Executive Chef Paul J. Lynch has earned a well-deserved national reputation for his culinary skill and innovation in the kitchens of some of the nation’s finest hotels. Chef Lynch is known for his creative renderings of heartland classics, his innovative use of wood grilling techniques, and his passion for using fresh produce, fish and game from local sustainable sources. A native of
El Paso,
Texas, Chef Lynch earned a degree from the New England Culinary Institute and embarked on a whirlwind career with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. He began in their
London hotel and went on to Four Seasons properties in
Austin, Nevis,
Houston,
Dallas and
Maui. He opened FireLake Grill House and Cocktail Bar in downtown
Minneapolis in June of 2003, after serving as Executive Chef at Aria Grill at the Westin Hotel in
Oklahoma City.
At FireLake, Chef Lynch has delved into the regional cuisine of the heartland and reinterpreted it with a creative and often whimsical flair. His menu at FireLake features a wide range of regional products, from artisinal cheeses, many of them from
Minnesota cheese makers, to fresh organic produce from nearby farms. He has sought out local beef, buffalo and elk, as well as freshwater fish. His
Texas roots are evident in his signature rotisserie dishes. By using several different hard woods, including hickory, alder, mesquite and apple, he creates diverse and rich flavors to perfectly compliment his ingredients.
It is this technique, focusing on complex flavors of burning wood (Fire) from the land of 10,000 lakes (
Lake) that is at the core of his philosophy for FireLake. It has produced signature menu items such as buffalo pot roast with cipollini onions and thyme, heirloom corn-crusted walleye, cherry wood smoked BBQ lamb ribs and a honey-cured
Berkshire pork chop that is pecan smoked with maple glazed baked yam and apples.
Chef Lynch updates his menu on a seasonal basis, using the freshest local ingredients at any given time of year. Featured monthly specials showcase his wit and innovation. For example, in March it was an all-beer menu from appetizers to desert. For April, he does an elegant spring interpretation of the ubiquitous Midwestern slider. He has done menus focused around a fresh, seasonal item such as spring lamb, and an entire fresh water fish menu in homage to
Minnesota anglers.
Chef Lynch is a leading voice and founding member of
Minnesota's Heartland Food Network, a collaborative, non-profit group of chefs and purveyors created to promote and support authentic heartland ingredients. The organization's mission is to increase the availability of regional and locally-grown or produced foods from
Minnesota. As a pioneering member of the Network, Chef Lynch frequently serves as an expert panelist and spokesperson on topics related to sustainable cooking. He is also a member of the Whole Grains Council and serves on panels discussing the health benefits of whole grains.
- MORE -
Chef Lynch has received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Carlson Fellows Lifetime Achievement Award for creativity and innovation. In 2007, he was named one of the “Restaurateurs of the Year" by Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine and was the recipient of the 2006 Beef Backer Award, presented by the Minnesota Beef Council. Chef Lynch received top honors at the 2005 Minnesota Taste of Elegance competition and was named “Best Newcomer” by Where Magazine in 2004, shortly after opening FireLake. His culinary talents have been recognized in numerous national and regional publications including Bon Appetit, Chocolatier, Delta’s Sky, Minnesota Monthly, Lavender, Midwestern Living, Minneapolis St. Paul magazine and The St. Paul Pioneer Press. An avid gardener, Chef Lynch resides in Savage,
Minnesota with his wife and their two children.
FireLake is located at
31 South 7th Street in the heart of downtown
Minneapolis. Since opening in June 2003, it has earned a reputation as one of the twin-cities most popular power-broker scenes during the week and as a relaxing, neighborhood gathering place in the evenings, for weekend brunch and Sunday suppers. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily in the main dining room with open-kitchen views of the real wood-burning ovens and rotisserie. In addition to the main dining room, the restaurant has two private rooms.
For more information, menus and wine lists visit www.firelakerestaurant.com. For reservations call 612.216.FIRE.
612.216.3473 or 612.216.FIRE
www.firelakerestaurant.com
