Omni Viking Lakes Hotel to Partner with James Beard Award-Winning Chef Ann Kim
Chef Ann Kim to lead culinary programming for restaurant at new Omni hotel slated to open in October
EAGAN, Minn. (August 13, 2020) – Omni Viking Lakes Hotel today announced its partnership with Minneapolis-based James Beard award-winning chef Ann Kim to lead culinary programming of the hotel's restaurant, Kyndred Hearth.
From the start, Omni and Chef Kim agreed that they wanted the restaurant to provide guests with a warm sense of community, togetherness, nourishment and comfort as they shared a meal with friends and family. Furthermore, ‘kyn’ in Old Norse means family and ‘hearth’ appropriately describes the large copper-encased wood-fired pizza oven at the center of the restaurant space and the heart of Chef Kim’s menu. This, along with a hearth symbolizing the family’s gathering place, inspired the name Kyndred Hearth.
With a focus on exceptional and seasonal offerings, the menu will highlight Chef Kim’s signature wood-fire pizzas, familiar classics and new favorites. The menu will include breakfast, lunch and dinner, and feature handmade pastas, unique small plates and chef’s take on nostalgic favorites like the fried fish sandwich, all-American cheeseburger and her favorite dessert, soft-serve ice cream.
"At Omni, we greatly value the importance of providing guests with memorable culinary experiences that reflect the city's unique culture and local flavor, and our partnership with Chef Kim allows us to do just that," said Devin Burns, vice president of rooms and food & beverage at Omni Hotels & Resorts. "Chef Ann is not only extremely talented and passionate about her craft, but her love for the Minneapolis-St. Paul community is apparent. These are exactly the traits we wanted in a chef partner for Kyndred Hearth at Omni Viking Lakes Hotel."
"As a lifetime Vikings fan, I'm thrilled to collaborate with my hometown team and Omni Hotels to offer the pizzas that I'm known for, and also share my culinary expression on beloved classics,” said Chef Ann Kim. “I'm especially excited to introduce the community to some delicious new offerings, including handmade pastas, my take on a Korean Fried Chicken sandwich, elevated items like braised Korean short rib on miso polenta, and my very first breakfast menu. It's always been my favorite meal of the day, and now I get the opportunity to surprise and delight guests with morning dishes that I love and crave."
Chef Kim's breakfast menu will feature classic dishes such as eggs your way, and creative offerings including a variety of breakfast sandwiches, like the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwich that features soft scrambled egg, onion jam, gruyere and maple-glazed pork belly on a house-made Japanese milk bun, a savory grain bowl with pickled and fermented vegetables, poached egg and gochujang vinaigrette, and a staple from her childhood, a twist on rice congee featuring jasmine and local wild rice, foraged mushrooms, fresh herbs and crispy ginger. The menu will also feature a sweet side, such as a fluffy ricotta pancake, thick-sliced brioche toast with pecan cinnamon butter and honeycomb, power-packed smoothies and house-made granola to kick start the day.
Located on the first floor at Omni Viking Lakes Hotel, Kyndred Hearth will be the flagship restaurant of the hotel, serving as a dining destination and a welcoming neighborhood gathering space for the east metro community. Warm, inviting and casual, the design showcases natural materials such as rustic woods and stone, and the room's showpiece, Chef Kim's signature copper wood-fired oven. Large floor to ceiling windows fill the space with beautiful natural light, accessible to a patio where guests will have a prime view of TCO Stadium.
For more information, visit https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/viking-lakes-minnesota, call 1-800-The-Omni or follow Omni Hotels & Resorts at www.Facebook.com/OmniHotels and Twitter.com/OmniHotels.
About Chef Ann Kim
Ann Kim is the Chef/Owner of Pizzeria Lola, Hello Pizza, and Young Joni, all located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A Korean immigrant, she credits her culinary palate and love of cooking to helping her mother and grandmother make traditional staples such as fermented bean paste and kimchi. In 2010 she opened her first restaurant, Pizzeria Lola, a Minneapolis staple that has been lauded both locally and nationally. Her second restaurant, Hello Pizza, is an East Coast-inspired slice shop that frequently tops 'Best Of' lists. Young Joni opened in 2016 and serves an eclectic genre-bending menu featuring her signature pizzas and other wood-fired dishes. It is the recipient of several awards, including Minneapolis Star Tribune's Restaurant of the Year and GQ's Best New Restaurants in America. In 2019, Ann became the first woman and first person of color from Minneapolis to receive the James Beard Award for "Best Chef Midwest." She has been featured in the New York Times, Vogue, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and CBS Saturday's "The Dish." Her highly-anticipated fourth restaurant, Sooki & Mimi, also located in Minneapolis, is slated to open in 2020.
About Omni Hotels & Resorts
Omni Hotels & Resorts creates genuine, authentic guest experiences at 60 distinct luxury hotels and resorts in leading business and leisure destinations across North America. With more than 25 iconic golf courses and 16 award-winning spas featured in dynamic locales nationwide, every Omni proudly opens its doors to share the true spirit of its destination. Reflected through local color, personalized service, unique wellness options, signature restaurants and creative culinary offerings, Omni leaves a lasting impression with every guest and a heightened level of recognition and rewards delivered through its Select Guest loyalty program. As a founding member of the Global Hotel Alliance, Select Guest is further expanded through the DISCOVERY® loyalty program offering members additional global benefits. Omni is committed to reducing hunger and is on a mission through its Say Goodnight to Hunger initiative to provide millions of meals each year for food banks to feed children, families, and seniors in communities in which it operates. Omni Hotels & Resorts is the official hotel of the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions. For information or to book accommodations, visit omnihotels.com or call 1-800-The-Omni.