Category Archives: Food

Business, Chef, Cooking, creative, Food, Uncategorized

Cooking Up A Career

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Byron Franz, also known as Chef B, has been cooking since he was 13 years old, and since he can remember, he has always loved doing so.

10 years later, his passion for food is still there, and with the help of his mentor, celebrity chef DeMarco Cavil, Franz is starting to see a lot of opportunity in the cooking industry.

Chef DeMarco Cavil, who has cooked for the likes of Magic Johnson, Dwayne Wade and Bill Clinton, has trusted Franz to be his guest chef on multiple occasions.

“He will message me whenever he needs me, and I’ll go up there (Twin Cities) to help him out.  Sometimes I don’t know what I’m going into when I go up there,” Franz said.  “As summer progresses, he’s talked about us feeding the Minnesota Twins and the Minnesota United Men’s Soccer team.”

Chef DeMarco will secure a gig and message Franz to meet him at the address.

“He will bring all the food there, and I will help him finish it off and do any of the last steps,” Franz said.  “When we do these gigs, we try to have 75 percent of the food done, so that when we show up to these people’s homes, we are only spending 45 minutes to an hour there at the max.”

With a rate of $125 per plate, Franz dishes up an appetizer, entrée and a dessert.  But for first time customers, Franz lets them eat for free.

“It’s more of a way to get myself out there, and if I can do that, I think it goes a long way to show them that I actually care about my work.”

Franz has delivered his creations and hosted meals at his house in an effort to get clients hooked on his product.  This way when he opens up shop, he can get returning customers right away.

He is able to make money now from donations and tips, while also getting paid when he helps Chef DeMarco.

In an effort to get his name known, Franz has been messaging many celebrities and athletes to try and set up dates to cook for them.  To his surprise, a few responded, such as Naz Reid of the Timberwolves, and Mr. Hotspot, a Hip-Hop artist.

“When I messaged them, I didn’t expect them to actually look at their DMs because a lot of them will have their DMs still go through their general and have hundreds of messages from their fans,” Franz said.  “When they do respond back, it’s kind of a weird feeling, like these famous people are noticing your work, and they want you to come down and cook for them.”

Franz is hoping to have menu put together in the coming weeks so he can start taking orders from clients.

He usually cooks in themes for the week.  If customers like what they see, they can order from his Facebook page, or text him directly.

This week’s theme was chicken and waffles.

Earlier this week, he made waffle cones filled with mac n’ cheese and chicken.

The meal he cooked in this picture is waffle tacos with a mac n’ cheese base, filled with deep fried chicken and drizzled with a sweet honey barbecue sauce.  He then toped it off with bacon bits and chives for the garnish.

Chef B’s Chicken Waffle Tacos.

Franz journey as a chef started when he was 13 years old, cooking for his parents, grandparents and friends.  Right away, he knew this is what he loved to do.

From there he started volunteering at his church and cooking for his youth group, before getting his first job as a kitchen aid at the Good Samaritan Nursing home when he was 15.

He worked at the Good Samaritan all through high school before having to leave for college where he would chase his music dreams in Kansas.  Eventually releasing an electronic album titled ‘The Journey’ on iTunes, ultimately putting his cooking career to the side.

Things did not feel right for Franz, and after a few years away, he return home. And in 2018, he got his old job back at the Good Samaritan.

This time, as the head cook.

“The nursing home was the perfect spot for me,” Franz said.  “I got to cook for a large crowd, and it taught me food cost and food waste.  I learned a lot of what I know from there.”

Franz eventually moved on from the nursing home and took two jobs as a cook at a bar and grill called Duffy’s and a bar and grill called The Den.

After only a few months of working, Franz received a promotion at The Den and decided to work there full time.

The Den is where Franz found his love for cooking again.

He decided to take a step away from music, and apply for culinary school at South Central in Mankato, MN.

Here is where he met Chef DeMarco and took his cooking to the next level.

Franz became known locally for some of the meals he prepared like the one below.

Another Chef B creation.

But, it was his noodle cup creation, inspired by Trendy Chef, that really gained him a following.

“After I made my first noodle cup, I’ve taken the idea of being this out of the box chef, and just come up with weird creations.  It’s given me lots of attention on my social media, I have people in my DMs saying, ‘I wish you were in Atlanta, I wish you were in Texas, or New York.’ Or they will message me saying ‘what’s it going to take to get you out here.’  So, the hard work is definitely paying off, and it’s showing.”

