In the search for the Twin Cities' best culinary creations, we often come across dishes that stop us mid-bite and force us to reflect on the level of thought and artistry chefs put into their work. The efforts of the chefs are often laborious, and the end results are regularly consumed before the full concept can be appreciated. We've been tracking down some of these dishes to get the chef's side of the story; their thoughts, motivations, and processes. It's our hope that we can give you a deeper insight into the talents of Twin Cities chefs and to have a better understanding of what you're getting when you sit down to dinner.

North Minneapolis' Victory 44 is easily one of the Twin Cities premier dining spots and its undeniable position as a forerunner in the Twin Cities small, chef-driven, highly creative restaurant scene speaks volumes about chef/owner Erick Harcey. Having a firm command on both technique and the understanding of flavors, Chef Harcey whimsically puts together plates of food that are both visually stunning and immensely balanced.

Chef Harcey is the driving force behind not only Victory 44, but his recent partnership with Rustica Bakery and Dogwood Coffee on the Southside of the city has also been met with critical acclaim. Parka continues on in a different vein than that of Victory 44, but the principles remain the same. Creative food elevated by an understanding of traditional technique and quality ingredients ensure that both restaurants are unmissable stops for dining in the Twin Cities.

The Kenwood, having only been open for less than a year, is already a fast favorite among south Minneapolis residents. In addition to his other south Minneapolis restaurant, In Season, Don Saunders has helped to solidify the platform for the ever-blossoming Twin Cities food scene. Having worked with some of the best chefs at some of the best restaurants, Saunders classic French cuisine has easily earned its reputation as some of the best in the city.

Focusing on only the freshest ingredients as they come available, Saunders has in part helped to define the culinary philosophy of the Twin Cities and with his recent announcement of shutting down his flagship restaurant, In Season, for the summer for a quick makeover, Saunders is looking to add a new distinctive flair to his culinary repertoire. 

Barbette is the epitome of French bistro-style dining in the Twin Cities, and for the past year or so, chef Sarah Master has been the woman at the helm. Preparing classic renditions on bistro fare that is deeply steeped in French technique, Master continues the traditions that have made Barbette a favorite spot for droves of hungry Uptown diners.

Master's focus is on locally sourced, sustainable, and seasonal ingredients, which she uses to create dishes that are not overly complicated but are tremendously bold in flavor and are executed with the highest degree of culinary prowess. She has not only worked with some of the biggest names in the Twin Cities food scene, she has also spent time working with some of the nation's top chefs.

Chef Patrick Atanalian is the man behind the menu at arguably one of the Twin Cities most underrated restaurants, Sanctuary. The restaurant features an eclectic blend of flavor and ingredient combinations that are bound together using a combination of classic French and modern culinary technique. The idea is to deliver to diners recognizable ingredients while introducing them to new and often eccentric flavors.

French-born chef Atanalian has received high praise from many of the city's top critics, and he continues to dazzle his downtown diners with a variety of unorthodox compositions. He features a rotating menu of seasonally based dishes, but he's not one to shy away from things that run to the exotic for the typical Minnesota palate. That can include Asian, Latin, and sometimes tropical ingredients. In 2001 he was given City Pages' "Best Mad Genius" award.

In the search for the Twin Cities' best culinary creations, we often come across dishes that stop us mid-bite and force us to reflect on the level of thought and artistry chefs put into their work. The efforts of the chefs are often laborious, and the end results are regularly consumed before the full concept can be appreciated. We've been tracking down some of these dishes to get the chef's side of the story; their thoughts, motivations, and processes. It's our hope that we can give you a deeper insight into the talents of Twin Cities chefs and to have a better understanding of what you're getting when you sit down to dinner.

These days, the Uptown area of Minneapolis plays host to a cadre of new restaurants owned and operated by young entrepreneurs trying to make their mark on Minnesota's dining scene, but just around the corner from Calhoun Square lies an establishment that helped to set the bar for the way Twin Cities restaurants operate as we know them to today. Since 1985, Lucia's has been a leader in the Minnesota farm-to-table movement, and head chef and owner Lucia Watson has been paving the way for high-quality, sustainable eating ever since.

Watson has spent the majority of her career growing the Lucia's empire to the point that her three businesses now take up the majority of the block. There's the main dining room known as Lucia's Restaurant, next door to that is Lucia's Wine Bar, and in a small little room next to that lies Lucia's to Go, a small deli serving fresh food for hungry Minneapolitans on the go.

For seven years the downtown Minneapolis restaurant Saffron has been redefining the way Twin Cities diners think about and experience Middle Eastern cuisine. At the helm is restaurant chef and co-owner Sameh Wadi, whose passion for food has earned him recognition not only with local food fanatics but on the national stage.

At the age of 29, Wadi has accomplished more than a lot of chefs will in their entire careers. He's the co-owner of three successful businesses: Saffron, the newly opened World Street Kitchen, and Spice Trail, Wadi's own line of handcrafted spice blends.

In a quaint little south Minneapolis neighborhood a little café sits just off the beaten path. Café Levain, the re-imagination of the now closed, once extremely popular Twin Cities eatery Restaurant Levain, sits quietly on the back side of the same building that also hosts one of the owner's other ventures, Turtle Bread Co. It's here that chef Adam Vickerman churns out some of the highest-quality food the Twin Cities has to offer. With a focus on local products and seasonal ingredients, Vickerman fuses classic French cooking techniques with modern takes on traditional home cooking.

Vickerman prides himself on his approachable take on fine dining, using rustic ingredients to create dishes that diners from all walks of life can enjoy. The goal of Café Levain is not to alienate but to provide diners with a window into the soul of what food can be.

Chefs are often known for their drive and work ethic. To be committed to a job that requires you to donate your life to it, especially on weekends, takes a special kind of person and Sea Change's Chef de Cuisine Jamie Malone certainly fits the bill. To say that Chef Malone is a driven person is to short sell her accomplishments. At an age much younger than most other chefs given the task of running a fine dining restaurant, she's already done more than many will do in their entire careers.

Chef Malone has a soft yet commanding presence in the kitchen and her attention to detail can be seen on every plate delivered to the dining room. Her current focus at Sea Change is on sustainable seafood, a difficult task for any chef and even more so for a chef in the Midwest. Malone goes above and beyond in this category as she has also been known to advocate the use of sustainable fish not just inside, but also outside the restaurant world.

In the search for the Twin Cities' best culinary creations, we often come across dishes that stop us mid-bite and force us to reflect on the level of thought and artistry chefs put into their work. The efforts of the chefs are often laborious, and the end results are regularly consumed before the full concept can be appreciated. We've been tracking down some of these dishes to get the chef's side of the story; their thoughts, motivations, and processes. It's our hope that we can give you a deeper insight into the talents of Twin Cities chefs and to have a better understanding of what you're getting when you sit down to dinner.

Chef Jorge Guzman has been the man behind the food at the Twin Cities' top tapas spot, Solera, for several years now.  He wasn't a man who was handed the keys to a golden kingdom, but instead walked into a restaurant with a troubled reputation. Guzman has spent a tremendous amount of time doing things to help breathe life back into what was once a Twin Cities favorite, and he has succeeded. It's quite possible that Solera is better now than it ever has been.

Chef Guzman maintains a wealth of knowledge he uses to create simple yet spectacularly delicious small plates that hold true to the tradition of Spanish tapas. The dishes are never overly complicated, and the balances of flavors is always exceptional and clean. While Guzman doesn't have a Spanish background, he's managed to develop a strong understanding of the flavors and techniques associated with the tastes of the region while incorporating some of his traditional Mexican roots.