Meet Andy Schumacher at Cobble Hill in Cedar Rapids, a JBF nominee for Best Chef Midwest
Susan Stapleton- Iowa chef Andy Schumacher has been nominated for a James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef Midwest for his work at Cobble Hill Restaurant in Cedar Rapids.
- This is Schumacher's second James Beard Foundation semifinalist nomination, his first being 10 years ago.
- Schumacher owns and runs Cobble Hill with his wife, Carrie, who manages the front of the house.
- The restaurant is known for its seasonal, farm-to-table menu and its cozy, inviting atmosphere.
- Cobble Hill has been open since 2013 and has become a popular dining destination in Cedar Rapids.
The bookends of Andy Schumacher’s career as the chef and co-owner at Cobble Hill Restaurant in Cedar Rapids now begin and end with honors from the James Beard Foundation.
The Cedar Rapids native earned his second semifinalist nomination for Best Chef Midwest from the organization 10 years after his first.
The so-called Oscars of the food world recognizes talent in the kitchen — as well as the front of the house.
On April 2, he’ll find out if he moves on to the finalist stage and a trip to Chicago for the awards on June 16 at the Lyric Opera, complete with a red carpet and after-party for sampling dishes from across the nation.
Across the Midwest, 20 chefs earned a nod, with five moving on to the finalist stage. An Iowa chef has never moved on to reach that level.
For now, Schumacher and his wife, Carrie, are grounded, continuing their work to put out seasonal farm-to-table food with a contemporary twist.
Andy Schumacher focuses on the kitchen, creating about 50% of the menu, from appetizers to desserts. Carrie Schumacher runs the front of the house, touching tables, ensuring everyone feels the hospitality of Cobble Hill, named for the neighborhood they called home in Brooklyn.
“When we decided to open a farm-to-table restaurant, we were first inspired, actually, by farmers markets, the local food movement in New York,” Carrie Schumacher said.
Andy already had experience with those techniques and developing seasonal dishes on the fly.
“We have farmers coming through all the time, and it's really a gift to be able to say, ‘These products showcase this farmer,’” Carrie Schumacher said.
Andy Schumacher said that learning about different vegetables and farming practices locally helped them develop relationships with farmers over the years, customizing the vegetables grown for the restaurant and using quality ingredients.
How Cobble Hill, and the Schumachers, started
The couple met at the University of Iowa, where Andy Schumacher aspired to become a doctor when he discovered his love of cooking. Carrie Schumacher studied communications and secondary education, hoping to become a high school guidance counselor.
The couple met at Quinton’s Bar & Deli 24 years ago after working together at the restaurant.
“I got into cooking randomly, and it just kind of flourished as this intensive hobby, and then just decided to switch gears,” Andy Schumacher said.
They moved to New York City so he could attend culinary school at the French Culinary Institute.
While in New York, Andy appeared on “The Next Food Network Star,” which chef and restaurateur Guy Fieri won. He later appeared on “Chopped” in 2023.
While they both worked at restaurants in New York, their passion led them back to Iowa, where they could open their own restaurant using the lessons they learned in the Big Apple and apply them to dishes and hospitality in Cedar Rapids.
Andy Schumacher worked with Matt Steigerwald, the three-time James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef Midwest who ran Lincoln Café and Lincoln Winebar in Mount Vernon. Carrie Schumacher worked at the Sheraton in Iowa City. A friend led them to the building where they opened Cobble Hill.
The couple designed the space, with exposed brick walls, soft yellow lighting, tables built from wood from Dubuque, tiles laid in the kitchen. At the front, customers walk into a seating area with antique chairs and French doors that open to the sidewalk.
A bar sits to one side, with the open kitchen at the back. A combination of tables and chairs fill the space that feels cozy, almost like a friend’s home. “We wanted to try to open with as little overhead as we could,” Andy Schumacher said.
Cobble Hill debuted in February 2013. Since, the restaurant kept its course, following the Schumachers’ vision of New York-quality food using fresh ingredients from local farms.“We pretty much stayed true to what we wanted to do since we opened,” Andy Schumacher said. “The idea, when we opened, obviously, is we want to have a chef-driven small restaurant serving seasonal food.”