One of Chef B’s noodle cups.

“It’s hard sometimes though, I just won’t know what to make,” Franz said. “I go to these celebrity chef profiles and gather ideas from them, and just combine them all in one dish.”

Franz does take pride in the look of his meals, but he prefers the taste to be what he is known for.

“Our professors told us, ‘you can have a plate that looks like a million-dollar plate, but it might not even taste good,’” Franz said.  “’But you can have some food that looks like a disaster and be one of the better things you’ve tasted.’”

Experimenting with different combinations, not everything turns out well for Franz.  So, he throws it away, and try’s and try’s again.

“I’ve always told myself, ‘you’re the chef, you’re allowed to do whatever you want in the kitchen,’” Franz said.  “I want to be different, and that forces me to step outside of the box.  That’s the kind of chef I aspire to be, a chef that isn’t afraid to mix flavors that don’t normally go with each other.”

Franz’s wants to be based out of Minnesota, but the ultimate goal is to travel with athletes and families as their personal chef.  He also mentioned a dream of becoming the Minnesota Timberwolves chef if traveling doesn’t work.

He is waiting for the corona virus to pass to get his first gig alone, but says as long as he is confident, he is sure he will kill it.  And from there, word of mouth will do its thing to keep the customers coming.

“This first opportunity under my brand is the biggest thing that’s going to happen in my life and is going to be the thing that changes my life,” Franz said.

With his logo selected, business cards made, and t shirts being sent out.  Franz, or more famously known as Chef B, is fully branded and ready to get his business running.

Chef B’s business cards.

Here is a link to his Facebook page where you can book meals, see his past creations and read reviews from his customers.

https://www.facebook.com/chefbdog96

 

art, Community, Family, Food, Life, Local, Outdoors, Winona

Winona gets funky at the Levee

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Rhythm @the River was attneded by people of Winona and the surrounding area on Sunday, Sept. 15, at Levee park. 

The event included dance lessons, live music, craft beer, and food trucks. 

Organizers spent between $12,000 and $15,000 to organize the event. 

Lee Gundersheimer, arts and culture coordinator at WINONArts said many sponsors believe in WINONArts and helped pay for the event, in addition to fundraising. 

Rhythm @ the River is an expanded 2018 version of “Swinging in the Streets.” 

Organizers said the event was moved to Levee Park and made it bigger because last year 400 people participated on Third Street.  

Molly Breitlow (left) helps a couple with their salsa turns. Breitlow and her husband taught both of the lessons at Rhythm @ the River.

Rhythm @ the River was created as a part of a series of events that WINONArts puts on according to Gunersheimer.

“The event is part of the Dance Plein Air events in WINONArts, the City’s initiative to bring as many folks together with the arts and through as many different art forms as possible, dance being one of them,” Gunersheimer said. 

Winona State Students Emma and Scout were on their way to study at Blue Heron and decided to see what was going on. 

The two got snow cones at one of the food trucks and sat down in the grassy area of the park to enjoy the music. 

“I really like the Spanish music,” Emma said. “I think we definitely would come to this again.” 

Golpe Tierra was the first band to perform during the night. They are from Madison Wis., and are an Afro Cuban Jazz and Salsa Band.

Rhythm @ the River was also the kick-off to Project FINE’s Welcome Week.

Welcome Week helps create a more welcoming community for immigrants and people who have relocated to Winona, according to Gunersheimer. 

Community, Food, Life, Local, Winona

Beno’s in Winona

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By Zach Bailey

The bell above the door gave a little ring as Paul Lundquist, 14-year Winona resident, walked through the doors of Beno’s Deli’s quaint downtown location on a crisp fall afternoon. He turned and made his way over to the counter to order his usual, a Dutch Treat.

The counter worker looked up, gave a quick smile and greeted her new customer.

“No green stuff except a pickle, right, Paul?” the employee said.

Lundquist nodded and paid for his sandwich. He turned the corner and walked over to the row of booths set against the wall.

Admiring the fall decorations, he paused in front of the first booth, where a prop skeleton was seated, decked out in a fedora, coffee cup in hand, and copy of the “Winona Daily News” on the table in front of it. Lundquist gave a chuckle and made his way to a window seat, where two small pumpkins were seated on the ledge.

