The Team

Joe Ruhland, Executive Chef
Joe Ruhland, Executive Chef & General Manager

Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Chef Joe received a degree in culinary arts from the Art Institutes International Minnesota in Minneapolis. He has spent his cooking career at various restaurants and catering establishments in the Twin Cities and Saint Cloud, including ownership of Silver Spoon Catering in Saint Cloud. He was the Executive Chef of The Alcott Restaurant before joining the Levy family as Executive Sous Chef at Target Center and then as Executive Chef of Herbie’s on the Park in 2017.
 
Chef Joe particularly enjoys preparing approachable, straightforward American cuisine with an emphasis on cooking from scratch and using local and seasonal ingredients. Chef Joe also brings solid experience with special events and hospitality leadership. He loves working collaboratively with his kitchen team to craft the best possible dining experience for their guests.
 
Outside the kitchen, he is a passionate Minnesota sports fan and loves spending as much time as possible with his wife, Jen and two children, Kai and Nell.

Matthew Essen, Sous Chef
Matthew Essen, Sous Chef

Chef Matt is from the Hugo/White Bear Lake area and traveled a lot as a child with his dad’s family. His first job, nearly ten years ago, was a “hole in the wall sushi joint” called Red Lantern Sushi. The restaurant received national recognition as a top sushi restaurant and sparked Chef Matt’s love of cooking and all that comes with it.

When he’s not in the kitchen (which isn’t often) Chef Matt enjoys running.

Andrew Wallace, Sous Chef
Andrew Wallace, Sous Chef

Chef Andrew has lived in the Saint Paul area his entire life. His first experience with learning to cook came from an effort to lose weight and live healthy. From there, his passion for food grew and he attended culinary school and began working in restaurants in downtown St Paul. In his eight years in the culinary industry, he has held every position in the kitchen, from dishwasher to working a food truck.

When he’s not working, Chef Andrew enjoys going to the gym, reading, and watching movies, and he is a self-professed film buff.