As soon as Vinifera Vine & Dine in Wabasha opened in 2008, farmer Grant Schuth was a dedicated patron. An outstanding partnership began between Grant and Vinifera chef-owner Michael Murray-John when Grant offered to bring in eggs, and Michael, in exchange, would treat Grant to a meal. Soon the relationship blossomed into Grant growing the vegetables Michael needed, and growing them solely for Vinifera. Nowadays, it is not unlikely to find Michael and Grant sitting together over a glass of fine wine, discussing varieties of squash that Grant might grow for one of Michael's exceptional dishes.
The culinary arts, while a longtime passion, have not always been Michael's trade. He began his career in graphic arts as owner of a company producing interactive 3D visualizations for architects and engineers. Similarly, farming is not Grant's first profession; he is also a pharmacy director. He tends a large vegetable garden and raises sheep, chicken, oats, corn, and hay on his 90 acres, and brings his dedication to health from the pharmacy to his farm, where growing fresh, nutritious, chemical-free food is a passion.
Vinifera offers Italian, French, Spanish, and even the occasional Argentine- or Portuguese-inspired dishes. Michael likes to call his cuisine, "Comfort food from the great wine regions of the world." In addition to the foreign flair of his recipes, they are all created with as much local produce as possible. As Grant says, "There is nothing worse than eating salad shipped half way around the world," and it is fortunate for him and everyone who dines at Vinifera that Michael has a fervent commitment to keeping it local.
