We are pleased to announce the hire of Lucas Almendinger as Executive Chef of the Co-op Creamery. The café, set to open in late July, will offer a menu created by Almendinger that features local fare, as well as a beer and wine selection. Almendinger comes to the Co-op Creamery following an impressive career at some of the Twin Cities’ most well-known restaurants. Most recently, Almendinger was Executive Chef at Minneapolis’ Third Bird. Almendinger will start June 1, 2015.

“We are very excited to bring Lucas on board, as we believe his passion and focus on elevating simple, local, and fresh dishes meshes perfectly with our plan for the Creamery café,” says Chad Snelson, Co-op Creamery Production Manager. “He has built an incredible portfolio of work across the Twin Cities and will bring a unique perspective and talent to the Seward neighborhood.”

Before opening Third Bird, Almendinger was Executive Chef at Union Fish Market, and previously worked with several of the Twin Cities’ top chefs, including Steven Brown at Tilia, Landon Schoenefeld at HauteDish, and Erik Anderson at Sea Change.

“The co-op already has a strong reputation for sourcing high-quality local food, and we will continue to build on that,” Snelson says. The Co-op Creamery menu will feature seasonal offerings for breakfast, lunch and dinner, using ingredients sourced from many of our long-time providers.

In addition to the café, the Creamery facilities will also assist in the expansion of Seward Co-op’s existing bakery, deli and meat production. The increased production capacity will enhance the support that the co-op already provides area farmers and producers.