By Deb Kroon
Review Staff Writer
On March 16, 2017, former Adrianite Chris Hodapp, son of Mark and Deb Hodapp, rural Adrian, was named Rochester’s Best Local Chef by Rochester Magazine. Chris is the Executive Chef at the International Event Center in Rochester, MN. Working along side of his wife, Dawn, (Pastry Chef at the Event Center), he assists with menu designs that will showcase your ideas and personal taste for any sort of venue.
When Chris was asked by writer Allison Roe of the Rochester Magazine, about what the award meant to him, he replied, “Being in a city like Rochester where there’s so much talent, …it’s very humbling to be named in the top five. To come out on top of that, it’s kind of mind blowing.”
It took two weeks of phone tag with a very busy Chef Chris to finally get an interview with him. When talking to Chris, I found him to be very humble and honored about this award. I asked Chris how he decided to become a chef. He told me, “Growing up on the farm, I had to help either in the house or doing chores/ helping out on the farm. I did both. I soon discovered that what I loved doing was the cooking!” From there he pursued a dream.
Chef Christopher is an honor’s graduate of Le Cordon Blue College of Culinary Arts. He has held various chef and cooking roles with restaurants throughout Idaho and Minnesota. Prior to joining Powers Ventures/Rochester Event Center, Chef Christopher was the Executive Chef for the prestigious Sun Valley Company in Sun Valley Idaho, a location known as the playground for America’s rich and famous. He enjoyed creating innovative offerings to some of the world’s top business and political leaders and Hollywood elites.
You hear that when a professional is finished with a day’s work, the last thing he does is go home and continue working. I asked Chef Chris how he felt about cooking at home. He said he had to admit his wife did most of the cooking. “When I get home I pretty much shut down,” he said. No Chef Chris after hours! Chris and Dawn have two children to spend time with, son Payton who is five and daughter Bryleigh who just turned one. So he becomes Dad Chris, a roll he thoroughly enjoys.
When asked by the Rochester Magazine what he liked best about being a chef, Chris said it was working with the clients. “You meet so many different people, whether it’s brides and grooms, or directors of non-profit organizations. Everyone has a different taste, a different feel for what they want for their dinners, or banquets. That’s one of the most unique things about this job.”
Chris has been cooking for about 10 years now. He says a lot of research and development goes into his menus, thinking of different flavor profiles and how they go together. One of the current culinary trends he enjoys are fresh ingredients, locally grown. People want to eat fresh. They want to know where their food is coming from. People are becoming foodies, so they expect high quality.
I asked Chris if there was one food that has surprised him. He told me kale. “There are so many ways to use it. I started experimenting with kale at home and at work and found out that I like it.” He said we all should give it a “shot”. Use it, experiment with it ourselves. We may be surprised too.
We talked about staples that all of us should have in our cupboards. He always keeps butter, salt and pepper and some kind of protein on hand. Talking about all the spices available, Chris said salt is the most underrated ingredient we use. I asked about utensils, was there one he uses all the time we should own? He loves his micro-planer. It zest, grates, you can make garnishes with it, it’s an all-around tool we all should have! It’s probably his favorite.
In concluding our interview I asked Chef Chris that in the future, when he looks back, what did he want to be able to say about his career. “I want to know that I have helped non-profit organizations raise funds for their programs. I want to be able to say I had a helping hand in their success,” he answered me. To aspiring chefs, whether here in rural Minnesota or anywhere, he says, “If you have a passion to do this (cooking), try it out. If you find you love cooking for family and friends, you should think about pursuing it as a career. Finding your passion is important.”
Congratulations to Chef Chris Hodapp on receiving his award! We are so proud of you, and it’s great to be able to say that Chef Christopher Hodapp has small town roots. It should be an inspiration to any of us that want to pursue bigger dreams!
