Brooklyn Center’s Heritage Center Embraces Diversity on the Menu

The Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center hosts over 200 catered events a year—everything from weddings and birthdays to conferences.

But it’s not just the variety of events where you can see diversity.

It’s also what’s on the menu.

The city-run event venue is hoping to tempt every taste bud.

The Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center hosts events of all sizes for groups of all sizes.

Globally-inspired Menus

After a morning of meetings, hungry members of Western Specialty Contractors are lining up to fill up on walleye fingers, chicken wings and meatballs.

But, Midwestern specialties aren’t the only cuisine the Heritage Center features.

“The wonderful thing about Minnesota is that it has such a diverse population,” says Suzi McMerty Shands, co-president of Mintahoe Catering and Events, which has served as the Heritage Center’s exclusive caterer for the past two years. “We have a great partnership with them in creating all kinds of new and exciting menus for guests coming in.”

Spreading the Word

Heritage Center General Manager Tami Buetow-Staples is hoping to get the word out to prospective clients about all the diverse menus featured and that they take custom requests.

“We get requests for Nigerian, Liberian, and Indian, and even like Mexican, people will want to come in with Quinceañeras,” says Buetow-Staples.

The hope is when authentic food is offered, it will not just fill people up, but also make them feel at home.

“Anybody that walks in our door, we want them to feel welcome. So, you come in with a request, we’re going to try and figure that out for you,” says Buetow-Staples.

You can explore their offerings online, or stop by in person to check out the venue for yourself.

“We actually have walk-ins, some will just drive by and they will see this red building and they’ll stop be like I’ll stop by and see what this is about,” says Buetow-Staples.

And if you step inside when a meal is being served, be prepared.

The tantalizing smells might make it hard to leave.

“All the different spices and flavors, you can really smell it and see it,” says McMerty Shands.

Brooklyn Center

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