The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge has finished developing our staples menu for our restaurant, which will be offered every day at the restaurant during the 2019 summer season. While we ran our limited menu during the first month of operations to test the palates of guests, we have created a menu which we are sure will entertain your tastebuds. Our new menu includes vegetarian and vegan options, too!
In addition to finishing our main menu, the Lodge will soon be hosting guest chefs that will help direct the influence of our specials menu for that week. These chefs will be introducing new flavors into the specials menu and are hoping to create a spark with their specialized global cuisine. We will still be running our staples menu during the week our guest chefs visit, however, we encourage those visiting the Lodge to be adventurous and try these unique dishes.
Our first guest chef is Widad Mueller; culinary artist and wife of Keweenaw Mountain Lodge owner, John Mueller. Widad was born and raised in Lebanon, which is the home of Mediterranean cuisine. Lebanon is located in the Middle East, directly between Asia and Europe, and is home to a friendly, open culture, which has allowed for Widad to explore her affinity for a variety of cuisines and imported products that have circulated on trade routes between the two continents for centuries.
Widad first began exploring traditional Lebanese cuisine at home with her mother. Every Sunday, after attending church service, she would be in the kitchen preparing the family lunch alongside her mom. From the age of 12, Widad felt the impact of war and calamity for 17 years. During those times, she was taught by her mother to have respect for food; to create no waste when preparing meals and to make the best out of the little that you might have. The lessons her mother taught her are still ingrained into her mind today.
At a later stage of her life, and with all the support and encouragement from her husband John, Widad finished 3 years of education with a dual degree in Culinary Arts and Pastry at Sullivan University in Louisville, Kentucky. The program teaches classic French technique, along with an advanced level of various other cuisines. Widad has a creative mind when it comes to developing flavors, and she began to blossom with Rollin’ Gelato, Inc., a successful artisan and handcrafted gelato and sorbet company in Kalamazoo, and soon-to-be in the Upper Peninsula, thanks again to the support of her family. With the gelato she creates from scratch, Widad is known for developing flavors that are bold and vibrant, yet balanced.
Starting June 26th, Widad will be taking a break from her gelato business and is pleased to offer you a taste of her roots, the Lebanese food she grew up with, all traditionally prepared from scratch. Join us for this special week, June 26th-30th, and you will have a peek at her creative mind, flavorful food, and a part of her soul. She likes to say to all our guests at Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, Tafadalou Charfouna, or “we welcome you”, please honor us with your presence.
Guest Chef Schedule: Widad Mueller
- Wednesday, June 26th, Dinner (5-9pm)
- Thursday, June 27th, Lunch and Dinner (11am -9pm)
- Friday, June 28th, Lunch, and Dinner (11am – 9pm); Workshop (10am – 12pm, $50 registration required)
- Saturday, June 29th, Lunch and Dinner (11am – 9pm)
- Sunday, June 30th, Lunch and Dinner (11am – 7pm)
Guest Chef Menu: Widad Mueller, Lebanese Food
The menu that Widad has developed for the Guest Chef Week comprises items such as hummus, dolma, and monk’s eggplant, several Lebanese salads, and entrees that have beef, lamb, and fish. [ See Widad’s Lebanese-based Menu ]
As we enter the start of summer, we are looking forward to seeing our guests enjoy our new menu and guest chef specials. If you are interested in a certain menu flavor or influence, you can send us an email at info@keweenawresort.com! We are open to suggestions and love hearing from our guests.
Well past this story’s date, we were there a couple of weeks ago (early November ’23) and *really* enjoyed the breakfasts, sandwiches and soups she and the team prepared–they were truly excellent, steps above the traditional!
She and they are a blessing to the KML!