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This week I am excited to feature the locally renowned Chef Chris Glazer. He was born and raised in Minnesota and grew up in Apple Valley. Life events took him to Missouri and Nebraska, but he always seems to end up back in Minnesota.
Chris has been a professional chef for over 15 years, but he has worked in the industry for more than 25 years. Over the years, he spent countless hours learning and working in different styles of kitchens and bars. He has done everything from throwing pizzas and working in small pubs to high end cooking at Travail, an acclaimed restaurant in Robbinsdale, MN. Chris has also done consulting for craft cocktail bars.
His experiences have given him the opportunity to have a hands-on approach in all angles of the business.
Four years ago, Chris moved to Ely to help some of his industry friends reopen the Chocolate Moose. Since then, he moved on to VCS in Tower where he spent two years serving as an educator and culinary director. He taught history, creative writing, and developed a program for the kids to be actively involved in creating their breakfast and lunch menus. The program walked the children through the entire process, from conceptualization to production.
In January of this year, Chris began working with Bob and Jen McDonough, the new owners of the Tower Cafe. Bob and Jen brought Chris in to help develop the food side of the business. They offer a community focused atmosphere and are open Wednesday through Sunday, serving breakfast from 6-10:30 a.m. and lunch from 10:30-1 p.m.
Chris helped put together a locally themed menu with items like “Miners Cinnamon French Toast Breakfast” and “Mesabi Trail Biscuits and Gravy.”
Gluten sensitive options are available for some of the menu items, such as their famous “Sasquatch Breakfast Burrito,” which can be made sans tortilla and served as a burrito bowl. Tower Cafe also tries to do a few “Saturday Night Dinners” each month with a focus on one particular style of food and an emphasis on portability.
Due to the increase of visitors during weekends, Chris thought it would be helpful to offer takehome dinners such as taco kits or Asian-style buffets. These are perfect for taking to the cabin or for easy entertaining!
In addition to running the cafe, you can find him tending the bar Tuesday-Thursday Nights at Insula in Ely. He also has done holiday meals at St. Paul’s Church in Soudan, which are served free of charge to the community.
Chris spends much of his free time catering for local events, such as last weekend’s Save the Boundary Waters annual garden party. His “Mexican Street Corn Salad” was the hit of the party, and many of the guests requested the recipe. Chris was kind enough to share it with us so everyone can enjoy it.
Like a true chef, Chris loves to feed people. His jovial spirit and engaging nature makes him an excellent host. Chris is available for private dinners, parties, catering, bartending, and just about any event that could utilize his talents. Tower Cafe also has the ability to hold size-appropriate functions for various groups and events.
If you would like to connect with Chris to inquire about developing a custom, tailored experience, feel free to email him at [email protected].
I would like to thank Chef Chris for contributing to this week’s column.
