Natalie Allesee’s handmade Herb Laminated Tagliatelle features a chèvre beurre blanc sauce and maitake mushrooms, topped with sorrel. Photos: Chris Emeott
Rowan & Dough helps families beat the at-home dinner rush.
Say goodbye to the lazy, hazy days of summer when schedules run a bit loose and even mealtimes ebb and flow. Back-to-school time serves up a return to classrooms and scheduled-to-the-hilt calendars. It can also equate to getting back into cooking routines, especially for dinners. Having help with meal prep can go a long way in making this time of year a little bit less frenetic, especially when homework and after-school activities come into play.
Natalie Allesee, who grew up in Minnetonka, understands that extra help in the kitchen is welcome at this time and year and anytime individuals or families want meal prep options. As founder and owner of Rowan & Dough, the 2006 graduate of Minnetonka High School loves cooking for people—including several families in the Lake Minnetonka area.
Asparagus with pancetta, Gruyére fonduta, lemon and herb oil serves as an inspired side dish.
Allesee, now of St. Paul, is all about creating exceptional food experiences. Minneapolis’ Rowan & Dough launched in 2023, offering culinary classes, meal prep services and private dining opportunities. “I love the creativity and flow of putting food together,” she says. (The name is a combination of Allesee’s favorite things: her golden retriever, Rowan, and dough.)
Since launching the business, Allesee has added two employees and creates weekly meal prep kits for more than 50 families throughout the Metro. The set menu changes weekly, and the team customizes meals to suit just about anyone, including those who are autoimmune restricted or who follow a low-FODMAP diet, have celiac disease or are vegan. “We take the time to learn all about people’s palates and preferences,” she says.
Shorewood’s Jade Hannon and her young family has been using Rowan & Dough for more than a year, and “it’s become an integral part of our weekly routine,” she says. “We usually serve Rowan & Dough three to four times a week. Most often it’s for dinner, but we’ve also ordered some of the breakfast and snack options, which have been really nice to have on hand.”
This salad features cucumber, goat cheese, granola, purple carrot and watermelon radish.
Hannon discovered the meal service while looking to gift her sister with meals postpartum. “Around the same time, I found out I was pregnant myself, and—between the nausea and exhaustion—cooking just wasn’t happening,” she says. “Once we started using them, we loved how easy it was to have healthy, fresh meals ready during a really busy season of life with little kids, and we’ve stuck with it ever since.”
Home cooks know that satisfying younger taste buds can be challenging. “We have a 4 year old and a 1 year old, and I think Rowan & Dough does a great job with younger palates,” Hannon says. “It’s been a really gentle way to introduce new flavors and different kinds of food without pressure. There’s a great mix of meals inspired by different cultures, which we love, along with some more familiar options that our kids naturally gravitate toward.” The family’s favorites include Rowan & Dough’s Braised Pork Belly Bowl; Creamy Eggplant Curry; New Orleans Style Jambalaya; and any of the salmon dishes. “She somehow always cooks the salmon to perfection,” Hannon says.
Salmon Crudo with pea shoots, strawberry consommé and radish brings taste, textural and visual interest to the table.
Maureen Lindgren of Wayzata was motivated to use the service for mealtime options for her son, who has celiac disease and other medical issues. “It was really hard to find easy options that were celiac safe and nutritious,” Lindgren says.
“[Allesee] is so accommodating with children and goes above and beyond to modify menu items,” Lindgren says. “She even made my son a large batch of his favorite pasta sauce and a gluten-free holiday cookie kit. We also had a catered family party at our house recently where all of the young children enjoyed her food!”
Allesee hopes to grow Rowan & Dough’s presence in the Twin Cities, adding to her meal prep options and taking on more private dinners. She also dreams of opening a storefront with a small event space that could host dining pop-ups. For now, Allesee is focused on her clients. “I don’t need to be the biggest,” she says. “I want to be the best.”
Rowan & Dough
Instagram: @rowananddough
