James Beard nominations. Accolades from the press. Northern Michigan's food scene is booming, from counter-service diners to high-end restaurants. Today, we talk about why.
Emily Stewart and Andy Elliott, the husband-and-wife chef team that co-owns Traverse City's "Modern Bird," says the region itself plays a big role.
"A lot of it is the farming, the produce, the wine, all of those things," Stewart said.
"It makes our job a lot easier when things are just inherently good coming through the backdoor," Elliott said, "and I think the produce here is as good as I've seen anywhere."
What's happening here is resonating with people, Stewart said.
Stewart grew up near Kalamazoo and, like a lot of Michiganders, spent time Up North with family. Elliott is from the Chicagoland area. They met working in the food scene there, and moved up to Traverse City in 2018. In 2022, they opened "Modern Bird."
This year, the pair has been nominated for Best Chef - Great Lakes in the prestigious James Beard Awards. Last year, the chef/co-owners of a different Traverse City establishment, "The Cooks' House," were finalists for the same award.
Stewart and Elliott met IPR for lunch at one of their favorite places to eat, Glendale Burger Shop on M-22 in Traverse City, just over the Leelanau County line.
Listen to more of our conversation in the podcast. And be sure to listen to the end, when IPR's Austin Rowlader takes us to McDonald's and offers a reflection on the people who work at restaurants, and the difference they make in our lives.
Producer: Austin Rowlader
Editing: Steve Junker
