Lindsay Pohlad.
The Grocers Table Wayzata, MN
When Lindsay Pohlad approached us about her vision for a rustic market/wine & coffee bar/deli/bakery/café, we knew immediately she had tons of great ideas and saw that she needed help seeing her ambitious plan to to life. Our focus was to harness that creative energy, all the while keeping the project on track with all the key players. So we embarked on what would be a 3+ year project that would present several locations, numerous fit-plans, lease negotiations, financial pro-formas, selecting FF&E, hiring staff and coordinating food and beverage menus. Throwing in a global pandemic at the 11thhour proved to be a real challenge, but the project exceeded expectations, wooing west metro crowds with her warm hospitality and well-executed food and beverage, winning the ‘Best Restaurant’ nod in MN Monthly Magazine!
Burt Joseph.
Birch's on the Lake
Long Lake, MN
Like many successful visionaries who we work with, Burt Joseph wasn’t lacking in enthusiastic ideas for his vision in converting a dilapidated lake-front roadhouse into a swanky new Supper-club and Brewery, he just needed a partner to make sure the path to his vision was efficient and smooth. From the buildout of the kitchen and brewery to acquiring all FF&E, developing the perfect Supperclub-meets-Brewhouse menu, and hiring the ideal staff to get the elevated guest experience Burt had envisioned, we worked with Burt and his Brewery partner Brennan Greene every step of the way.
Smack Shack
Minneapolis, MN
When Josh Thoma, a well-established fixture of the Twin Cities food scene, had a vision for the perfect lobster roll, he painstakingly tested all the components over and over until perfection, and then took his buttery, lemony and uber-fresh lobster roll on the road in his newly minted ‘Smack Shack’ food truck. Fast forward 2 years and thousands of lobster rolls later, Josh had his sites on a former tractor warehouse space in the up-&-coming Minneapolis North Loop Neighborhood . We worked with Josh to help him recreate his wildly successful Smack Shack food truck into a 10,000 sq ft version, fit with live lobster tanks, a 120 g seafood ‘boil’ tank, 2 bars, and pull tabs, and the result was ‘Coastal Casual’, which continues to this day to be one of the top dining destinations in the Twin Cities, and one of the best seafood restaurants in the Midwest.
ElMar's NY Pizzaria
Plymouth, MN
Michael Maraghy and his wife/partner Nicole had a yearning to bring the Staten Island NY pizza they loved growing up to thier new home in Minnesota. Having tested their dough and sauce recipes hundreds of times, and after countless flights back to NYC to fetch the coveted NY public water so integral to the dough recipe, they was now ready to move forward with his vision. That’s when they called Mise en Place. We immediately got started on their 2400 square foot pizzeria/ slice shop. From painstakingly designing every square foot for efficiency to finalizing the menu, sourcing all FF&E, and all other moving operational parts, we worked with them every step if the way to create an operation that fit the vision of a pizzeria that would get respect back home in Staten Island!
Bulgogi Box
When Jin Lee wanted to translate the native dishes she learned while growing up in Seoul, South Korea to a casual restaurant in downtown Charlotte NC, she hired Mise en Place to help guide her. In the process, we helped Jinfind the perfect location, negotiate a lease, and build out the space to her vision. We then joined her for a culinary odyssey through the streets of Los Angeles and Chicago to find inspiration, and then developed the menu and tested every recipe, formatting her culinary vision into a workable restaurant system. Soon after, Bulgolgi Box is charming folks of Charlotte with warm hospitality and delicious Korean Bibimbap and other specialties.
Short or Tall Eatery and Drink Hall
After decades as a successful Subway and Little Caesars franchisee, Brian Conneran had a vison of creating an epic space that the locals could gather for craft brew and gourmet burgers. Short or Tall Eatery and Drink Hall was born, and we worked with Brian and his team on developing the brand, designing the kitchen, creating and testing the menu, and selecting and training the staff.
