Lowman takes home People’s Choice Award at Taste of Elegance

Grand View Lodge’s very own Chef Shawn Lowman has been recognized in the 2019 Taste of Elegance with the People’s Choice Award. The Taste of Elegance is a culinary competition held every year for Minnesota’s best chefs to show off their pork cooking skills.

The Taste of Elegance kicks off the Minnesota Pork Congress, which is the Midwest’s best swine specific tradeshow and education event that features a wide variety of tradeshow exhibitors, timely seminars, and social activities designed exclusively for pig farmers and pork industry stakeholders.

Lowman, a Resort Banquet Chef at Grand View Lodge, was the fan favorite earning the People’s Choice Award and $750 for his Coconut Curried Pork Shank with Tzatziki Sauce creation.

Fourteen chefs competed in this year’s Taste of Elegance. The judges for the event were Brian Bergquist, professor in the School of Hospitality Leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Stout; Edwin Austreng, co-owner and executive chef of Bleu Cuisine Catering and Consulting; and Jeff LaBeau, the winner of last year’s Minnesota Pork Congress Taste of Elegance and owner of the Depot Bar & Grill in Faribault.

Lowman has been a chef at Grand View Lodge for ten years. Raised in Elk River, MN, he has been cooking since he was about 12-years old. He recalls sitting in the kitchen and watching his mother cook, which is when he decided that he wanted to make a career of it. He attended classes Hennepin Technical College to fulfill his dream.

“Although I attended Hennepin, most of what I have learned was through experience under former Executive Chef Michael Manders,” explains Lowman.

Manders was recently promoted to Director of Food and Beverage and Shane Moore replaced his position as Executive Chef.

“I’ve worked under Mike since I was 21 and other great chefs along the way,” stated Lowman.

The staff at Grand View Lodge is very pleased with the hard work and dedication of Lowman. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the kitchen and is a reliable individual to have on our culinary team. He creates exceptional food and plans for a variety of the resort’s banquet and event services.

Lowman said that Taste of Elegance was a great experience and a lot of fun. He enjoys the challenge of cooking competitions.