Chef Adam King cooks up contemporary spins on old-school favorites at Café Lurcat (the pot roast is some of the best in town), located in Loring Park. The D’Amico venue is a go-to spot for sipping cocktails on a super-scenic patio or grabbing a bite of sophisticated comforted food in the lounge—even Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones stopped in to eat when the band was on tour this past month.
1. What was life in the kitchen like growing up?
My mom worked at Pillsbury [in the test kitchens] before I was adopted. She transitioned into a very successful businesswoman, winning Business Woman of the Year when I was younger. We didn’t spend a lot of time together in the kitchen, but she and my father cooked most meals from scratch. My love of food was definitely boosted by her good cooking and she always encouraged me to experiment with food and not be afraid of failure. I was also exposed to a fairly wide variety of foods and we ate a lot of fresh produce at a time when frozen or canned was very popular.
2. How did you get your start in the food industry?
I first started working at Billy’s Lighthouse in Long Lake, MN when I was 15. I was a bus boy and loved the hard work and the excitement of the restaurant. The next summer, I worked n the pantry and loved learning how to make different foods. I worked in restaurants in college as well.
3. What has your experience been as a chef for Café and Bar Lurcat?
It has been very challenging—we have two kitchens and the size of the space often makes it seem like running two restaurants. I love it though—it’s never boring and it’s a lot of fun. I really like seeing cooks come in and develop their cooking skills.
4. Do you have any menu favorites?
I really love all our food, but our Hanger Steak is just a delicious steak with simple accompaniments. I also love our tuna spring rolls—simple yet full of flavor.
5. What did Mick Jagger order when he stopped in?
They ordered the Chilean sea bass marinated in miso, Lurcat fries with béarnaise, crispy ahi and basil spring rolls, roasted beet and arugula salad, seared ahi with lemon confit, zucchini will dill butter and sautéed jumbo asparagus. Prince also came in a few weeks ago and he ordered the House-Made Udon Noodles with Chinese BBQ Chicken. When celebrities come in for dinner, we leave them alone— we want them to be able to just enjoy their meal.
