Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne Spaeth.
Hi Anne, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a self-described “horrible cook” and a North Dakota native whose early food influences included pizza, fast food, and TV dinners. An unlikely candidate for the restaurant world, I fell in love with the power of food, culture and community gathering around long tables while residing in London and traveling abroad. After returning to Minnesota and becoming a busy mom of three young boys, I yearned to replicate the relationships I experienced in London and to also provide artisan pastries, breads and meal options for other busy families, professionals, and empty nesters in the comfortable, welcoming environment at The Lynhall.
Before opening The Lynhall, I spent six years advocating for system reform for children ages 0-5 in the child protection and foster care system. As a former child abuse and neglect prosecutor, I continue my mental health advocacy through The Lynhall’s Nourish Series and The Long Table Fund which were established in May of 2017.
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 restaurant industry is a temptress and certainly not for the faint of heart. Within 5 weeks of opening, we lost our Executive Chef and with that his team of sous chefs. We rebuilt our team but lost our second chef to mental health struggles the following year. The wear and tear of the industry is real and we have felt it for the 5 years we have been open which led us to start the Nourish Series and have honest conversations about mental health in our industry.
Our most recent challenges faced over the last 2 years have been the result of COVID. Within 24 hours of the shutdown order, we laid off 64 employees and switched our model to take-out dinners only. We were then boarded up and shut down for a week during the George Floyd protests. Over the last 2 years, we have pivoted repeatedly to continue to survive trying take out only, purchasing a 30 x 60 tent for our parking lot, opening the second location in Edina in August of 2020, going back to take out only and finally reopening with limited hours due to ongoing staffing constraints to a new concept of “restaurant by day and private events by night”.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are inspired by food, drink, storytelling, community, and people experiencing the richness of time together around a table. We specialize in creating beautiful spaces for people to gather for food and conversation and curating experiences that nourish the soul and the tummy through our restaurants, bakery, Linney TV Studio, and private event spaces, as well as our community and private events.
We believe in the importance of food and its power in strengthening individuals, families, friends, and communities. We live this through our partnerships, our programming, and the educational and philanthropic activities of The Long Table Fund.
We continuously strive to create a space that inspires our team, guests, and makers through opportunities for food exploration. At The Lynhall, we engage, entertain and invite people in as we celebrate taste, teaching and togetherness.
Grab a seat at the table.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Community is one of our core values at The Lynhall. We are continuously seeking out opportunities to engage with our community on ways to collaborate around events and conversations on a multitude of issues all while enjoying a meal at one of our long tables. With that in mind, we established two speaker series. First, our Wisdom Series allows local leaders to share the wisdom they have learned on their journey. Second, the Nourish Series is a collection of events that focus on promoting personal and professional mental health and well-being, by bringing the community together through food and conversation. We also established The Long Table Fund which works in partnership with the community to connect and empower those in the restaurant industry affected by trauma, mental health, and chemical dependency. Proceeds of The Long Table Fund provide mission-specific educational opportunities and increased access to resiliency-based resources for members of the restaurant industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thelynall.com
- Instagram: @thelynhall
- Facebook: @thelynhall
- Twitter: @thelynhall
- Youtube: @thelynhall
Image Credits:
Headshot – Eliesa Johnson
All other images – Matt Lien
Chicken dinner shot – Amanda Paa