They admit their vision took a while for Cedar Rapids’ diners to embrace. “It was a little bit of a challenge at first, and it was a little bit of a risk in Cedar Rapids, because it is a smaller demographic, smaller community, about half the size of Des Moines,” he said.
The restaurant doesn’t carry name-brand sodas or common liquors found behind the bar at most restaurants, instead serving Iowa beers, lemonade made in house, Millstream soda, and kombucha.
“We had a little bit of time, I'd say, after the first honeymoon, after the first six months, that it kind of slowed down and tapered down and we got a little worried for a little while,” he said, reflecting on that first year. “It never got to the point where it forced us to have to make a decision, to say we need to start serving X, Y or Z.”
They partly attribute their success to being mindful when the opened of not overspending so they weren't beholden to loans. “We were both able to work here and make a living running this since we opened, which was really cool. And then as it went, it just kind of built,” Andy Schumacher said. “I think that the real story of our success is kind of this combination of hospitality, service, ambiance and the food, those kind of things working together for the guests. When guests come in here, they can really feel the energy.”
He also points to a culture of respect and of collaboration in the kitchen as another factor in Cobble Hill's success. “People usually work here for a long time.”
How Cobble Hill survived the pandemic
As restaurants across Iowa closed during the opening days of the pandemic in 2020, the Schumachers pivoted to takeout and meal kits, as well as a cocktail of the month club, a charcuterie of the month club, and smaller regional menus that touched on food from Southeast Asia, Italy, steakhouse fare, French bistro dishes to keep the restaurant going and staff employed.
“It was challenging for us in the kitchen, because we were changing the whole menu every month,” Andy Schumacher said. “I was having to do a lot more R and D, because I was getting into some things that I really wasn’t used to or knew a lot about.”
The customers kept supporting the restaurant, even more when Cobble Hill reopened. “It was just like a fever dream for six months. It got a little bit better once we opened the dining room again and spaced-out seating,” he said. “Since COVID have been our busiest years ever, and it’s continuing to get busier in terms of revenue. We’re doing better year after year.”
How hospitality plays a role at Cobble Hill
Carrie Schumacher plays as important of a role at Cobble Hill as her husband. She works with the staff to make hospitality a part of every moment at the restaurant, from walking through the front door to leaving for the night.
“Hospitality is, honestly, the foundation of every part of everything that we do,” Carrie Schumacher said. “We take it very seriously with our employees to talk about hospitality that starts with each other, amongst the team, because for us to be able to deliver good hospitality to our guests, it has to start with us.
“They have to offer each other hospitality first, with the grace our actions, what our day is like, and how we're all different, and challenges with our personal lives,” she said.
It’s in those moments when a dish or cocktail doesn’t come out right that the staff’s training really kicks in. “How you make them feel, and what you do to recover from that is always, what’s gonna really turn their experience around? We always just try to keep the mindset like we don’t know what that person coming through the doors is going through, what their day was like, or what their experience is at home, or it could be anything, a financial situation. For some people, it’s hard to come here, and we try to recognize that and understand that we want every experience to be special for so many different reasons.”
Where to sit at Cobble Hill Restaurant
Any true restaurant lover will want to sit at the chef’s table overlooking the kitchen. Here, atop stools, watch the chefs at work, sometimes even conjuring up a new dish.
- Table L4: This curved booth in the bar area offers a little shelter from the dining room for a smidge of privacy.
- Tables 10 or 12: These two tables near the kitchen give off great people-watching lines and cozy vibes.
- Table in front of the French doors: To see and be seen, request this table at the very front of the restaurant. You can watch diners come and go and passersby hustle to a show.
- Patio: Once the weather gets warmer, a small patio opens to the side of the restaurant. It’s great for soaking in the late afternoon sun.
What to order at Cobble Hill Restaurant
The menu here changes as new ingredients come into season or farmers bring in fresh pork, sides of beef or seafood to use in dishes. No dishes have ever repeated, so if something looks tasty on the menu today, order it or it might not be on the menu the next time you dine there.
