May 19, 2020

Customers who step into Chef Ellen’s new retail space for her prepared-meal business will be tempted by the aromas wafting from the open kitchen.

Ellen Doerr took over the former Cheese World space at 69th and Western Avenue earlier this year and began remodeling the space. She built a large kitchen with a counter where people can sit and watch as she teaches cooking classes.

She kept Cheese World’s 24-foot-long refrigerated case and stocks it with soups, entrees that come in individual and family sizes and slices of cheesecake in different flavors.

At the front of the store, there’s room for tables that will be used for eventual pop-up dinners.

“We’re just making what we can make with what we have,” Doerr said of her meals, noting that she’s straying from her usual set menu as she deals with product shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Customer favorites will typically be in stock every day, and “we’ll try to fill in around that,” she said.

In addition to regular meals, “we do keto, vegan, vegetarian, as well as the standard diets and the gluten-free and allergies, a little bit of everything.”

Her point-of-sales system is tied to her website, so customers who order online get an accurate reflection of what’s available.

She’ll continue to make custom orders for customers, especially those with dietary restrictions. “And then I’ll just make some extra, and we’ll have those available at the store.”

Doerr plans to bring other locally made products into the store. She’s already stocking rolled ice cream cakes, vegan ice cream push-pops and other frozen treats from Sub Zero Desserts. In turn, the frozen treat stand on 41st Street near Phillips Avenue carries Chef Ellen meals.

The business will be a pickup point for Glory Garden, an online farmers market that delivers items weekly.

“There’s a lot of possibilities for the space, and we’re just kind of getting a feel for how it works.”

Chef Ellen will start with hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, but that might change based on customer patterns.

Chef Ellen to open retail kitchen for her prepared meals, classes