Awards season is certainly upon us with the Eater Awards party taking place this evening and the fifth-annual Charlie Awards last night. The Twin Cities food community gathered at the Pantages Theatre for the award event recognizing exceptional food and drink around town. Named after downtown restaurant Charlies Café Exceptionale, which closed in the mid-1980s, the Charlie Awards recognize everything from outstanding chef to outstanding local craft brew.
Here are a few highlights:
· Outstanding Chef: Marshall Paulsen of Birchwood Cafe
· Outstanding Restaurant: Spoon and Stable
· Outstanding Bartender: Robb Jones of Spoon and Stable
· Outstanding Pastry Chef: Karyn Tomlinson of Borough
· Lifetime Achievement Award: Molly Broder
· Emerging Food Professional: Thomas Kim, Rabbit Hole
· Outstanding Service: Corner Table
· Outstanding Food Truck: Tatanka
The Charlie Awards honor the contributions of local restaurants, chefs, bartenders and others in the food and beverage industry. The 5th annual Charlie Awards was held Sunday at the Pantages Theatre, followed by Minnesota Monthly’s after party at IDS Crystal Court. Students from local culinary schools provided the nibbles for the after party, along with meats and cheeses from Red Table Meat Co., doughnuts from Bogart’s and fabulous cocktails shaken by none other than last year’s winner Jesse Held. VIP ticket holders then proceeded upstairs to Windows on Minnesota for a four-course Chefs’ dinner created by 2014 honorees.
The evening’s highlights included chefs reading their own bad Yelp reviews styled after Jimmy Kimmel’s Mean Tweets bit, Amol Dixit of Hot Indian Foods performing a hilarious medley of reworded 80’s songs, and Chenny Rancone’s genuine surprise at winning Outstanding Service award for the second year in a row.
All Photos by Kris Hase
· All coverage of the Charlie Awards [Eater MPLS]
