About Demi
Gavin Kaysen opened Demi in 2019 as the natural evolution of everything he built at Spoon and Stable — a smaller, more focused, more technically demanding expression of his cooking philosophy. The name is French for "half," reflecting the counter format's intimacy: half the distance between kitchen and guest, half the room to hide in, all of the intention on the plate. Twenty seats arranged at a single counter give every guest an unobstructed view of the kitchen as it works.
The tasting menus — a seven-course at $125 per person and an eleven-course at $175 — change with the seasons and reflect Kaysen's lifelong dialogue between French classical training and Midwestern terroir. He worked under Daniel Boulud in New York, staged in Europe, competed in the Bocuse d'Or (representing the United States), and then returned to Minneapolis to cook the food that only this particular place, climate, and larder can produce.
Demi operates Wednesday through Sunday, with seatings at 5:30 PM and 8:00 PM. The counter format means you are not merely watching — you are part of the composition. The chefs explain dishes, answer questions, and engage with genuine warmth. This is not tableside theatre performed by servers; it is the kitchen communicating directly.
The North Star Series
Demi's North Star Series is the most extraordinary single dining event in the state of Minnesota. Several times per year, Kaysen invites Michelin-starred guest chefs from around the world to cook alongside his team for a single evening. Tickets are $695 per person, inclusive of beverage pairings, tax, gratuity, and a gift bag. Past collaborators have included chefs with two and three Michelin stars from France, Japan, and Scandinavia.
North Star Series tickets release on Tock and typically sell out within hours of announcement. To be notified, follow Demi's social channels and set up Tock alerts. These evenings are not dining — they are events, and the wait list is long.
Why Demi for Impressing Clients
A client who has dined at the world's best restaurants will understand immediately what Demi is. The counter format signals genuine engagement — this is not a power-play venue designed to intimidate, but a room designed for focused conversation over exceptional food. A guest who has not encountered tasting menu dining at this level will remember it for decades. Either way, the evening communicates something precise about you: that you care about quality, seek out the remarkable, and are worth having a relationship with.
The $175 eleven-course format allows for a meal that unfolds over two and a half hours — long enough to build genuine rapport, structured enough that conversation happens naturally between courses. The wine pairings, available as an add-on, allow for further engagement around selection and taste. Private dining can be arranged for parties willing to take the full counter.
Why Demi for a Proposal
The counter at Demi creates a shared experience that makes the private feel public and the public feel intimate. You and your partner face the kitchen together, experience the same moments at the same time, and the evening builds toward something — there is genuine narrative arc in a tasting menu. The kitchen team at Demi handles special occasions with discretion and craft: if you have spoken to them in advance, they will mark the moment without performance. The memory of the meal becomes permanently attached to the memory of the moment you chose it for. That is exactly what a proposal dinner should do.
Reservation Strategy
Demi uses Tock for all reservations. Weekend seatings — particularly 8:00 PM Friday and Saturday — sell out weeks in advance. Wednesday and Thursday evenings are more accessible, though still not walk-in territory. Set a Tock alert for your desired date. If you are planning a proposal or celebration, contact the restaurant directly at (612) 404-1123 after booking to discuss any specific requirements with the team. They are accommodating and professional.