Lenny Russo

James Beard Award finalists announced

​While Minnesota chefs and restaurants were well-represented when the semifinalists were announced, fewer were recognized as finalists.  The James Beard Awards are regarded as the Oscars of the culinary world. Here are the local nominees who made the cut:

James Beard Award finalists include Twin Cities names - Updated

​The James Beard award semifinalist list was announced today, and on the list were some familiar names. The awards were established in 1990 and named for chef, food writer, and celebrated lover of life, James Beard. The awards are the highest honor available to food professionals. Part of why the ... More >>

Heartland serves local, sustainable, organic for $12 or less

What's in Heartland's basket for less than $12?​We should all be so lucky to live in Lenny Russo's neighborhood. As the executive chef of Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market, which he co-owns with his wife, Mega Hoehn, Russo focuses his efforts locally--on the people who live and work cl ... More >>

Meritage hosts Oysterfest

​An unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon welcomed attendees to the first ever Oysterfest at Meritage restaurant in downtown St. Paul. Saint Peter Street in front of the restaurant was closed in honor of the occasion. Inside they moved out the usual bistro tables and chairs and set up shucking statio ... More >>

50 tasty reasons to love Minnesota food

Photo: Steve Neuharth, Michelle LeonReason No. 11: Chefs like Doug Flicker at Piccolo create food that doesn't just impress--it inspires. ​When Anthony Bourdain last year told his TV audience on No Reservations that his experience at Doug Flicker's south Minneapolis restaurant Piccolo was "far ... More >>

Zimmern, local chefs talk sustainability at James Beard Foundation salon

Mitchell Davis and Ashley Kosiak from JBF​Thursday morning, a small but impressive group including Andrew Zimmern, Lenny Russo, Lucia Watson, Tracy Singleton, and Erick Harcey, as well as representatives from several nonprofits, a cookbook author, and a few other notables, gathered at Restaurant A ... More >>

Heartland begins serving brunch this weekend!

Heartland opens its doors for weekend brunch!​Exciting news from chef Lenny Russo: starting this Saturday, June 18, Heartland will be serving weekend brunch. Former Heartland chef de cuisine Robb Moore, who left to open the now-shuttered Cru in Blaine, collaborated on the menu with Russo and w ... More >>

Delta teams with top local chefs for 12 new restaurants at MSP

The skies might not be friendlier, but things on the ground are tastier​What began with Ike's and Surdyk's has expanded into a dramatically upgraded foodie experience at MSP International, with new restaurants from a veritable who's who of local star chefs popping up on Concourse G at the Lindberg ... More >>

James Beard Awards finalists announced

​The field has further narrowed, and we have two Twin Cities chefs among the final contenders for the James Beard Awards' Best Chef Midwest. Drumroll, please........:

Heartland's cocktail pairing dinner in pictures: North Shore spirits and Irish-inspired cuisine

Horseradish infused...​Don't let chef Lenny Russo's playful manner or the St. Patrick's Day holiday fool you--the cocktail pairing dinner at Heartland with resident bartender Peder Schweigert and Sonja Kassebaum of North Shore Distillery, was no joke. Set in a gorgeous room behind the bar, guests ... More >>

Top 5 restaurant breakups

Universal PicturesIf Jennifer Aniston were Tim McKee, then who would Vince Vaughn be?​Valentine's Day is a celebration of love. But then, it's hard not to think about relationships that have gone sour. Let's open up a box of chocolates and take a stroll down memory lane of top five Twin Citi ... More >>

Stewart Woodman and Lenny Russo trade blows in the blogosphere

Woodman and Russo trade blows in the blogosphere.​Usually chefs criticize each other's work in private and leave restaurant critics to do the public skewering. But with the rise in chefs taking part in social media, it was only a matter of time before they started slinging serious mud at each ... More >>

Top 5 tasty things to do with pumpkin seeds

Public Domain Photos via flickrDon't throw them away!​We know you usually just throw them on the compost heap, but wait... we've got some ideas about how to use all those pumpkin seeds that your October decorating scheme has left you with. And not to worry, we know that a "wild honey-hazelnut-pump ... More >>

Heartland launches ambitous complex in Lowertown

St. Paul's most lauded restaurant thinks big

Top 5 restaurants for foodies

Four TC restaurants made the Fit for Foodies list. ​I'm often disappointed when national magazines and whatnot make their picks for the best this-and-that in various cities across the country without doing very thorough--if any--on-the-ground research. But I recently found myself impressed b ... More >>

Celebrity Chef Tour Minneapolis: the slideshow

Tim McKee's grilled lamb ribeye ​A legendary feast took place at Solera last Thursday as a multitude of culinary superpowers combined forces at a benefit for the James Beard Foundation--supporters of all things educational and extraordinary about food. Nine chefs. Nine courses. Here is the team: T ... More >>

Gasthof's unveils a 39.4-inch wiener this Week in Food

Enzian44The mighty meterwurst.​We have to admit--St. Paul is gaining an edge. On Tuesday chef Lenny Russo opens up Heartland's Farm Direct Market, where patrons can buy the restaurant's house-made charcuterie, jams, and jellies. It also will offer locally raised meats and poultry. But you'll have ... More >>

Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market--the tour

Michelle LeonHeartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market is now open.​With much buzz and anticipation, Heartland Restaurant and Farm Direct Market recently opened its doors. In the century-old Market House warehouse in Lowertown, a revolution is taking place as Lenny Russo plays master improvise ... More >>

Scusi coming soon in St. Paul--serving wine in kegs

The new Blue Plate special? Italian fare.​The Blue Plate restaurant group, long known for its neighborhood grills serving turkey burgers and beer-battered green beans--Highland Grill, Edina Grill, Longfellow Grill, etc.--has a new Italian concept in the works for the St. Paul space recently va ... More >>

Heartland now open in new Market House digs

Heartland is back, in a big way!​ So far, the Hot Dish hasn't made a big deal about Heartland's move from St. Claire and Fairview to its new Lowertown digs. There was supposed to be a bigger dining room, an adjacent food market, a more bustling location, and so on...okay, cool, great, sure. Bu ... More >>

Dawn Droulliard of Fabulous Catering: Chef Chat

courtesy of Dawn Drouillard​ Dawn Droulliard, chef and owner of Fabulous Catering, is not your average chef. Formerly a singer in the bands Interstate Judy and That's What You Get, Droulliard has a rocking style that has translated itself into her kitchen.After moving to the Twin Cities in 1991, D ... More >>

Best of Hot Dish: June 7-11

Martino!'s/flickr​Happy Friday! This week the writers at Hot Dish have been working hard to make sure you are up to date on the food scene. Here are a few of our favorite things, in case you missed them:~ The ever fascinating Sven Sundgaard talks to Monica Wright about his choice of eats.~Cub take ... More >>

Lenny Russo: Chef Chat, Part 3

​ While Lenny Russo takes on his biggest endeavor yet, Heartland Restaurant and Farm Direct Market, opening in Lowertown next month, he took the time to talk to Hot Dish, and shared one of his favorite recipes, in the third part of our series. You can read Part 1 and Part 2, here if you missed t ... More >>

Chef Chat: Lenny Russo, part 2

​ Today we continue our discussion with Lenny Russo (click here to read Part 1), as we learn more about his leadership style, the weirdest things he has ever eaten (think psychedelic lizards), and some of the strange request he gets over the phone (think balls).

Lenny Russo: Chef Chat, Part I

​Stunning is the scope of Heartland's move to Lowertown, from its current location at 1806 St. Clair Ave. Heartland Restaurant & Farm Direct Market, scheduled to open on Thursday, July 15, 2010, will be in the Market House building, a 1902 warehouse across the street from the St. Paul Farmer's ... More >>

Easter bunny, medium rare: Chefs discuss serving rabbit

Br'er Rabbit, we hardly knew ye.

James Beard names finalists, Minnesotans among them

Minnesota represents among the 2010 finalists for James Beard Foundation awards.

Groupon: Helping restaurants or hurting them?

If a restaurant gives $50 of food away for $25, and the site takes half, the restaurant makes $12.50 on $50 worth of food...

Top 10: Influential restaurant openings of the decade

Drumroll, please...

Lenny Russo's Facebook imposter

Somebody's impersonating Lenny Russo on Facebook: Can you help track the wacko down?

Anonymous online reviews affecting Twin Cities eateries

Heartland's Lenny Russo says some of it "borders on libel"

Is Denny's trying to kill its customers?

Unhealthy meals raise the question: should we enact a "junk food tax"?

Lenny Russo blogging for the Strib

Nice move, Strib. Lenny Russo starts blogging for the local paper.

James Beard Awards finalists announced

See which locals made the short list for this year's foodie Oscars...

Heartland's Lenny Russo talks to The Hot Dish

Lenny Russo of Heartland may have a reputation for speaking his mind, but deep down there still lives the 10 year-old boy cooking with his mother in the kitchen.

Best seats in the house

V-Day 2010 is only 363 days away: Plan ahead or celebrate early by booking these restaurants' most romantic tables.

Twin Cities restaurateurs tell saucy tales of frisky foodies

Lovebird diners often caught in the act

Tim McKee set to revive the Guthrie's restaurant

"Twin Cities Insider" talks snow cones

Five Questions for... The Dairy Queen

Open Tables: How much are restaurants suffering?

Dining prix fixe leads to the best deal, great meal

Leaving decisions to the chef takes away the pressure

Readers respond to "Death Cycle"

Leaving decisions to the chef takes away the pressure

In the upper 'burbs, Lake House and Flame stand out

Would you drive 40 miles for dinner? Here are some places that might be worth the trip

Cue the Applause

Cue, the fine-dining restaurant in the new Guthrie, neatly combines high food ethics and high style

River City Rebirth

Minneapolis's restaurant scene is reborn—again!—This time with big money and farm-positive ideals.

Triumph in the Heartland

Fine-dining northern lights open affordable annexes

Pride of the Prairie

Heartland serves purely Midwestern ingredients in pure French style