Parisian gnocchi, $18: This is the only dish that’s been on the menu since day one, just with different ingredients. The gnocchi, made in house, has just enough pillowy softness inside. This version comes with lamb birria, lime, onions, cotija, cilantro, and crispy masa. You could eat this as an entrée if you decide not to share, and no one would blame you.
Crudo, $19: The version featured in February used mackerel, but the latest incorporates yellowfin tuna with a buttery sweet Marcona almond aillade (a raw mixture of ground nuts and soft herbs such as basil, watercress, and parsley and emulsified with oil), and Calabrian chili for a kick of sass.
Rot’s Bounty oyster mushroom, $29: The vegetarian will adore this dish with a potato that’s peeled thinly into a croissant roll and served with pickled chestnut mushrooms and nori sabayon. Rot's Bounty, a fungi farm in Iowa City, provides the mushrooms. If you’ve never done a completely vegetarian dish, this might be a good one to try, it’s that good.
Arctic char, $37: This dish tasted like the last echoes of winter with a dill labneh fumet and roasted Brussels sprouts. Add a little purple potato and spiced apple for a winter goodbye. This dish also left the menu already, but rest assured, a fish, such as poached cod with Little Neck clams, will take its place.
S’more, $13: Every decadent bite of this combination of graham cracker tuille, chocolate mousse and toasted marshmallow was worth the calories. This adult version of the campfire favorite comes with a marshmallow gelato.
Orange blossom mousse, $13: Those who love the taste of a Creamsicle can bite into the combination of cara cara sorbet with a white carmelized chocolate crisp. Close your eyes and you almost feel like summer is tapping on your shoulders.
What to drink at Cobble Hill Restaurant
Much like the dinner menu, drinks here change with the seasons as well and use farm-fresh ingredients to conjure up cocktails with and without alcohol.
- Clarified blackberry smash, $10: This drink on the zero- and low-proof section of the menu features Lyres Traditional Reserve with blackberry, lemon and bitters for a refreshing drink where you won’t miss the alcohol.
- The Garden of Stephen, $14: A chamomile-infused Suntory roku gin pairs with fennel-infused Dolin blanc vermouth for an early spring drink.
See the entire menu from Cobble Hill Restaurant.
Where to find Cobble Hill Restaurant
- Location: 219 Second St. S.E., Cedar Rapids
- Contact: 319-366-3177 or cobblehillrestaurant.com
- Hours: Open Tuesday through Saturday from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.
- Happy hour: From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., order $5 draft beers and $7 classic cocktails and featured wines. The Fitzgerald features gin and simple syrup with lemon and angostura bitters, while the white Negroni combines gin with Lillet and suze.
- Reservations:exploretock.com/cobblehill
Who else was nominated for a James Beard Foundation award in the Midwest?
Chefs from 19 other restaurants were nominated for a James Beard Foundation award in the Midwest, which includes Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin along with Iowa. Other nominees in the Midwest category include:
- Ross Bachhuber and Samuel Ek, Odd Duck, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Nick Bognar, Sado, St. Louis, Missouri
- Chuckie and Jamie Brown-Soukaseume, Ahan, Madison, Wisconsin
- Linda Duerr, The Restaurant at 1900, Mission Woods, Kansas
- Shigeyuki Furukawa, Kado no Mise, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Abraham Gessesse, Hyacinth, St. Paul, Minnesota
- Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, EsterEv, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Kyle Knall, Birch, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Johnny Leach, The Town Company, Kansas City, Missouri
- Katie Liu-Sung, Chewology, Kansas City, Missouri
- Mateo Mackbee, Krewe, Saint Joseph, Minnesota
- Cody Monson, Huckleberry House, Bismarck, North Dakota
- Diane Moua, Diane's Place, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Loryn Nalic, Balkan Treat Box, Webster Groves, Missouri
- Tim Nicholson, The Boiler Room, Omaha, Nebraska
- Rozz Petrozz, Saltwell Farm Kitchen, Overbrook, Kansas
- Joseph Raney, Skogen Kitchen, Custer, South Dakota
- Karyn Tomlinson, Myriel, St. Paul, Minnesota
- David Utterback, Ota and Yoshitomo, Omaha, Nebraska
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.