Esker Grove Announces All Star Staff Line Up

The new restaurant being installed at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and overseen by chef Doug Flicker (of Piccolo fame) has announced the rest of the team leaders and they are all names familiar to those who know our local industry.

In the kitchen, working alongside Flicker will be T. J. Rawitzer, who opened Kim Bartmann's Tiny Diner before eventually overseeing all 9 of her restaurant's menus. He comes from a D'Amico Cucina pedigree. Perhaps most interesting, Rawitzer once worked inside the kitchen at Flicker's first restaurant, the much-missed Auriga.

Walker Art Center

Jon S. Olson will oversee the beverage program. Olson has been moonlighting as one of our contributors, but is best known for his work behind the bar at La Belle Vie, Icehouse and Bradstreet Craftshouse, among others. The cocktail menu he's working on will pull inspiration from Parisian cafes: which means we can expect a killer take on the French 75.

The welcoming hospitality force at the front of house will be the singular Kim Tong. She has been at Borough since they opened their doors, while also overseeing some of that restaurant company's other properties, like Marche. Tong has also worked at Town Talk Diner, Masu in addition to Piccolo.

Stephanie A. Meyer

All three will help bring Flicker's ambitious plans for a vegetable and grain driven menu in a gorgeous room that seamlessly ties into the interior of the museum as well as the outdoor grounds around it.

The restaurant will open six days a week for lunch, a lighter midday menu and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Brunch will be available Saturday and Sunday. The restaurant will be closed on Mondays along with the museum.

Catch up on all of Flicker's Esker Grove plans here. Expect a December grand opening.