Minnesota Restaurant Association Names 2005 Restaurateur of the Year, Allied Vendor of the Year

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Restaurant Association has named John Schiltz of the Lake Elmo Inn as its 2005 Restaurateur of the Year and St. Cloud-based Appert’s Foodservice as its Allied Vendor of the Year. Both winners will be recognized at Crème de la Crème on February 20, 2006.

JOHN SCHILTZ, LAKE ELMO INN: In high school, John Schiltz began working at the Lake Elmo Inn as a dishwasher and cook. Today, he owns the restaurant. After stints at restaurants in Colorado, San Francisco, Kansas City and Fort Worth, Schiltz made his way back to Minnesota, where he helped open the Hyatt Minneapolis as the Executive Sous Chef. In 1982, he was promoted to Executive Chef at the Hyatt in Des Moines. He was back in Minneapolis for a wedding when he heard the news that his former boss at the Lake Elmo Inn had put the restaurant up for sale. The next day, he bought the business.

“Over the years, John has built great relationships with his employees, customers, neighbors and his community,” says Joe Bennett, president of the Minnesota Restaurant Association. “He’s built his career on good and honest hard work, dedication and stamina. It’s those same qualities that allowed John to take over a fading restaurant — and bring it back to life. We’re proud to name John the Restaurateur of the Year.”

APPERT’S FOODSERVICE: Appert’s Foodservice is an independent family-owned foodservice distributor based in St. Cloud. The company started in the 1930s as a local grocery store and meat locker plant. Over the years, the Appert family began to focus more on meat processing and sold some of the items they produced to local distributors to be resold to area restaurants. In the 1970s, Appert’s began delivering directly to area restaurants. Today, the 240-employee distributor is owned and operated by Chris Appert, the grandson of the founder. Appert’s product line has expanded to offer more than 11,000 items — and counting.

“Appert’s slogan is ‘large enough to serve, small enough to care,’ and the company really takes that to heart,” says Bennett. “They understand that superior customer service is essential to their continued growth, and they’re committed to meeting the needs of every customer, no matter the size.”

Crème de la Crème
Crème de la Crème will take place on Monday, February 20, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Hilton Minneapolis as a part of the 2006 Upper Midwest Hospitality, Restaurant, and Lodging Show (UP Show). The event features 15 of the Twin Cities’ hottest chefs – including Restaurateur of the Year John Schiltz from the Lake Elmo Inn – preparing their signature dishes, as well as a cash bar. Tax-deductible tickets are $50 per person in advance, $60 at the door, and benefit the Hospitality Minnesota Education Foundation and the Toby Landgraf Scholarship Foundation.

Chefs scheduled to participate include: Chef Saul Chavez, Masa; Chef Adam King, Café Lurcat; Chef Kevin Wesselhoff, Skywater/Hilton; Chef Peter Christensen, Mendakota Country Club; Chef Derek Jensen, Jensen's Supper Club; Chef Scott Pampuch, Corner Table; Chef John Schiltz, Lake Elmo Inn; Chef Tom Rieman, Lord Fletchers; Executive Chef Tommy J. Hearn, Eurest/Minneapolis Federal Reserve; Chef Pat Hooker, Taxxi an American Bistro; Chef Jonathan Hunt, Al Vento; Chef Adam Droski, Bar Abilene; Chef Adam Trebbe, Tejas; Chef Justin Grecco, Afton House Inn; and Chef Jerry Velasquez, Buca Inc.

For more information about Crème de la Crème, contact Melissa Graf at (651) 778-2400 or melissa@hospitalitymn.com.

About the Minnesota Restaurant Association
The Minnesota Restaurant Association, the not-for-profit professional trade association for foodservice operators in Minnesota, has protected, educated and promoted the foodservice industry for nearly 70 years. Its members include 1,500 restaurants and their suppliers from all segments of the industry, including family restaurants, supper clubs, fine dining establishments, caterers, institutional feeders, country clubs, and quick- service operations.