Handmade pasta has a new home in Minneapolis. Twin Cities Pasta Club officially opened at the Market at Malcolm Yards on Aug. 25, adding a vendor focused on handmade pasta to the food hall's lineup.
The concept comes from chef Beth Wells, who is described as the chef and owner leading the operation, according to KARE 11. Wells built her career around handmade pasta and Italian cooking, training in St. Paul before working her way through some of the Twin Cities' most recognized kitchens, per the same report. The Market at Malcolm Yards frames the new stall simply: “Founded by Chef Beth,” according to a Market at Malcolm Yards description of the vendor.
Twin Cities Pasta Club didn't start as a restaurant at all. The club grew out of a passion for teaching pasta and cooking classes, according to the business's own site, which states, “What started as a passion for teaching pasta has grown into Twin Cities Pasta Club,” per Twin Cities Pasta Club.
From Stillwater Classes to a Food Hall Kitchen
Wells's culinary path traces back over a decade. Her journey began in 2013, assisting cooking classes in Stillwater, Minnesota, where she developed her interest in Italian cooking and handmade pasta, according to the club's about page. She went on to attend culinary school in Saint Paul before building a career in some of the Twin Cities' most celebrated kitchens, including Spoon and Stable, Bellecour, Heartland Restaurant and Restaurant Alma, the site notes.
Her resume also stretches beyond Minnesota. Wells served as executive sous chef at Aces Restaurant in Queens, New York City, before returning home to Minneapolis as chef de cuisine at Chloe by Vincent, according to the same account. Along the way, she has taught thousands of students how to make fresh pasta from scratch, the site states.
What's on the Menu at Malcolm Yards
The menu centers on handmade pasta, with dishes including spinach pesto fusilli, rigatoni vodka sauce, mushroom cream orecchiette, cacio e pepe mafaldine and spaghetini al Limone, according to KARE 11's report. The kitchen also serves homemade focaccia bread, salads and tiramisu, the station notes. The Market at Malcolm Yards page for the vendor further lists ingredients such as Calabrian chili, cream, vodka, San Marzano tomato and pecorino, along with a focaccia topped with flaky sea salt and honey ricotta, and add-on proteins including shrimp, grilled chicken and salmon.
The Market at Malcolm Yards describes the concept as “a community of pasta enthusiasts dedicated to sharing the joy of handmade pasta.” The club's own mission statement echoes that everyday-life framing, stating its goal is to make fresh, handmade pasta approachable, memorable and part of everyday life in the Twin Cities.
A Growing Food Hall Scene
Twin Cities Pasta Club's arrival fits into a broader pattern of restaurants and chefs expanding into Minneapolis-area food halls in recent years. El Sazon Tacos & More and World Street Kitchen were both reported as expanding into Minneapolis food halls, according to the Star Tribune. Similarly, Union Hmong Kitchen was reported as planning to open inside the Graze Provisions and Libations food hall in the North Loop, according to the Pioneer Press.
Back at Malcolm Yards, Wells is now serving guests directly out of the food hall in Minneapolis, per KARE 11's report, with plans to showcase select menu items and demonstrate preparation of a featured dish. For a chef whose culinary journey started with pasta classes in Stillwater more than a decade ago, the new stall marks a full-circle moment, bringing handmade pasta to Twin Cities diners.
