LEGISLATION IN A SHORTER PERIOD
OF TIME.
IF YOU HAVE A GOOD QUESTION,
E-MAIL BY GOING TO
WCCO.COM/LINKS.
OF COURSE, VALENTINE'S DAY
IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
IF YOU HAVEN'T MADE PLANS YET,
WE HAVE YOU COVERED GENTLEMAN
THE BEST ROMANTIC DINNER IN
MINNESOTA.
YOU SENT NATALIE NYHUS TO LA
FERME IN ALEXANDRIA.
♪ [ MUSIC ] ♪
Reporter: IT'S HARD TO FIND
CHEF MATTHEW JENSEN IN THE
KITCHEN WITHOUT A SMILE ON HIS
FACE.
LOCAL, WILD, OYSTER
MUSHROOMS.
HARVESTED MAYBE FOUR DAYS AGO.
GORGEOUS.
Reporter: HE'S CREATING A
SPECIAL DINNER IN HIS ALEXANDRIA
RESTAURANT, LA FERME.
CHEF MATTHEW WAS BORN HERE AND
REMEMBERS BEING AN ARTISTIC
CHILD.
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN I WAS 8
YEARS OLD, MY MOM TOLD ME I WAS
COOKING WITH HER IN THE KITCHEN,
YOU SHOULD THINK WITH DOING THIS
FOR A PROFESSION, AS YOUR JOB
WHEN YOU GROW UP.
I SAID NO!
I NEVER WANT TO DO THAT.
IT WAS JUST, JUST, I DIDN'T
THINK IT WAS MY THING.
Reporter: TURNS OUT,
IT WAS. HIS TALENT FOR COOKING BLOSSOM
ED
UNTIL FINALLY HIS PATH WAS
UNDENIABLE.
HE MOVED TO LOS ANGELES AND
ENROLLED IN CULINARY SCHOOL.
I COULD NOT STOP THINKING
ABOUT FOOD, I WANTED TO BE IN
THE KITCHEN ALL THE TIME AND
JUST EXPLORE.
JUST A WHOLE NEW WORLD TO ME.
Reporter: CHEF MATTHEW MOVED
BACK TO MINNESOTA, WORKED UNDER
FRENCH CHEF VINCENT AT VINCENT
RESTAURANT AND CHEF KIMP ARD AT
BAY COOK BAKERY.
IT WAS THEN HE STARTED THINKING
OUTSIDE THE BOX.
HOW OFTEN ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT
FOOD?
WHEN I'M AWAKE.
Reporter: AND YOU DREAM
ABOUT IT TOO, I BET.
MY WIFE TELLS ME THERE'S
OFTEN NIGHTS SHE'LL WAKE UP AND
I'M SITTING THERE, SMACKING MY
LIPS IN MY SLEEP.
Reporter: THAT FOOD
OBSESSION FINALLY PUSHED MATTHEW
TO MAKE HIS OWN CREATION, AND HE
FELT THE TUG OF HOME.
IT'S JUST KIND OF WHERE A
PIECE OF ME HAD ALWAYS STAYED
AND JUST, WAS TELLING ME I HAD
TO BE HERE.
Reporter: LA FERME OPENED
FOUR YEARS AGO.
IT MEANS THE FARM HOUSE IN
FRENCH AND IT'S THE PERFECT
COMING TOGETHER OF THE THINGS
CHEF MATTHEW LOVES MOST IN FOOD:
FARM TO FORK, AND FRENCH
CUISINE.
FROM LUNCH TO A FIVE COURSE
DINNER PAIRED WITH WINES, LA
FERME IS A COZY SPACE THAT
SERVES FOOD YOU CAN FEEL GOOD
ABOUT EATING.
WHAT WE DO HERE IS OUTSIDE OF
THE BOX THINKING, IT'S MAKING AN
EVENT OF THE MEAL.
Reporter: AND THE TOWN OF
ALEXANDRIA IS EATING IT UP.
THEY'RE LOVING THE FOOD.
IT'S FUN BECAUSE IT'S A SMALL
TOWN, I MEAN, ALEC IS GROWING
BUT IT'S SMALL ENOUGH THAT WE
PUT A LOT OF OUR FARMERS' NAMES
ON THE MENU.
AND SO, PEOPLE COME IN AND SAY I
KNOW THESE GUYS.
THESE ARE MY NEIGHBORS!
Reporter: JUST LIKE IN
CHILDHOOD, CHEF MATTHEW IS STILL
CREATING HIS ART.
THIS TIME, FRAMED ON A PLATE.
EVERYTHING THAT I PUT ON A
PLATE, I WANT IT TO BE PICTURE
WORTHY.
AND I WANT IT TO MAKE YOU FEEL
GOOD WHEN YOU EAT IT.
I'M CHEF MATTHEW JENSEN WITH LA
FERME RESTAURANT AND THIS IS THE
BEST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT IN
MINNESOTA!
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
Reporter: CHEERS.
THIS IS A KIND OF PLACE THAT YOU
CAN DRESS UP AND GO TO OR YOU
CAN JUST GO CASUAL AS WELL.
THEY SAY IT'S DOWN TO EARTH
DINING.
REAL FUN IF YOU'RE IN THE AREA
AND WORTH THE TRIP IF YOU'RE
NOT.
OTHER FAVORITE SPOTS ARE CAFE LA
COT IN MINNEAPOLIS AND W.A.
FROST IN ST. PAUL.
THOSE ARE GREAT RESTAURANTS.
BUT THAT LA FERME, THAT FOOD
LOOKS GREAT!
IT WAS REALLY GOOD AND IT
SOUNDS LIKE FRANK AND CHRIS
MAYBE HAD BEEN --
WE HAD A NICE TIME THERE
TOGETHER.
YOU WENT TO LA FERME?
WE WENT BEFORE THEY CHANGED
IT TO THE FRENCH THEME.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME.
FOOD WAS FANTASTIC.
IT IS REALLY GOOD.
AND IT'S VERY HEALTHY.
WAS IT A ROMANTIC DINNER?
WE DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS THAT
HAPPEN ON THE TRIPS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
HOW ABOUT PIZZA?
OH, YEAH!
SHOULD WE DO PIZZA NEXT WEEK,
GUYS?
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE BEST WOOD
FIRE, PIZZERIA LOLA, POMPEII IN
ELK RIVER, QUICK FIRE PIZZA IN
STILLWATER AND BOOMER PIZZA IN
BAXTER.