Café’s Herb Wall Targets the Senses

Executive Chef Shaun Holtgreve by the herb wall

Executive Chef Shaun Holtgreve by the herb wall

Even though Café Target is on the second floor of the Target Headquarters office towers in Minneapolis, it has the freshest herbs growing onsite — thanks to a customized vertical planting wall.

To allow for the greatest variety and flexibility through seasons, the wall is double-sided with individual planting cubes and can move to follow the sun. Executive Chef Shaun Holtgreve works directly with Target partner Tommy Carvers, a local plant, landscape, and florist company to supply the plants, plant the wall, and transition out old herbs and replant new ones as needed. As the Minnesota season changes, so does the productivity of certain herbs. The wall has grown several basil varieties, lemongrass, oregano, sage, garlic chives, and more — even some peppers. The aroma of the planter is amazing, and the flavors are superb. It is truly a chef ’s dream to have a seasonal cutting garden of fresh herbs. Shaun’s bonus is that he doesn’t even have to pull a weed or leave the building’s second floor!

Submitted by Kathy Vik, Operations Manager, to Bravo magazine