Have you missed chef Jacob Demars’ food? The chef, who operated Barbarian when it was inside Kinship Brewing in Waukee and had R I Restaurant in Windsor Heights, took over Ciderhouse Restaurant at Wilson’s Orchard in Cumming as the executive chef.
Wilson’s Orchard opened in Cumming in 2024 with a restaurant, country store, bakery, and acres of produce and flowers.
“Finding ingredients that grow locally in your area is always what you should seek out,” Demars said in an Instagram post. “The beneficial impact of local sourcing is endless.”
Demars, who worked at Table 128, Fresko, and Trostel’s Dish, moved to Des Moines to start a family. His first job in Des Moines was at Marlene’s Sevastopol Station, but he previously worked at restaurants in Denver as well as Chicago eateries, including Spiaggia, Juno Sushi Chicago, and Michelin-starred Elizabeth Restaurant.
At Ciderhouse, he teased a comfort food and smoked specialty menu of steak bomb sub sandwiches, steamers, fried clams, and roast beef supreme.
“When I’m off the clock, there’s always something from the smoker hanging around,” he said on Instagram. “I’ve been nerding out about smoking salmon because if I get it just right, I think I can create the perfect sandwich.”
He also showcased the “For crying out loud” sandwich with meatloaf, red pepper jam, a Worcestershire aioli, dill pickle, and fried onion rings on brioche.
A New England-style seafood boil on the calendar
Demars, who grew up in Massachusetts, already planned a special dinner in August. The New Moon Dinner on Friday, Aug. 22, features a New England-style seafood boil starting at 6:30 p.m. with a cherry tomato martini to start.
Cape Ann clam chowder and a grilled Caesar salad follow. A dayboat seafood boil with lobster, PEI mussels, jumbo shrimp, littleneck clams, Iowa sweet corn, and new potatoes is the highlight of the menu. Demars finishes the dinner with chocolate pot de crème with preserved berries from the farm and brown sugar whipped cream. Unlimited cider comes with the meal that will be served on the patio, or inside if the weather does not cooperate.
Tickets start at $80 at wilsonsorchard.com.
What is Wilson’s Orchard?
Ciderhouse Restaurant opened at Wilson’s Orchard in Cumming, south of Des Moines and along the Great Western Trail, the 19-mile path that runs from Des Moines to Martensdale. The facility is part of the growing Middlebrook Agrihood in Cumming.
Wilson’s Orchard includes a bakery, farm market, and events center, as well as fields of tulips, and a restaurant and bar.
When in season, the orchard offers U-pick strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, pumpkins, and apples at its 125-acre field. Already, the family behind the orchard planted 15,000 apple trees. Customers can cut their own flowers or buy bouquets in the market.
See the Ciderhouse Restaurant menu
Where to find Ciderhouse Restaurant at Wilson’s Orchard
Location: 3201 15th Ave., Cumming
Contact: 515-216-0027 or wilsonsorchard.com/des-moines/ciderhouse-dsm
Hours: Farm Market open from Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Ciderhouse Restaurant open from Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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If you see a new restaurant opening or a beloved place closing, send me some details at sstapleton@gannett.com.
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What’s cooking at Wilson’s Orchard? A new chef and a seafood boil you’ll want to try
Reporting by Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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