Award-winning chef Jon Radle came from humble beginnings as a teenage busboy. While washing dishes one day, a cook didn't show up for work and the kitchen manager asked Jon, "Do you know how to cook?" Jon responded, "Not really," to which his manager replied, "Well you're gonna learn!" From there, Jon was inspired to attend the Art Institutes International and has since cooked at Bayport Cookery, Auriga, La Belle Vie, Solera, and Corner Table. Now at Grand Café in Minneapolis, Jon utilizes only the best local and seasonal product for his menu, which, with his house-cured meats, hand-rolled pasta and gnocchi, and a variety of pickled vegetables, is reminiscent of a French bistro or brasserie.
In many of the restaurants Jon has worked, he has aligned closely with regional farms, and at Grand Café he continues to source as much as he can locally. Jon has a partnership with Todd Churchill of Thousand Hills Cattle Company, an aggregate of family ranches in the Upper Midwest that produces beef the old-fashioned way, using no hormones, chemicals, or antibiotics. Their beef is completely grass-fed, and Todd is purposeful about the nutritional benefits of his product. The cows' grass diet contributes to high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and results in lower cholesterol and saturated fat levels.
Jon designs menu items around the cuts that Todd has available, including sirloin and rib eye steaks. Todd believes that his operation ensures the availability of high quality, nutritious, and tasty product, and at Grand Café, Jon appreciates nothing more than showcasing the quality of Thousand Hills beef and other fresh food from the field.
