Team Spotlight

Mike attributes his career aspirations to his grandmother, who was always cooking for the family. She also told him of her uncle who owned a pastry shop – Mike’s dream that emerged from his love of crème bruleé and tiramisu. He’s been working to master both since he first tasted them many years ago and generally makes one or both for family holidays.

Prior to joining CKC Good Food in September 2021, Mike managed George’s Vineyard, a small Greek restaurant in Northfield, for four years, and worked at Dellwood County Club for three years with Brandon Porter, our Recipe Development & Menu Coordinator. At Dellwood, Mike created recipes with Brandon and honed his cooking techniques as he prepared delicious food for large groups.

Mike started in the hospitality industry when he was 19, making deliveries for Basil’s, a former Greek restaurant also in Northfield. He went on to culinary school and worked for a year at the Minneapolis Convention Center before being hired at the country club.

As he has progressed in his career, Mike has become a true foodie, seeking out new food experiences at James Beard-award-winning restaurants. The 12-course menu at Travail is just one of those stand-out experiences. Despite having enjoyed many high-brow meals, his go-to favorite is biscuits and gravy from Martha’s Eats & Treats in Dundas. You can find him there many Saturday mornings at 7:55, five minutes before the biscuits come out of the oven.