The Art of Intentional Dining
From corporate life to classically trained chef, Jametta Raspberry has carved a unique path in the Twin Cities food scene. Through her culinary design studio, House of Gristle, she focuses on "designing energy" rather than just serving meals. Based in the NEON Collective Kitchen, Raspberry uses her platform to celebrate Black joy, support North Minneapolis, and create lasting memories through private dinners and curated "Bites + Vibes" events.
Jametta Raspberry uses her creativity in the kitchen designing experiences, building plates and crafting flavors.
Chef Raspberry didn’t take a traditional road to the kitchen. She hadn’t worked in a restaurant before being classically trained in French cuisine at culinary school in 2004, but she knew the corporate lifestyle wasn’t for her. That realization, along with a childhood immersed in music, solidified her desire for an artistic career.
Raspberry founded House of Gristle, a culinary design studio, in 2019, “known for intentional dining experiences that blend bold flavors with lush aesthetics, and cultural confidence with deep hospitality,” according to its website.
“We don’t just feed people. We design energy. We don’t chase trends. We set the tone.”
Raspberry worked in fine dining after her time at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Mendota Heights. Her experience with different restaurant concepts around the Twin Cities helped her build a vast repertoire of cuisines, cooking styles and service approaches, she said.
“I have a passion for the art of hospitality,” Raspberry said. “I believe and know that Black people really empowered hospitality. It’s in our DNA, it’s in our history, our ancestors and our ancestry… I would like to bring that back to the forefront and create an ownership environment where we can establish hospitality for our community.”
House of Gristle means house of connection, she said.
“What we do is we bring people together around food and create a welcoming and safe environment for Black people to feel free, find Black joy and enjoy some delicious food.”
Some of Raspberry’s art and inspiration comes from travel. Moving through different parts of the world, she hones in on an emotion and the feeling a place brings her.
“I start from there and I create the vibe around it,” she said. “I believe it’s not just about the food, it’s about the environment, the people around the table, colors, smells, feeling. That really brings me a lot of excitement, to be able to create special experiences and memories that can last forever.”
House of Gristle is based at the NEON Collective Kitchen, part of the Northside Economic Opportunity Network, on Broadway Avenue in North Minneapolis. The incubator space provides affordable, secure space for food entrepreneurs.
The placement excites Raspberry, as it allows her to both support the neighborhood and be supported by it.
“We’re able to serve that community directly by being here,” she said. “I look forward to weaving into the fabric of how the Northside is developing and expanding, and being at the center of it, with Black voices being a part of that process.”
House of Gristle offers private dinner experiences, elevated grazing tables and “Bites + Vibes,” a curated cocktail-style event designed for mingling. This summer, Raspberry is working toward hosting events that bring the Black community to Black-owned farms and launching a monthly supper club experience to further strengthen community gatherings.
To learn more or book a service, visit houseofgristle.com and follow @houseofgristle and @chefraspberry on Instagram. If you’d like to nominate someone to be featured the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder’s “On the Radar,” visit spokesman-recorder.com/on-the-radar-nominations.
Damenica Ellis welcomes reader responses at dellis@spokesman-recorder.com.