Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Sawicki.
Hi Jason, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have been a Chef in Minneapolis my whole life. I started out working at Restaurant Alma as an Intern and continued to work there for about 4 years experiencing the process of a restaurant winning a James Beard Award.
After Restaurant Alma I opened a restaurant called Lyn 65 with my friends Ben Rients and Travis Serbus, we went on to open a food truck called Wyn 65.
In 2018 I had a new project opening Popol Vuh and Centro with my friend Jose Alarcon. My role there was the Culinary Director. After being on James Beard Semi Finalist long list for best New Restaurant I felt confident enough to try and open a business on my own.
I decided to branch off on my own. After securing a building I had our plans ready for a restaurant to open in 2020. While in the process of securing our bank loan all commercial SBA loans got halted during March 2020 while we were going through the process. I called the person that we sold our first Food Truck too and asked if I could rent it back while I had a Food Trailer built.
She agreed and Fare Game came to be on the site where I was trying to open a restaurant. I had called a company down in Texas that built Food Trailers in Mexico after shopping around and seeing what was in my budget. In January 2021 I drove down to Texas to get my Food Trailer, that I had built in Mexico, and drove the 1200 miles back t0 MN with it and added a few crucial items to it to get it up to code. I then ran the food trailer Fare Game while trying to continue to adjust the restaurant design and scope.
In October 2023 we finally were approved for financing and construction for Black Duck was underway. (At the time I was working at my Food Trailer a limited amount of time after recovering from an auto mobile accident, a hit and run where I was stopped at a stop sign and they left the scene and me with many lingering chronic pains.) and at my friend Gustavo and Kate Romero’s restaurant Oro by Nixta trying to help them out and eventually transition there full time as a front of house worker/pastry cooker to free up some time to open the restaurant.
People ask me all the time why is your restaurant named Black Duck? (We have no relation to the city Black Duck in Northern MN)
It in part my love of cooking duck and the ash from cooking wood-fire which is another passion of mine. Another part is my long and difficult journey navigating the process year after year similar to the life of a Duck. I’m proud to be a Minnesotan and to have extensively learned to cook here from many great Chefs here.
I have an appreciation of ducks my whole life. There are ducks that fly all over the restaurant site all year long. I enjoyed watching their silhouette in the distance as I closed every night working the Food Trailer. They even hang around the restaurant in the Winter as not all Ducks as migratory. They remind every time I see them not to give up and keep calm on the surface and continue paddling underneath the water. The cuisine here is a reflection of journey and my life as a Chef in Minneapolis.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The service industry is a difficult one with many different challenges everyday. I appreciate the moments that are difficult, they help shape your perspective and help you craft your brand more intentionally.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My cuisine is interesting as it is a reflection of my journey. I’m a first generation Polish-American so we have Pierogi and Paczki sprinkled in with some other influences. I also have worked with many incredible local Mexican Chefs and love how that cuisine encapsulates an utilizes American food pathways so you will find Mole on our menu that helps utilize various seasonal ingredients. I also really enjoy showing off the versatility off Duck as a protein we have it as a entree always cooked over wood fire utilizing local Wild Acres Ducks. We have a burger made completely out of Duck, and you can add a duck egg and duck bacon that we make in house. We love being a gathering spot for our quiet part of N.E. Minneapolis with a large accessible patio for everyone in the summer and a warm wood fire hearth for people to gather around in the Winter.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Nothing is perfect, so just keep going and you might just get there.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blackduckmpls.com
- Instagram: @blackduckmpls
