BIG LAKE — Gordon Ramsay spent five whirlwind days filming at one of Big Lake’s oldest restaurants, but after the celebrity chef and television crews left town, the transformation of the Lake Cafe was far from finished.
The family-owned restaurant closed Sept. 11-15 while Ramsay and a production crew filmed an episode of an undisclosed restaurant-revival show. The visit included an extensive interior makeover and a new, tightly focused menu filled with Minnesota-inspired dishes.
The makeover at Lake Cafe in Big Lake included dark blue walls, new décor and updates to the restaurant’s longtime lunch counter. The restaurant reopened Wednesday after filming wrapped Tuesday.
Courtesy of Megan Skipitaris
The Lake Cafe reopened Sept. 16, initially telling customers it would offer a small menu featuring dishes Ramsay had created. Within days, however, the restaurant returned to its previous menu while it considered which of Ramsay’s dishes it could consistently prepare and incorporate into a permanent revamped menu.
The change prompted intense interest online. A Friday Facebook post explaining the decision drew more than 2,000 reactions, nearly 350 comments and dozens of shares within its first day.
“I’m sorry that people are disappointed with us not using Chef Ramsay’s menu,” the restaurant wrote. “There’s so much more that goes into running with his menu than you would imagine.”
The cafe said it needed time to order the proper ingredients, put necessary systems in place and prepare employees to execute the dishes as intended. A culinary team is expected to visit the restaurant to provide additional assistance.
“Should we have been prepared for this and anticipated what we needed to do? Probably, but we have a culinary team coming out to work with us and make sure we do it right,” the restaurant wrote.
The owners said they are also reviewing their longtime menu to determine what will remain, what might change and how Ramsay’s ideas can be incorporated.
“We’re incredibly excited about what’s ahead and can’t wait for you to experience some of the new dishes Chef Gordon brought our way,” the post said.
A Minnesota-inspired menu
The menu introduced during filming included six appetizers, six main dishes, one dessert and four side dishes.
Appetizers included a pumpkin cinnamon roll with cream cheese frosting, creamy mushroom and Minnesota wild rice soup, an Iron Range pasty, loaded cheese-curd fries, Minnesota hotdish and a chopped salad.
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay reportedly proposed this menu for Lake Cafe during filming at the Big Lake restaurant. Lake Cafe is not currently serving the menu as staff work with a culinary team to obtain ingredients, prepare employees and determine which dishes will become part of its offerings.
The Minnesota hotdish featured ground beef, mushrooms, gravy, tater tots and local cheddar. The Iron Range pasty was made with beef, potatoes and vegetables baked inside a handmade pie crust.
Main dishes included brioche French toast with local apple compote; chicken and waffles with broasted chicken tenders, a pecan waffle and hot maple butter; a Juicy Lucy; the Moore’s Deluxe Burger; broasted chicken with buttermilk ranch slaw and pickles; and a walleye sandwich.
Prices ranged from $4 for the cinnamon roll to $18 for the walleye sandwich.
The lone dessert was Ethel’s cheddar apple pie, served with vanilla ice cream. The dish appears to pay tribute to Ethel Cox, who operated the Lake Cafe for decades after her husband, Ronald, died.
Customer reaction to the temporary menu was mixed.
In public social-media posts, some diners praised the new dishes and updated surroundings. Others questioned individual preparations or said they preferred the cafe’s familiar food. Still others urged customers to give the owners and employees time to adjust after an unusually demanding week.
Many longtime patrons were especially interested in whether the breakfast buffet, soup-and-salad bar, broasted chicken, hot roast beef sandwich, Moore’s burger and other favorites would remain.
The cafe later clarified that it intended to offer its previous menu while developing a permanent new menu using Ramsay’s recommendations.
“We have the menu Chef Ramsay created for us, and we are bringing our old menu back because we have not had time to put together and finalize what will be our new menu,” the restaurant wrote. “However, with input we received from the chef, we are going to revamp our menu. It’s just going to take a little time.”
Northwoods makeover
The production also gave the longtime restaurant an extensive cosmetic makeover while preserving its familiar layout.
Photographs posted by several customers show that beige walls were repainted in shades of deep blue, teal and forest green. Dark wood tables and chairs, red plaid curtains, antler-style chandeliers, rustic barn-door framing and a whitewashed wood treatment around the counter created a more deliberate Northwoods theme.
Lake Cafe’s remodeled dining room features plaid curtains, antler-style lighting and vintage décor following five days of filming with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
Courtesy of Three Acre Woods
Canoe paddles, fishing pieces, lanterns, plants, vintage books, trophies and other decorations were placed throughout the dining room.
The restaurant’s horseshoe-shaped counter, chrome stools, surrounding tile and basic floor plan remained recognizable.
The renovation drew largely positive reviews online, including from some customers who were less enthusiastic about the temporary menu.
The visit also brought crowds of curious residents and Ramsay fans to the restaurant. People gathered outside during filming in hopes of catching a glimpse of the British chef and television personality known for shows including “Hell’s Kitchen,” “MasterChef,” “Kitchen Nightmares” and “Gordon Ramsay’s Secret Service.”
FOX 9 reported that Big Lake resident Brianna Lund waited outside for three days with her children and ultimately met Ramsay twice. He signed an apron for her daughter and a T-shirt for her son.
“He actually came out, and he was like, ‘Oh, you girls are so beautiful,’” Lund told FOX 9. “And then he said, ‘I’m so sorry to keep you waiting.’”
Details remain under wraps
Exactly which television program was filmed at the Lake Cafe has not been officially announced.
FOX 9 identified the production as “Kitchen Nightmares,” Ramsay’s long-running series in which he works with struggling restaurants to improve their food, service and operations. However, casting notices issued earlier this year sought Twin Cities-area restaurants for an “Untitled Gordon Ramsay Restaurant Project.”
Lake Cafe co-owner Tami Cox confirmed to MPR News that Ramsay was at the restaurant and filming took place from Friday through Tuesday. She declined to discuss many details because of a nondisclosure agreement.
Cox said the episode could air within three to six months.
Ramsay and his production crew were also spotted filming at Pizza Factory in North St. Paul, and reports have suggested another Minnesota restaurant in Wayzata may be involved in the same project.
Fox Entertainment had not publicly provided additional information about the Big Lake episode as of press time.
Nearly six decades in Big Lake
The Lake Cafe has been part of Big Lake for 58 years.
Ronald and Ethel Cox purchased the restaurant in 1968. Ronald died approximately six months later, and Ethel continued operating the business for the next 34 years.
Tim and Tami Cox later took over the restaurant, continuing the family ownership and its identity as what the business calls a “small hometown cafe.”
That history helps explain why Ramsay’s visit generated such a strong response. For many commenters, the question was not simply whether the new dishes sounded appealing. It was how much a restaurant closely tied to generations of local memories should change.
Some welcomed a smaller, more focused menu and updated dining room. Others worried that familiar foods and traditions might disappear. Many wanted some combination of the two.
For now, that balance is still being worked out behind the scenes.
“We’re also using this opportunity to take a fresh look at the rest of our menu — what stays, what may change, and how we create the best menu moving forward,” the restaurant wrote. “So, bear with us as we make these updates.”
Dining and Cooking