Tim McKee

Career At D'Amico Cucina in Minneapolis, Tim McKee’s work gained a wider public read and a firmer edge; the room gave his early cooking the kind of exposure that lets technique be measured against a larger field. From that stage, Food & Wine named McKee a Best New Chef, a marker that placed his name among the chefs being tracked for what they were doing in the kitchen, not just where they were doing it. Later, the chef owner role at La Belle Vie put McKee in charge of both the kitchen direction and the weight that comes with ownership.

Those two points — the Food & Wine honor and La Belle Vie — define the public outline of his career. The Essentials. His name is attached to two honors and one leadership post: the James Beard Award, Food & Wine Best New Chef, and chef owner of La Belle Vie. Minneapolis is the city linked to that early recognition.