Award-winning La Belle Vie restaurant in Minneapolis closing
After 17 years, James Beard award-winning chef Tim McKee is permanently turning off the lights at his acclaimed La Belle Vie restaurant in Minneapolis' Loring Park neighborhood.
McKee cited several reasons for the closing, set for the end of Oct. 24.
"The biggest factor is people don't look to fine dining as they used to. A lot of new restaurants are opening up. We're not the new kid on the block anymore," he said. "If everyone who really valued La Belle Vie and thought that it was an important tradition to the Twin Cities dining scene ... if they dined here one or two more times a year, we wouldn't be closing."
McKee also said construction on Hennepin Avenue has blocked access to its front door at 510 Groveland Ave., contributing to the closure.
La Belle Vie has led the way in the Twin Cities restaurant scene on many fronts. Since first opening in downtown Stillwater and then relocating to Minneapolis 10 years ago, the fine-dining restaurant has consistently received top rankings for its contemporary a la carte and tasting menus, craft cocktail program and outstanding service. It held regular No. 1 spots on Zagat Twin Cities restaurant guides. In 2009, McKee won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Midwest.
Countless high-profile culinary alumni have trained at La Belle Vie and gone on to open their own restaurants or lead other kitchens at high-profile dining establishments. They include Jack Riebel of Paddy Shack and The Lexington (St. Paul) and Il Foro (Minneapolis), Adam Eaton of St. Dinette (St. Paul), Jim Christiansen of Heyday (Minneapolis) and Jamie Malone of the upcoming Brut (Minneapolis).
Being associated with so many high-profile names throughout the years is something McKee said he is most proud of.
"I don't think (the changing staff has) affected what we do in the slightest. We've always had great people," McKee said. "We have great people now. We continually got better."
"I think the most important thing is to develop the community. You can't do that unless you provide them other opportunities and encourage them to find their own way. That's crucially important," McKee said. "I'm not going to shortchange the people that I developed and worked with by being possessive of them. I couldn't really bear the thought of denying someone an opportunity because I needed them."
McKee continues to have a hand creating menus for Parasole Restaurant Holdings sites including Libertine and Chino Latino. He also can be seen influencing the food at Sea Change at the Guthrie Theater and Masu restaurants, as well as Smalley's Caribbean Barbeque in downtown Stillwater.
"I'm not worried about what's next for me. What I'm worried about are wanting opportunities for my staff after this," McKee said. "I know that for our employees, this is a real family. For this to no longer be a part of our lives is difficult."
Reported by: TwinCities.com
McKee cited several reasons for the closing, set for the end of Oct. 24.
"The biggest factor is people don't look to fine dining as they used to. A lot of new restaurants are opening up. We're not the new kid on the block anymore," he said. "If everyone who really valued La Belle Vie and thought that it was an important tradition to the Twin Cities dining scene ... if they dined here one or two more times a year, we wouldn't be closing."
McKee also said construction on Hennepin Avenue has blocked access to its front door at 510 Groveland Ave., contributing to the closure.
La Belle Vie has led the way in the Twin Cities restaurant scene on many fronts. Since first opening in downtown Stillwater and then relocating to Minneapolis 10 years ago, the fine-dining restaurant has consistently received top rankings for its contemporary a la carte and tasting menus, craft cocktail program and outstanding service. It held regular No. 1 spots on Zagat Twin Cities restaurant guides. In 2009, McKee won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Midwest.
Countless high-profile culinary alumni have trained at La Belle Vie and gone on to open their own restaurants or lead other kitchens at high-profile dining establishments. They include Jack Riebel of Paddy Shack and The Lexington (St. Paul) and Il Foro (Minneapolis), Adam Eaton of St. Dinette (St. Paul), Jim Christiansen of Heyday (Minneapolis) and Jamie Malone of the upcoming Brut (Minneapolis).
Being associated with so many high-profile names throughout the years is something McKee said he is most proud of.
"I don't think (the changing staff has) affected what we do in the slightest. We've always had great people," McKee said. "We have great people now. We continually got better."
"I think the most important thing is to develop the community. You can't do that unless you provide them other opportunities and encourage them to find their own way. That's crucially important," McKee said. "I'm not going to shortchange the people that I developed and worked with by being possessive of them. I couldn't really bear the thought of denying someone an opportunity because I needed them."
McKee continues to have a hand creating menus for Parasole Restaurant Holdings sites including Libertine and Chino Latino. He also can be seen influencing the food at Sea Change at the Guthrie Theater and Masu restaurants, as well as Smalley's Caribbean Barbeque in downtown Stillwater.
"I'm not worried about what's next for me. What I'm worried about are wanting opportunities for my staff after this," McKee said. "I know that for our employees, this is a real family. For this to no longer be a part of our lives is difficult."
Reported by: TwinCities.com