“It’s Beno’s,” Lundquist said after being asked why he first started eating here. “I came to town and everyone said I had to eat here; it’s just kind of a local institution.”

According to their official website, Beno’s Deli, which has been considered a Winona staple since its opening in 1984, was originally located in Lake City, Minnesota, with another located in Red Wing, Minnesota. Both were owned by Ron and Joan Shimbeno, where the name of “Beno’s” originally came from. After multiple years in business, both locations closed before Darlene Russell, a friend of the Shimbenos, opened the Winona location.

“The chain sandwich places are OK, but you don’t get the same quality and service [as at local restaurants],” Lundquist said. “It’s one of the benefits of eating and shopping local.”

 

Out of the three original locations, only the downtown Winona location was left — that is, until Corinne Loomis, who bought the store in 2014, took control of things.

Loomis, who had worked at Midtown Foods since 1998, with her final few years at the downtown location kitty-corner from Beno’s Deli, had been a fan of Beno’s while growing up and was able to watch the business move forward, as well as decide where she would like to take things.

“The clientele has changed a little, mostly people who work downtown, but lots of things have stayed the same,” Loomis said. “We still have the original menu from when the Winona location first opened, and we’ve tried to update the building by doing things like painting, but I like the old-time charm and history. I don’t want to make it ultra-modern; that’s not what Beno’s is.”

The one major change the business has gone through, however, is the recent addition of a second Winona location in the Winona Mall.

According to Loomis, the plans had been going off and on for about a year, and she had been approached by multiple customers that she should talk to the owner of the Winona Mall.

“I talked with [the owner of the Winona Mall] for months, then got the opinion of my husband, mom, and fellow workers and discussed if we could make it work,” Loomis said. “In the end, we decided to just do it.”

With the wheels turning to open their second location, different pieces started falling into place, as well as the appearance of new options.

Wine of the Bean, which had previously occupied the space in the Winona Mall now occupied by the new Beno’s Deli location, was open during the early morning hours each day. The downtown location of Beno’s, however, is known for being open only from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday. With a new location also came the option of a new set of hours.

“Wine of the Bean opened early each day so that other employees in the mall could get coffee as their businesses were opening, so we decided to take over the coffee part and hours of the location and just incorporate sandwiches as well,” Loomis said.

The Winona Mall has been a location for the past decade that seems to have trouble keeping stores of all types for an extended period of time, but Loomis believes that Beno’s is there to stay.

“[Wine of the Bean] struggled with staffing and quick products. [The location] needed a well-established business that could get people in and out quickly,” Loomis said. “We tried being open later at the downtown location in the past, but it didn’t always work, so we decided to give it a whirl out here.”

Over 30 years, three buildings, and one new location since first opening its doors in Winona, Beno’s continues to be one of the local staples for a bite to eat.

“We’ve been around since 1984, so now we’re starting to get children and grandchildren of people who were here at the beginning,” Loomis said. “Alumni from Winona State come with kids and order the same thing they always used to get, and they all tell me how everything is ‘just how we remember it.’”

After having gone through the recent addition, Beno’s currently has no further plans for future location changes.

“Now we’re going to try to perfect what we’ve got,” Loomis said.

 

 

 

Zach Bailey is a senior marketing and mass communication-journalism major from Winona, Minnesota. He is currently the editor-in-chief of the Winonan, the Winona State student newspaper, as well as a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. In his free time, he enjoys racing motorcycles, playing guitar, reading and watching movies. He hopes to one day work for the New York Times and become a published author.

Community, Food, Local, News

Lake City restaurant to open doors in Winona

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Traveling from one river city to another, Lake City’s Nosh Restaurant will move to downtown Winona in three months.

Nosh first opened its doors in June 2004 in Wabasha, Minnesota. Greg Jaworski, owner of Nosh Restaurant, moved to their current Lake City, Minnesota location in April 2007.

With almost a dozen years experience in Lake City, the Jaworski family initially looked at the lot formerly occupied by Godfather’s Pizza in Winona, but finalized their plans to open their restaurant on the corner of Walnut and Second streets.

Construction continues on the soon-to-be Nosh location on the corner of Second and Walnut streets in Winona.

