Zoë François is an Emmy-nominated TV host, NYT bestselling author, social media influencer, and all-around dope person.Find her on Instagram @zoebakes--Hey, fam! We’re super excited to announce a new sponsorship with Land O’Lakes.You might be familiar with Land O'Lakes Butter and cheese in the grocery aisle, but did you know they also sell dairy products developed to perform in foodservice kitchens? If you're a chef or operator in the industry, check out their offerings like Extra Melt® chees...

Karyn Tomlinson is chef/owner of Myriel in St. Paul, MN.--Hey, fam! We’re super excited to announce a new sponsorship with Land O’Lakes.You might be familiar with Land O'Lakes Butter and cheese in the grocery aisle, but did you know they also sell dairy products developed to perform in foodservice kitchens? If you're a chef or operator in the industry, check out their offerings like Extra Melt® cheese sauces, shreds, and loaves - providing creamy, melty, crave-able appeal for your menu from s...

Adam Platt is the executive editor of Twin Cities Business Magazine.--Hey, fam! We’re super excited to announce a new sponsorship with Land O’Lakes.You might be familiar with Land O'Lakes Butter and cheese in the grocery aisle, but did you know they also sell dairy products developed to perform in foodservice kitchens? If you're a chef or operator in the industry, check out their offerings like Extra Melt® cheese sauces, shreds, and loaves - providing creamy, melty, crave-able appeal for your...

We’re back! I spoke to the one and only Tim McKee. If you know you know. You probably know. Minnesota dining legend. He’s a James Beard award-winning chef, and his resume is absolutely killer: La Belle Vie, Octo Fish Bar, Solera, Barrio, and Sea Change, just to name a few. Today, he’s working on a North Loop restaurant that’ll focus on the flavors of Spain’s Basque region.Chefs and industry people, this one is for you. We talk about the trials and tribulations of running a spot. We talk about...

These Minneapolis-based cool kids are the masterminds behind Bebe Zito and Ouro Pizzaria. They were also involved in bringing the incredible Eat Street Crossing to life. Literally, everything they do screams "cool." But, man, they're tired. They're stressed. They aren't afraid to admit it. So let's talk about it. I appreciated this candid opportunity to sit down with them and understand who they are and where they come from. This was my first time really sitting down and getting to know these...

In this episode, I had the pleasure of hosting Nick Kosevich, a Minnesota-based food and beverage professional. He is CEO of the cocktail company Earl Giles and Beverage Director of Mr. Paul’s Supper Club in Edina, MN. Nick and I go all the way back to 2006 when we opened Town Talk Diner in Minneapolis. That crazy f****n time lead to us creating a lifelong friendship, which is why he felt comfortable enough to show up in a banana costume. We spent our time together talking about said...

ok so this is kind of a rant but i don't want to actually call it a rant. i've just had a lot of stuff on my mind. i feel vulnerable sharing stuff like this, but these are just the honest thoughts that i'm having right now, as a restaurateur, in st. paul minnesota, in 2023. no edits. i love you all. thanks for listening. -- find the youtube version by clicking here. join the conversation: follow us on instagram here.

Hey! It's our second live show! We recorded this thing on August 21st at Mucci's Italian in St. Paul, MN. I spoke with the incredible Christina Nguyen, who is co-owner of Hai Hai and Hola Area. These restaurants are in Minneapolis, MN and they are amazing. So, yeah, Christina and I did this whole thing WHILE a coursed dinner was being served, which is crazy. Like, what is that? Who does live podcast dinners? We do, I guess. We talked about a bunch of stuff: Christina's origin story as a...

Chef Jorge Guzmán (Petite León) is an interesting character. I've been in similar rooms with him throughout the years, but I never really got to know him. He always seemed brooding and uninterested. The dude was hard to approach. But I recently got to know him much better. For today's episode, I sat down with this guy and figured out what made him tick. And, let me tell you, I think I understand what's going on. He's been through a lot. Trauma. He's been ripped off. He's failed. Hard. He's...

What's there to be said about Ann Ahmed? She's a force of nature. Her latest restaurant – the Minneapolis-based Gai Noi – has once again proven that she is a master at the art of restaurants. Ever since she opened Lemon Grass Thai in the mid-2000s, she has drastically improved her standards of food and aesthetics. Lemon Grass has since closed, but the two places that came after it, Lat 14 and Khâluna, have blown people away with their style, grace, and execution. The increasing level of...

Here it is, fam! The first-ever liv episode of Niver Niver Land. We featured two Minneapolis bartenders – Robb Jones from Meteor Bar and Jessi Pollak from Spoon & Stable – for a wonderful conversation about the hospitality industry. This was recorded on May 22nd at Saint Dinette to a sold-out room of people. The experience was surreal and we had a blast. - Follow Tim on Twitter and Instagram. - Be sure to support Mucci's and Saint Dinette. How about making a reservation soon? Also,...

Chef Jacob Schumack and photographer Roy Son are both experts in their respective crafts. But you know what else they’re good at? Eating. I consider these gentlemen to be professional diners. They’ve eaten at a lot of places in their day and their perspectives on dining are interesting to me right now. Why? Because the way we dine at restaurants has changed a lot in the last three years. To get a better insight into what those changes are – and how the industry can learn from these changes –...

