About Brasa
What’s
“American Creole”?
At Brasa, our style of cooking and hospitality is something we call American Creole. The truth is, most American cooking is Creole cooking in one way or another. Old world recipes meet new world ingredients, and new world traditions grow out of old world flavors.
That mix has always been the backbone of food in the Americas. African, European, and Native influences show up in everyday staples: beans, rice, corn, greens, root vegetables, and simple proteins. Each prepared a little differently depending on where you are. Sometimes spicy, sometimes mild, always meant to bring people together.
Brasa cooks in that same spirit: food born from blending, sharing, and as American as it gets.
How Brasa was born
Brasa was created by Alex and Margo Roberts in 2007, shaped by years of cooking, traveling, and learning from the food traditions of the Americas.
Alex grew up in Minneapolis kitchens before training at the French Culinary Institute in New York. After five years in fine dining there, he returned home to open the James Beard Award–winning Restaurant Alma in 1999. His time in New York, along with friendships and travels through Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, sparked an interest in the shared ingredients and techniques found throughout the cooking of the Americas.
At home, Alex and Margo began experimenting with beans, greens, corn, rice, root vegetables, and simple proteins. These are foods that nourish communities across North, Central, and South America, the Caribbean, and the South. They saw how the same humble ingredients show up in different forms from place to place, blending African, European, and Native influences into soulful, everyday cooking. Brasa grew out of this discovery, not claiming one tradition but honoring the wisdom held by many.
Since opening the first Northeast Minneapolis location in 2007, Brasa has grown to St. Paul in 2009, Catering in 2019, Southwest Minneapolis in 2020, and Hopkins in 2023. The Roberts family also expanded Alma into a restaurant, café, and hotel in 2016, opened Alma Provisions in 2022, and launched Caja Fried Chicken at Graze Food Hall in 2025.
Looking for work?
JOIN THE TEAM
We are always looking for applicants. We seek people who are sincere in their desire to provide great food and service to all guests.
Our family of restaurants provide profit sharing, paid time off, as well as food and drink discounts for all staff. Full-time staff members are also eligible for insurance and 401K with company match.
Prior experience is helpful, but not required.
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