Celebrating the people, passion, and stories behind great hospitality with Tock 10.
Hendrix & Siena
Hopkins, MN
Family history
Chef Rhett Roberts knows a thing or two about feeding a growing family. After WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, i.e. volunteering on organic farms in exchange for room and board) through Italy, cooking in top Twin Cities kitchens, and becoming dad to twins Hendrix and Siena, he and his wife, Emily, opened their own cheerful spot in Hopkins. Dedicated to their kids, the Roberts’ rustic Italian neighborhood restaurant welcomes even the tiniest (and messiest) eaters to enjoy crowd-pleasing plates of bruschetta, handmade pastas, roast chicken, and classic deck-oven pizzas.
The complex 24-hour braised pork ribs with hand-cut spaghetti noodles—listed on the menu as Pappardelle alla Lisa—blend Rhett’s Italian influences with his family history. The dish’s creator and namesake is his mother, Lisa, who is not only a co-owner of the restaurant but also the Roberts’ next-door neighbor and, most importantly, “Gigi” to the twins.
For the sentimental spirit. “We want Hendrix & Siena to evoke a feeling of sitting at the family dinner table and enjoying the presence of the people you’re there with, to connect with each other,” says Rhett. Daughter Siena—a budding artist—selected the exact shade of peachy-pink paint that coats the restaurant’s exterior.
Myriel
Saint Paul, MN
The concept
Being a chef is just one of Karyn Tomlinson’s many talents. She is also a collector of vintage china and a watercolor artist, painting lush landscapes. When she isn’t wielding a knife or a brush, she forages for ramps, wild ginger, and fiddleheads. She even worked stints in pastry abroad in Sweden before opening Myriel in St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood, where she combines all of her artful endeavors under one roof.
Pulling off a beanie and scarf, you settle into the warm ambiance of Myriel’s dining room as a light snow begins falling outside the frosted windows. Legumes, plated elegantly on Churchill’s blue-and-white Finlandia, appear on the table, wafting the scent of toasted mustard seed. After the cassoulet, you fear you won’t have an appetite left for pie. Miraculously, you make room.
Midwesterners are known for being nice, and rightly so. They’re also strong, hearty people who endure brutal winters. Don’t be fooled by Tomlinson’s petite stature or affinity for dainty objects; she is undeniably tough. She’s the first woman to win the national Cochon 555 hog butchery competition, and Myriel exclusively does whole-animal butchery in partnership with small farms.
Spoon and Stable
Minneapolis, MN
Origin
In late 2014, Chef Gavin Kaysen opened his highly-anticipated Minneapolis restaurant in a 1906-era horse stable. It was a monumental homecoming for the chef, who stepped down from his role at the esteemed Café Boulud to return to his roots. “This is my dream come true,” Kaysen told Mpls.St.Paul that year. “In the town that I grew up in, that I’m able to provide what I’ve learned and what I’ve experienced in my life in cooking and hospitality.”
First, the community rallied behind the restaurant, then the rest of the country caught up. Spoon and Stable became a James Beard finalist for Best New Restaurant, while Food & Wine named it Restaurant of the Year in 2015. Over the years, Kaysen has proven to be a savvy entrepreneur, with the additions of Mara, Demi, Bellecour Bakery, and a slew of pop-ups, events, classes, and provisions.
For the combination of French techniques and Midwestern sensibilities. Think pressed rabbit terrine over grilled pan de cristal, like an open-faced sandwich, or perfectly cooked pot roast (a nod to Chef Gavin’s grandmother, Dorothy) paired with pómmes aligot and mushroom confit.