This is it! The final installment of the Niver Niver Land Milwaukee Files! We're kinda sad it's ending. This one is with Justin Carlisle. He owns Ardent, one of the best restaurants in Milwaukee. Actually, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel called it the best restaurant in town back in 2019. We'd even wager that this spot competes regionally and nationally. We went out to eat at Ardent the night before and it was stellar. Beyond stellar. It's all I was thinking about for days after the...

Welcome back to the Niver Niver Land Milwaukee Files. Today we're speaking with a legend of Milwaukee dining. Paul Bartolotta is a two-time James Beard award-winning restaurateur who has been operating his restaurant group since 1993. He's been working in restaurants since the 70s and the guy has been just about everywhere. He's a huge name in the town. We knew it would be essential to bring him into the discussion when we visited, and we're glad we did. This was an excellent chat that...

Welcome back to a special feature of Niver Niver Land: The Milwaukee Files! We visited Milwaukee for a week in earlier February and talked to three incredible people in the restaurant industry. Why? Because we like Milwaukee, and we wanted to hear what they're thinking about these days. The restaurant landscape has totally changed in the last few years. We wanted to know how it changed in Milwaukee. Our first interview was with this wonderful woman, Melissa Buchholz, owner-operator at Odd...

Welcome back to Niver Niver Land! Today, we have one of the most prolific restaurateurs in the state, Danny del Prado. Odds are you've eaten at one of his restaurants. It's a long list that seems to grow every year: Colita, Martina, Rosalia, Josefina, Macanda, Cardamom, and more. I had so much fun talking to this guy. His life story is fascinating and his perspective on restaurants is invaluable. Thanks for listening! - Follow Tim on Twitter and Instagram. - Be sure to support Mucci's...

Hi! Welcome back to Niver Niver Land. Today, we are closing out season 5 with two incredibly handsome and talented dudes: Gustavo Romero of Nixta Tortilleria & Pedro Wolcott of Guacaya Bistreaux. Both are Latino men, both are running stellar food businesses in Minneapolis, and both are getting tons of press right now. We talk about their respective cultures, music, food, life, and all things good. - Follow Gustavo on Instagram. Follow Pedro on Instagram. Follow Tim on Twitter and...

What does leadership look like for restaurateurs in 2022? How do we continually evolve in an industry that has changed so much over the past two years? How does one maintain high standards in their work? These questions, and more, are discussed in this episode of Niver Niver Land. Our guest, Alex Roberts, is one of the most critically acclaimed chefs in Minnesota history. In 2010, he was selected as one of the "Best Chefs in America" by the James Beard Foundation. The rest of his Beard...

Welcome back, friends! For this first episode of season 5, Tim sits down with Alison Arth: consultant, leadership coach, and author whose career is dedicated to working with hospitality leaders and teams to get clear on their vision. Tim is currently going through a major career shift – transitioning from his lifelong post as a restaurateur to his burgeoning frozen food business – and he saw Alison as the perfect person to have on the show. Alison certainly knows her stuff. Since...

Hi friends! I had the pleasure of speaking with my friend, Chef Sameh Wadi, the guy who owns World Street Kitchen and Milkjam Creamery. Our conversation was chocked full of hilarious moments and, yes, even a few serious ones. We talked about the Twin Cities restaurant scene (and lucky we are to have it), lifting, mispronouncing each others' names, our moms, Palestinian weddings, and Sameh's OnlyFans account. Check out Sameh's spots! (and if you're listening to this, you probably...

Jamie Malone is a James Beard-nominated chef who has had a long, dynamic career in the Twin Cities food scene. She made a name for herself after playing major roles in iconic restaurants including La Belle Vie and Sea Change. Later in her career, she started the award-winning Grand Café in 2017 and then, soon after, took over Eastside in downtown Minneapolis. However, the pandemic changed things for Jamie quite a bit. She's not your traditional "restaurant chef" anymore. Instead, she has...

Tim speaks with Kerry Alexander, vocalist of Bad Bad Hats, to discuss the similarities found in the music industry and the restaurant industry. - Follow Tim on Twitter and Instagram. Follow the Bad Bad Hats on Instagram. Find their website here for touring info, merch, and more. - Be sure to support Mucci's and Saint Dinette. How about making a reservation soon? You can find Niver Niver Land across all of social media here: Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | TikTok - Welcome...

Just a solo episode today, but hey, let's catch up! I've got some stuff to talk about. Season 4 coming soon. - Follow Tim on Twitter and Instagram. - Be sure to support Mucci's and Saint Dinette. How about making a reservation soon? You can find Niver Niver Land across all of social media here: Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook - Welcome to Niver Niver Land: A podcast that addresses massive change in the restaurant industry (sometimes). The show is hosted by award-winning...

Jami Olson is the owner of both Centro and Vivir in Northeast Minneapolis. Patti Soskin is the owner of the local chain Yum! Kitchen and Bakery, which you can find throughout the Twin Cities metro. They're badasses. They're focused on growth. They're my heroes. I decided to sit down with these lady entrepreneurs and learn every damn thing I could. - Follow Tim on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Jami on Instagram + her restaurants Vivir and Centro. Follow Patti's local bakery chain Yum!...