grassroots gourmet

"We're not an incubator," Kitchen in the Market co-owner (and frequent SGT contributor) Tracy Morgan insists, "we're not here to help new chefs run their business or to tell them how to do it." The 14 chefs who currently share space at Kitchen in the Market -- there's still room for more -- include caterers, bakers, artisans, and even a mobile food truck owner, most of whom have experience cooking professionally and running their own businesses. Although having a proven, stable business isn't a requirement, the one-year lease that Kitchen in the Market (located in the Midtown Global Market) has its tenants sign separates the pros from the hobbyists.

Want a foolproof recipe for a fantastic evening of food and fun?

Take a dozen eager food lovers, marinate with some glasses of wine or bottles of local brew, and toss with a delicious array of local artisan cheese. Then, guide them around an international market full of exciting ingredients to draw out their creativity, cover with crisp white aprons, and set them in a professional kitchen to boil, bake, sauté and otherwise cook up a complete dinner. Serve with a generous helping of instant camaraderie.

Tapping Your Inner Iron Chef

Forgive us for a little bit of hyperbole, please - we're just really, really excited. After weeks of scheming, plotting, cutting deals, and eating out, Simple, Good, and Tasty is absolutely thrilled to launch our Local Food Lover program.

The program offers participants discounts at many of the best local, sustainable, organic, and fair trade businesses in the Twin Cities. Here are just a few highlights:

When I ask Molly Herrmann of Tastebud Catering (aka Tastebud Tart) how she wants to be known, she doesn't miss a beat. "I'm the gal who throws a great party," she says, and I believe her. 

Maybe it's because Molly has a warm smile, a great sense of humor, and a friendly way about her. Or maybe it's because each time I see Molly she feeds me delicious things - like the time I was working nearby and she let me taste her heavenly combination of goat milk ice cream and cookies with smoked salt, or the time she introduced me to a family recipe for cheese spread on fresh bread. Whatever the reason, whenever I meet with Molly, I feel nourished.