They Opened One of the First Ever Food Trucks In Minneapolis — Now They’re Pulling Out of Town

In 2007 Chef Shack was the second food truck to take to the streets of Minneapolis, peddling what was at the time a radical menu of entirely local ingredients. Inside that first truck were partners in business and life, Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer. The duo rode that rise of food trucks through the past decade, working always as champions for local cuisine and woman-owned businesses. Now, they are selling the business and heading out of Minneapolis.

The initial truck grew into a fleet and two restaurants. Chef Shack Ranch opened in the Seward neighborhood in December of 2013 serving barbecue in an eclectic room filled with a mix of antiques and thrifted treasures. Carlson is the savory chef, Summer making the sweet stuff, both come from fine dining backgrounds and met on the line at Cafe Barbette.

The truck gained national prominence for its utterly addictive Indian-spiced mini-doughnuts, tossed in an evocative mix of sugar, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and just a hint of salt. Now, women will turn their focus to their second restaurant, the seasonal Chef Shack in Bay City.

Chef Shack/Facebook

Chef Shack Ranch, at 3025 East Franklin Avenue, near the Mississippi River, recently ceased its public hours and moved to a private event space.

The Wisconsin outpost, which opened in 2015, is closed for the season, but will return with its long weekend hours some time in the Spring. Carlson and Summer plan to focus solely on this location going forward.

• Minneapolis Food Truck Trailblazers Selling Trucks and Restaurant [STRIB]
• Chef Shack Ranch Starts Serving a Whole Lot of Meat in Seward Tonight [ETC]
• Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer are the chefs behind Chef Shack [PiPress]
• Chef Shack Bay City [WEB]