Ed Straub and Cindy Carpenter-Straub of Grand Marais are busily preparing for the opening of their new restaurant on November 5 at what is currently Chez Jude. Chef Judi Barsness will continue to offer catering services, but the bright building on the harbor will soon be the Harbor House Grille, offering what Chef Ed Straub describes as“hand-crafted modern American cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere.”
Fans of Judi Barsness, take heart, Chez Jude Restaurant, Catering and Cooking School has been sold, but it will be open under her care until the end of October, when Ed Straub and Cindy Carpenter- Straub will take over.
The restaurant has been for sale for several years. The deal for Straubs to purchase the fine eatery happened the first week of September.
Under the Straubs’ care the restaurant will be re-named Harbor House Grille.
While many will miss Chef Judi’s exquisite cooking, the Straubs are certain to gain fans of their own. Both have plenty of experience in the food business.
Ed is a chef who has worked at such top-rated restaurants as the Willows and Hyatt Regency in the Twin Cities and the Grove Park Inn in Ashville, North Carolina.
Cindy was a waitress for many years at Birch Terrace and other restaurants before becoming the business administrator at Cook County Independent School District 166.
“We will open for lunch and dinner on November 5,” said Chef Ed. The menu will include “hand-crafted modern American cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere, featuring daily seasonal specials and pizza baked in our wood-fired brick oven, available for eat-in or takeout,” he said.
Cindy said she plans on waitressing and helping out nights and weekends. “I plan to be here as much as I can,” she said.
“We’re excited. We plan on making food using the freshest ingredients we can find and having a variety of beer and wine selections for our diners’ enjoyment. That and a variety of fun desserts to pick from. Our menu will be customer friendly and affordable,” said Ed.
Judi and Peter Barsness will close Chez Jude near the end of October and will relocate the catering, private dining, wine tasting events, and cooking school aspects of Chez Jude to an alternate location, soon to be announced, in 2013.
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