How great is this? What just might be one of the Twin Cities' tiniest commercial kitchens is now the realm of one of the area's most influential chefs. Yep, that's Ken Goff -- the former longtime chef at the Dakota Restaurant & Jazz Club -- leading the cooking at the Bryant-Lake Bowl.

"As I've gotten older, I appreciate a truly great restaurant experience because I have a better understanding of what went into making something wonderful," said Goff in a statement (that's Goff, above, in a 2013 Star Tribune file photo).

Since leaving the Dakota in 2005, Goff has been teaching a new generation of culinary professionals at Le Cordon Bleu in Mendota Heights.

Goff, one of Minnesota's first chefs to emphasize local sourcing, has a resume that reads like a fantastic walk through late 20th-century Twin Cities dining, peppered with storied names such as La Tortue, 510 Groveland, the Loring Cafe, Faegre's and Nigel's before his two-decade tenure at the helm at the Dakota.

Here's an indication of the length of Goff's impressive career: His first mention in the Strib's archives is a 1987 three-star review of Faegre's, by my former colleague Jeremy Iggers. There are of course several dozen subsequent mentions. One that stands out is from a 1990 Taste feature because it includes a recipe that Goff made famous during his Dakota years, for brie-apple soup. Doesn't that feel like a perfect fit for today's cool and rainy weather?

MINNESOTA BRIE AND APPLE SOUP

Makes 3 to 4 quarts.

3/4 c. chopped onions

1/2 c. finely sliced leeks

1 1/2 lb. tart apples, peeled and cored

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 quarts whipping cream

6 small red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. dice

1 whole branch fresh rosemary

1 lb. domestic Brie cheese, cut into pieces

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Apple and rosemary, for garnish

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, stew onions, leeks and apples until onions are well softened. Add chicken stock, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil and cook until onions are completely tender.
Remove bay leaves.

In a separate heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat, cook cream, potatoes and rosemary until potatoes are completely softened. Remove rosemary. Combine contents of both pots and carefully puree in a blender a batch at a time, adding cheese bit by bit. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve garnished with a very thinly sliced apple and a sprig of fresh rosemary.