MEET THE CHEF: Joe Brunner of Mezzaluna Restaurant in Fargo, North Dakota

BY TRIPVEEL EDITORIAL STAFF | January 2020

Tripveel sat down with Executive Chef Joe Brunner of Mezzaluna Restaurant in Fargo, North Dakota.

Executive Chef Joe Brunner of Mezzaluna Restaurant in Fargo, North Dakota

Where did you grow up and where have you traveled to that has helped inspire and shape your cooking philosophy? 

I grew up in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, but eventually my family made our way to Fargo, North Dakota, where I live now. I’ve been to various places around the country, as well as places out of the country through my life, but what really helps me shape my cooking is just the things around where I live. The Midwest has so much to offer in the different cooking styles around the region. You can take pretty much any concept, run with it and make it your own.

Mezzaluna Restaurant in Fargo, North Dakota

Tell our readers an interesting fact or two about yourself. 

Before I started cooking, I was going to North Dakota State University for Criminal Justice. But once I didn’t really see myself doing that for my career, I went back to my roots, and that was cooking. I enrolled in North Dakota State College of Science and started culinary school there. And the rest has been history.

Tell us about your absolute favorite food and why readers should try it if they haven’t already. 

Coming from the Upper Midwest, I feel that if I say my favorite food isn’t Hotdish, I feel like I’d get in trouble. But it actually is Hotdish. Something about that type of just “throw together meal,” you just can’t beat it.

Mezzaluna Restaurant in Fargo, North Dakota

What are three ingredients that you simply couldn’t live without? 

There’s a plethora or ingredients that I use day in and day out, but if I had to narrow it down to three, I’d pick salt, garlic and butter.

We love the art behind plating. What do you love about designing the perfect dish?

Designing a plate is a perfect dance of all the components hitting the right notes at the same time. Starting with the most important one, taste. You can have the most beautiful dish, but if it doesn’t taste as good as it looks—what’s the point? Once you have the flavors, textures and temperatures where you want them, the plating options are endless.

Mezzaluna Restaurant in Fargo, North Dakota

Tell us about one of the most creative dishes you’ve created?

It’s not the most original idea, but here at Mezzaluna we’ve been playing around with the Polish favorite, pierogis. It has got to be another one of my favorite foods, so we try to find where we can put a pierogi or two onto a dish. You don’t see pierogis that much here in Fargo, so for some it’s a treat and for others they’re experiencing it for the first time. Right now, we have a wheat beer marinated pork tenderloin going along with two potato-gruyere pierogis accompanied by crème fraîche.

Mezzaluna Restaurant in Fargo, North Dakota

Share your most recent awards and accreditations with us! 

Other than from when I was in culinary school, where I’m at in my career I don’t have too many accolades or awards. But what I’m appreciative of, is the love and support that myself and my restaurant get from the Fargo community!

What are some of the latest trends you’re seeing in top restaurants across the globe?

The latest trends I’m seeing the most of are more focused ideas on preservation and fermentation uses in the restaurant.

What’s your favorite cocktail or liquor?

An Old fashioned. The more stripped-down version; bourbon, simple syrup, bitters, orange. Don’t need to mess around with cherries. But, if I were to really choose, I’m more of a beer drinker. Anything that comes from my favorite local brewery, Junkyard Brewing in Moorhead, Minnesota.

What do you love about being the Executive Chef at Mezzaluna Restaurant in Fargo, North Dakota?

I love how close everyone is in the restaurant. We have such a small staff, the kitchen crew is the same every day that we’re open, almost the same front of house staff each day as well. No shift changes, you see the same co-workers every day. I feel that having it that way leads to building a strong relationship and the restaurant runs without a hitch.