People have always been drawn to Winona, Minnesota for its beautiful bluffs and rolling hills, and thanks to Chef Matt Schoeller of Signatures Restaurant, visitors and locals alike come for a taste of the countryside, quite literally. An old hand at various Twin Cities restaurants including The Local and The Vintage, Matt chose to relocate to the countryside, in his own words, "to get closer to the farmers I was working with."
If it's difficult to get farm fresh products to you, why not go to them? Matt Schoeller has done just that, creating a spectacular "taste of place." Chef Schoeller sources almost exclusively from nearby farms, adding dashes of his own ingredients from his personal herb and flower garden that he tends to just outside the restaurant. Diners are able to gaze out the restaurant's large windows overlooking the surrounding golf course and out to the lush, beautiful landscape beyond that gave birth to the food on their plates.
Sandy and Lonnie Dietz of Whitewater Gardens CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in Altura, MN couldn't be more of an asset to Matt's kitchen. Whitewater Gardens' mission is to create a sustainable farm that not only grows healthy, nutritious food, but also enhances the environment and contributes to a strong local community. Matt is thrilled with his relationship with the Dietzes, who recently worked with him to supply larger volumes of select produce items. Matt can still provide the freshness and quality of the CSA produce while lengthening the time that your favorites are on the menu.
