taken over headlines.
Now, it is making headlines again.
In 2016, Kaysen is bringing four of the best chefs in the nation to cook in his restaurant, with a large portion of proceeds going to charity.
"The idea was to do something collaborative and fun for our community, and my immediate community of staff here," Kaysen said.
Kaysen is calling it "The Synergy Series." The chef dinners will all be ticketed events, $295 all-inclusive with a multi-course meal, beverage pairings, tax and tip. Tickets to sit at the chef's counter and interact with the chefs will run $395. A total of 76 tickets are available.
Chef Michael White from New York's Altamarea Group will be the first chef cooking at Spoon and Stable on April 28.
Seats for the Michael White dinner went on sale at 10 a.m. January 27. Over 1,500 people attempted to get tickets, and they sold out in five minutes.
Chef Kaysen said due to the popularity of the event, he was able to convince White to stay for a second dinner.
White's second dinner will be held on April 29. Tickets will go on sale January 28 at 10 a.m.
White is followed by Michael Anthony, executive chef at Gramercy Tavern and the cafes at New York's Whitney Museum of American Art. That dinner will take place on April 16.
On October 13, April Bloomfield from The Spotted Pig in New York City will stop by. And finally, on December 15 Daniel Boulud, Kaysen's former boss at Café Boulud in New York City, will cook at Spoon and Stable.
"Michael [White] is from Beloit, Wisconsin, so it's a great excuse for him to come home," Kaysen said.
According to Kaysen, 25 percent of the proceeds will go to local charities. Charities include Appetite for Change, the Angel Foundation, the PACER Center and Children's Cancer Research Fund.
All of the charities chosen have connections to Kaysen. He's on the board of Appetite for Change, the Angel Foundation was started by a neighbor of his, his mother is a long-time volunteer at PACER Center and he said Children's Cancer Research Fund holds a spot close to his heart because two friends recently lost a child to leukemia.
"We're fortunate to have sponsors to help offset our costs so we can give so much to these great charities," Kaysen said.
The bar and lounge will be open for walk-in guests, serving the regular bar menu plus a special item from each chef. For example, Kaysen said Bloomfield might serve her signature lamb burger and Boulud would offer charcuterie.
"We want as many people as possible to feel they can attend these dinners," he said.
The chefs will arrive the day before the event, visiting other restaurants in the Twin Cities.
Kaysen said this is a great opportunity to show off the strength of the local dining scene to some of the best chefs in the United States.
"Getting the chefs lined up was the easiest part of this experience," Kaysen said.
After all, Kaysen is a former chef in New York City and has personal relationships with this group of four.
"To have these chefs in Minneapolis is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Kaysen said.
A once-in-a-lifetime experience not only for diners, but also for his staff who have the chance to work with masters in the field.
For more information, or to purchase tickets to future dinners, visit The Synergy Series online.