“We were approached by people from the city of Winona who had private investors behind them,” Jaworski said. “We loved the community in Lake City, but winters were too long, and when we were contacted we ended up deciding to make the move.”

Pat Mutter, executive director of Visit Winona, was one of the people involved in the process of bringing Nosh to Winona.

“I am part of a group that has been working on trying to talk to people about what kind of restaurant they want in town or what is missing and what’s needed,” Mutter said. “Nosh came about from checking with certain chefs and passing word along that we’re trying to get restaurants in town. It was great that it turned out that (Jaworski) was interested, and we were very happy to go along that path.”

Though Jaworski was initially approached to bring Nosh Restaurant to Winona, Mutter said Visit Winona does not always approach companies to relocate to Winona. Mutter continued by saying the mission of Visit Winona is to market and promote Winona as a destination.

“When we talk about great things in Winona, one thing we hear about is having more restaurants. We have a very good selection of casual restaurants in town, but we’re working with corporate businesses who are looking for places to bring their clients and more places you could actually sit down and have a different experience,” Mutter said.

Mutter said even though they are working on bringing more businesses to town, this does not mean they no longer care about current Winona businesses.

“We want to support restaurants in town, we just want to make and give value to customers to have as many choices and variety as possible,” Mutter said. “We don’t usually go out, but when we travel the question is always there, what kind of restaurants do they have? People are always looking for something local, and more variety is better for residents and people who come to town. The more choices we have, the more hope we have of them staying in town to eat.”

Mutter said one of the main reasons they approached Nosh was due to their current brand.

“Nosh has a great reputation, and it will be great to have them here as a destination restaurant,” Mutter said. “They are a known and popular product. They will bring loyal customers with them.”

With construction underway, Jaworski said they plan to open their Winona location in June, while keeping the Lake City location open until a few weeks before the Winona location opens.

In between closing the Wabasha location and opening the Lake City location, Jaworski said there was about a week when neither location was open. Jaworski said this time the transition might take a bit longer.

“We expect to be in Lake City until May, then shut down and take two or three weeks to prepare for Winona and do it correctly from day one,” Jaworski said. “The trip from Lake City to Winona is much longer than Wabasha to Lake City, so it will take us longer to move everything to this location than it did for the last move.”

With construction a few months from completion, Jaworski said not much will be changed, but certain aspects will be improved.

“It would be foolish to try to tweak what has been successful, changing wasn’t the aim of bringing Nosh here,” Jaworski said. “Continuity of our existing reputation will just shift to Winona. There will be slight tweaks, a larger grill, and focusing more on what’s trending, woodfire, smoke, fresh breads. There will be improvements, but I don’t like the word ‘changes.’”

An improvement to the bar area is one other aspect Jaworski is planning.

“We will be trying to take a more modern approach to the bar program,” Jaworski said. “We will be redesigning the bar, and hope to focus more on that and trends. Status quo is the goal.”

Along with slight changes to the restaurant itself, Jaworski described how the change in location will affect the environment of the business.

“It’s kind of interesting, Lake City is right on top of the Mississippi and the sailboat arena, all with a stunning view of the midwest,” Jaworski said. “The new location is more focused inward in Winona, there’s not a whole lot to look at, which will make what’s on the plate or in the glass more important. It will be challenging to be focused solely on what we’re providing as opposed to the benefit of the view.”

Tom Wynn, the business manager of Nosh, spoke about another one of the challenges Nosh might face when transitioning to Winona.

“I think one thing that’s going to be a challenge is workforce,” Wynn said. “Although we have a much broader pool here in Winona than Lake City, it’s still a challenge to find qualified servers and workers.”

It will not all be challenges, as Wynn also talked about aspects he is excited for during the move.

“There’s so much going on in downtown Winona, I think our timing is going to be excellent to take advantage of the new apartment buildings, Fastenal coming down, and I think we’re going to give Winona something that they’ve needed for years and years,” Wynn said.

Though the company will face challenges, Jaworski said he is excited for the new location.

“There’s more people to appeal to in Winona, there is a niche that isn’t quite being hit on,” Jaworski said. “We’re not fine dining, not trying to compete with Signatures, but we have a nicer feel than some of the existing restaurants, with an emphasis on locally-sourced food.”