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Gavin Kaysen | |
|---|---|
 Chef Kaysen in July 2022 | |
| Born | |
| Education | New England Culinary Institute |
| Culinary career | |
| Cooking style | French, Mediterranean, Contemporary American |
Current restaurant(s)
| |
Television show(s) | |
Awards won
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Gavin Kaysen (born inThousand Oaks, California) is executivechef and owner of Spoon and Stable, Bellecour Bakery, Demi, Socca, and Mara all inMinneapolis.[1][2] He received theJames Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest in 2018.[3] Previous to his move to Minneapolis, he served as Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Operations forDaniel Boulud in New York City, over seeing Café Boulud in Palm Beach, Toronto and New York City.[4]
He previously headed the kitchen at El Bizcocho inSan Diego. In 2007, he represented U.S.A. at theBocuse d'Or.[5] He was a competitor onThe Next Iron Chef, eliminated during the third challenge, "Resourcefulness".
A graduate of theNew England Culinary Institute, Kaysen was inspired to become a chef while working at aSubway inBloomington, Minnesota.[6]
In 2007, Kaysen was named one of the top 10 ‘Best New Chefs’ byFood & Wine.[6] Before becoming executive chef at Cafe Boulud, he worked atDomaine Chandon inYountville, California, under Robert Curry, at Auberge de Lavaux inLausanne, Switzerland, and underMarco Pierre White at L'Escargot inLondon, England.
Chef Kaysen was eliminated during the third episode ofThe Next Iron Chef due to his food being under-seasoned and under-salted, according to the judges. After the elimination, he explained to judgeMichael Ruhlman that the problem had been that the food had been stored improperly by the tech crew of the show, and had become submerged in an ice water bath, leaching out the salt and seasonings. Ruhlman has stated that had he known of the technical glitch, he would likely have judged differently.[7]
In 2008, Chef Kaysen won aJames Beard Foundation Award for Rising Star Chef of the Year.[8]
Kaysen opened his first restaurant, Spoon and Stable, in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis in November of 2014. It was named a 2015 Restaurant of the Year byFood & Wine, a Best New Restaurant byBon Appetit, and was a 2015James Beard Award Finalist for Best New Restaurant.[10]
In March of 2017, he opened Bellecour in Wayzata, MN. The restaurant was named for a historic square in Lyon, France, the birthplace of two of his mentors: Daniel Boulud and Paul Bocuse.[11] In 2018, theJames Beard Awards named him Best Chef: Midwest.[3] Kaysen closed Bellecour in 2020, citing effects of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[12] Its bakery component has relocated to open in Cooks of Crocus Hill store locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.[13]
Kaysen collaborated with chef Andrew Zimmern in 2017 to form KZ ProVisioning, originally conceived as a collaboration between the NHL'sMinnesota Wild[14] and later expanded to include partnerships with theMinnesota Timberwolves and theMinnesota Lynx.[15] Through this program, meals are prepared for professional athletes in accordance with players' physiological needs.
Kaysen opened his third restaurant, the 20-seat tasting menu venue Demi, in 2019.[16] It was aJames Beard Award Finalist for Best New Restaurant in 2020.[17]
A virtual cooking class series called GK at Home, was created during the winter of 2020, a pivot while his restaurants were closed during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[18] It continues to this day.
His fourth restaurant, Mara, serves Mediterranean cuisine and opened in the Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis alongside Socca, a casual café.[1]
Keysen plans on expanding his culinary footprint in the fall of 2025 with three new restaurants, including a space in the Four Seasons Hotel inNaples, Florida.[19]
Kaysen self-publishedAt Home in 2022, a book of 112 recipes based on his online cooking classes.[20]
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