Cory Western. Photo: Chris Emeott
Rising star chef Cory Western draws inspiration from his childhood in East Farmington, Wisconsin.
In the rolling hills of East Farmington, Wisconsin, just east of the St. Croix River, chef Cory Western’s culinary story began. Growing up on a small hobby farm, he spent his childhood gardening and raising pigs, a few cows and sheep (“once”)—experiences that would ultimately shape his approach to cooking.
After graduating from Osceola High School, Western first enrolled in the mechanical engineering program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “After three and a half years, I realized I didn’t want to do that for the rest of my life, and I dropped out,” he says. He got a job at The Old Fashioned, a supper club on Madison’s Capitol Square, and pretty quickly fell in love with the kitchen. Western worked his way around Madison’s food scene, including at restaurants like Graze, which had a focus on hyper-local and seasonal ingredients, something that piqued Western’s interest.
In 2016, Western moved to the Twin Cities and entered the kitchen at Gavin Kaysen’s Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis. After three years, he moved to Demi, another restaurant by Kaysen. “I was doing all the bread baking, the pasta, the sauce, the technical prep stuff,” Western says. “It was a very fun and rewarding job—probably the most educational experience I’ve ever had in the kitchen.”
Now, Western is the chef de cuisine at Bûcheron, a French-inspired bistro in South Minneapolis co-owned by his mentor and frequent collaborator Adam Ritter. The restaurant, which opened in early 2024, was recently honored with a prestigious James Beard Spirit Award for Best New Restaurant. “We were very surprised and humbled,” he says. “We’ve been getting a lot more press, a lot more people coming into the restaurant.”
A selection of Bûcheron menu items: Culotte Steak with Potatoes, Rapini and Bordelaise; Summer Beans with Octopus, Secreto and Miso Bagna Cauda; and Roasted Turnips with bone marrow, cherry and ginger. Photo: Destiny Western
Western’s cooking philosophy reflects lessons from his rural upbringing and professional experiences. “Quality comes first,” he says. “If I can get a local product that’s amazing, I will 100 percent use it.” He designs the Bûcheron menu to balance traditional French dishes with modern, unstuffy twists, highlighting fresh fish, gorgeous vegetables, regional cheeses, seasonal fruits and Wagyu beef.
When it comes to planning holiday meals, you can take the chef out of rural Wisconsin, but—well, you know the rest. Western highlights one of his grandmother’s unique contributions: “Cherry Jell-O with cranberries and hickory nuts that she gathers and shucks herself,” he says. “It’s just not Thanksgiving without two or three whipped cream and Jell-O salads.” On a more serious note, Western says he loves making pies—butternut squash and hickory nut are favorites—and a whole roasted goose or turkey. “I also love cranberry sauce made from fresh cranberries. Cook it down with some star anise, wine and a little orange peel.” Western goes for classic dishes with as many fresh, high-quality ingredients as possible. “It’s a hot take, but I despise marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes,” he says with a laugh. “Instead, go for garlicky mashed potatoes with gravy made from your turkey drippings. And of course, an array of pies.”
Bûcheron
Instagram: @bucheronmpls
