Justin Sutherland Smokes Out in Minneapolis

Justin Sutherland is a jack of all trades: culinary master, restaurateur, entrepreneur, social justice activist and television celebrity. He’s taken the culinary world by storm with a series of restaurants opening up in the last two years, staking his claim to the title of Minnesota’s next great chef. His latest venture is a posh new restaurant called Chickpea, a collaboration with local restaurateur Leo Judeh. It will feature fresh salads and a handful of other items in the burgeoning barbecue and craft beer market. The restaurant will reopen in the coming weeks with a revamped interior and patio.

What’s more, what is the name of the best barbecue joint in town? As of late, it has been hard to keep up with all of the good eats. Fortunately, you don’t have to travel too far to sample the good stuff, and some places will even give you a free appetizer. If you’re a diehard fan of Sutherland’s, you’ll be glad to know that his new location has a full bar, including a roof top bar, and a rooftop patio, all of which will be open for business by the time fall rolls around.

Justin Sutherland has been racking up the awards for the past few years, but it hasn’t been easy. In addition to the obvious accolades, he’s also had to cope with the fact that his first restaurant, Fitzgerald’s, closed after the Great Recession. After a few false starts, he decided to move on and reopen his doors in a new location.

One of the best features of his rebirth is that he’s bringing some of his best recipes to the forefront. For instance, you can now enjoy his take on the classic chicken dredge, a dish that has been lauded in several foodie circles. You can also check out his new version of the brisket, which will include some vegan options.

While he’s certainly not the first person to think of the idea of a tad bit of everything, he’s managed to put it all together in the form of an event called the aptly named Justin Sutherland & Friends Smoke Out. On Sunday, September 13, at Allianz Field, you can expect a slew of food and drink aficionados in the know, from noon to 6pm. And of course, you’ll have plenty of smoked meat to go around. Of course, no Justin Sutherland event would be complete without a raffle for some of his smokin’ good barbecue.