Scott Pampuch's favorite thing in the world is, "...the smell of a really good city restaurant in fall." In 2004 this chef-owner opened the doors of Corner Table in the Kingfield neighborhood of Minneapolis with a James Beard quote proudly displayed above the kitchen window that reads, "I don't like gourmet cooking or 'this' cooking or 'that' cooking. I like good cooking." Scott believes that good cooking starts with the best ingredients and his personal philosophy involves listening closely to the fields, farms, and pastures surrounding him. This source of inspiration guides Corner Table's entire menu, which is crafted with food sourced from local, environmentally responsible family farms. As Scott says, "This approach is completely sustainable; it's grounded in our respect for history, the land that sustains us, and our place in the world."
In late summer, Scott often drops by the Lyndale Farmers Market in Minneapolis to gather apples and pears from Brian Frederickson, owner of Ames Farm, a unique virtual apiary and orchard based in central and southern Minnesota. Brian says, "Producing the best variety and quality of honey, beeswax candles, and apples while leaving the least impact on our environment describes our ethos." Brian, who has a background in science and who left his job at 3M to own his own farm, bought his land from David Bedford, the horticulturalist who developed the Honeycrisp apple.
"By sourcing and cooking locally and seasonally, we can evoke our surroundings and our local farms and all they provide with a single, perfect meal," explains Scott, who is driven by the opportunity to deliver a sense of place on every plate.
