MINNEAPOLIS— This fall and winter, the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) will host a series of after-hours art and dining experiences inspired by the special exhibition Botticelli and Renaissance Florence: Masterworks from the Uffizi.
Mia is partnering once again with James Beard award-nominated chef Jamie Malone of Paris Dining Club on the dinner series, titled “An Italian Renaissance Wedding Feast by Botticelli.” The dinners will feature abundant dishes created by Malone and world-renowned pastry chef John Kraus, wine pairings curated by acclaimed sommelier Bill Summerville, and a sumptuous table designed by atmospherist Jason Berke of Warmhouse Story.
The dinners will take place on select weeknights starting Wednesday, November 9. Each night will feature a private, guided tour of Mia’s special exhibition “Botticelli and Renaissance Florence,” a multi-course dinner with wine pairings in Mia’s beautiful second floor corridor, and insights from Mia’s director, curators, and the culinary team.
Tickets are $475 per person, all-inclusive, and the purchase supports the museum’s mission. Limited seats are available. Tickets are on sale now. For more information, click here.
About Jamie Malone
Jamie Malone has always had a life that revolved around food. She grew up cooking and baking bread with her dad in St. Paul. Before receiving her culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu, Chef Malone traveled and studied extensively in Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, and Europe, immersing herself in each region’s cuisine.
Malone has gained national attention and earned a place as a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for “Rising Star Chef” for 2013 and “Best Chef Midwest” for 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2019. In 2013, Malone was named one of Food and Wine magazine’s “Best New Chefs.” In 2017, Malone opened her first restaurant, Grand Café, and the following year, it was a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for “Best New Restaurant” and was also named Food and Wine magazine’s “Best New Restaurant.” That year, Malone was also awarded Food and Wine magazine’s “Dish of the Year.” Malone has written for Esquire’s “Eat Like a Man” blog and been featured in many magazines including GQ, Saveur, and Elle. In 2014 she won Cooking Light’s “Trail Blazer Award” for her work with sustainable seafood.
Most recently, Malone has created Paris Dining Club, allowing guests to bring her food and hospitality to their home tables. You can find Malone at her North Loop Paris Dining Club Studio hosting events and creating new experiences for people who love food.
About John Kraus
A native of Paducah, Kentucky, John Kraus first fell in love with pastry while studying cuisine in London. He was training to be a cook until one day he tasted a croissant and became fascinated by its wonderful simplicity, and this would change the course of his life.
After stints in Nashville and Chicago, Kraus opened Patisserie 46 in South Minneapolis to rave reviews in July 2010, and this first location continues to be a Twin Cities favorite. That year, he was named a “Top Ten Chocolatier” by Pastry Arts Magazine, along with Joshua Werner, who had joined his team. In 2016, Kraus opened the first Rose Street Patisserie.
In 2014, Kraus was selected as team USA’’s captain at the 2015 Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie and took the 2015 bronze medal at the famed Olympics of pastry competitions. That same year, Kraus was inducted as a member of Relais Desserts Group, the only American-born chef to be ever invited to join this prestigious group of the world’s top 100 pastry chefs. In addition to the Coupe, Kraus has been awarded the Patisfrance Pastry Chef of the Year, National Dessert Champion, and winner of the Food Network Chocolate Challenge, as well as many “Best of” awards in the Twin Cities area.
About Bill Summerville
Bill Summerville has been an influential force in shaping the Twin Cities restaurant scene, plying his trademark style of charm and brashness at such notable restaurants as D’Amico Cucina, La Belle Vie, and Spoon and Stable. During his tenure as partner and front man of La Belle Vie, he was a three-time semifinalist for the James Beard Award for “Outstanding Wine Program” and a semifinalist for “Best Service.” A year on the Tuscan Coast traveling to far-flung wine regions had a major impact on his Euro-centric palate. He doesn’t make wine lists as much as he creates collections of wine, he really wants you to drink, to take a chance on. The Boston-born Summerville blames his mother for his career in food and wine. She loved food and she knew how to make it taste good. Her gravy was legendary.
About Jason Berke
With almost 25 years of experience in product design, visual merchandising, and visual storytelling, Jason Berke continues his creative story as an Atmospherist, with an exquisite vision that graciously leads him. As Berke explains, “Atmosphere is not only the physical elements around us that set the tone and create the mood. It is also how we show up for others in a warm way that makes them feel seen and cared for. It surrounds us, protects us and helps us thrive.”