Nancy Silverton, Kristen Kish among chefs coming to Minneapolis for Synergy Series

Renowned chefs from all corners of the country will travel to the Twin Cities to share a kitchen with Gavin Kaysen as part of the chef's annual Synergy Series, held at his flagship North Loop restaurant, Spoon and Stable.

Now in its sixth year, the popular event includes two nights of dinners and a moderated conversation where chefs share their stories. This year's lineup is Nancy Silverton, Kristen Kish, Daniel Humm and John Shields.

Since its 2015 inception, Kaysen has brought in such culinary luminaries as Grant Achatz, Dominique Crenn, Traci Des Jardins, Thomas Keller, Missy Robbins, Mei Lin and Marcus Samuelsson.

There are several ways to experience Synergy, but it's wise to mark your calendars; events sell out quickly. A select number of season passes go on sale at noon on Feb. 22 via Tock. A pass includes one ticket to each of the dinners, as well as a signed copy of the visiting chef's cookbook, if they've published one. Cost is $2,500.

Tickets for single dinners ($495 per person) go on sale the month before each event, and tickets for bar seating ($195), which serves an abbreviated tasting menu and a la carte options, two weeks before. (If you're feeling lucky, a limited number of walk-ins are available in the bar.) All tickets are available on Tock.

"This event not only ignites our team with creativity but it allows us to peek inside of these creative minds and how they work," Kaysen said in a statement. "I am grateful that they are all dear friends of mine, but even more so that they are willing to come to town, cook with us and share their genuine hospitality with our team and our guests."

Chefs also will participate in a daytime town-hall-style dialogue at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Minneapolis, where they'll share personal and professional stories. The conversations will be moderated by hospitality professional Alison Arth. Cost is $10; tickets go on sale the month before

Nancy Silverton, April 13-14: The famed Los Angeles chef and author kicks off the series. The co-owner of the Michelin-starred Osteria Mozza, as well as Pizzeria Mozza and several global offshoots of the two, Silverton has been named Outstanding Chef by the James Beard Foundation (2014) and as one of the most innovative women in food and drink by both Fortune and Food and Wine magazines. She also wrote nine cookbooks, including several stemming from the world-renowned La Brea Bakery, which she founded. Tickets on sale March 1 at noon.

Kristen Kish, July 27-28: After attending Le Cordon Bleu, Kish worked in many high-profile restaurants before winning the 10th season of Bravo's "Top Chef." Other restaurant and media roles followed: chef de cuisine of Menton, chef Barbara Lynch's fine-dining restaurant, host of the Travel Channel show "36 Hours," the cookbook "Kristen Kish Cooking" and her first restaurant, Arlo Grey, in Austin, Texas. She recently co-hosted Netflix's "Iron Chef" and "Fast Foodies" on TruTV with local chef Justin Sutherland. Tickets on sale June 1 at noon.

Daniel Humm, Sept. 14-15: Daniel Humm is the chef/owner of New York's Make It Nice hospitality group. The Switzerland native started working in kitchens at age 14 and earned his first Michelin star at 24. He moved to the U.S. in 2003 to become executive chef at Campton Place in San Francisco and then switched coasts to become executive chef at the highly decorated Eleven Madison Park. Humm bought Eleven Madison Park in 2011 and began the hospitality company Make It Nice, adding NoMad in Los Angeles and Las Vegas to its portfolio. In 2019, Humm opened the acclaimed Davies and Brook in London, and he's written several cookbooks, too. Tickets on sale Aug. 1 at noon.

John Shields, Dec. 7-8: Shields began his culinary training in the St. Louis area and soon moved to Chicago, where he worked at the famed Charlie Trotter's. From there he helped open Alinea, under chef Grant Achatz, before rebuilding the Town House restaurant in Virginia with his wife, Karen Urie, to much acclaim. The pair returned to Chicago to open the dual-concept restaurants Smyth and the Loyalist. After just a few months, Smyth, which features seasonally driven multicourse menus, received its first Michelin star, and in 2017 was elevated to two Michelin stars. Tickets go on sale Nov. 1 at noon.

The Synergy Series also has a charitable component, with dinners benefiting a local cause. This year's partner is the Jeremiah Program (jeremiahprogram.org), a Minneapolis-based national nonprofit that helps single mothers invest in themselves — and their children — through access to higher education, affordable child care, housing, leadership training, career development and more.