Twin Cities-based Parasole Restaurant Holdings will open Field Day, its first fast-casual spinoff of the popular Good Earth brand, in the fall of 2016 at Ridgedale Center (General Growth Properties) in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

“We are tremendously excited about this opportunity,” says Donna Fahs, Parasole’s COO. “Building on Good Earth’s standing as Minnesota’s natural foods pioneer, Field Day meets the needs of a whole new generation of diners – people who need speed and convenience, yet care more than ever about food quality, sourcing, and novel, authentic flavors.”

“We are thrilled that Ridgedale Center will be the first venue for this great new concept from Parasole Restaurant Holdings,” says Joan Suko, Ridgedale Center senior general manager. “Field Day is the perfect complement to our retail mix, and we’re confident our customers will embrace it.”

Sharing Good Earth’s commitment to natural, wholesome, unprocessed ingredients and healthy preparation techniques, Field Day’s menu, created by James Beard Award-winning chef Tim McKee, combines new inspirations with classic favorites from the Good Earth.

“In creating the new dishes, I wanted to focus as much on flavor as on health,” McKee says. “Field Day isn’t about separating ‘good food’ and ‘bad food,’ it’s really a celebration of a generous planet, drawing on the best ingredients and bringing them together in ways that don’t scream ‘good for you’ even when they’re great for you.”

Menu categories will include Greens, Sandwiches & Wraps, and Grain Bowls, complemented by proprietary beverages and bakery items.

“We hear a lot about ‘superfoods’ these days,” McKee says. “Field Day will feature many of them. The difference is, they’ll be incorporated into dishes people actually want to eat.”

Only a small percentage of the people who patronize fast-casual restaurants have the luxury of a leisurely meal. Most eat on-the-go, and for them the restaurant will offer speedy scratch preparation and a number of conveniences, including the ability to order food for takeout from a smartphone app. Field Day delivery partners will also bring food straight to the customer.

“We’ve created Field Day with the intention to offer more than a one-off dining experience,” says Phil Roberts, Parasole founder. “People are clamoring for food that tastes great and actually is great, and we hope to meet that demand by opening additional locations.”

Ridgedale Center and Parasole signed the Field Day lease in May of 2016, and construction on the 2800 square foot restaurant is already underway and set to open in October. Ridgedale Center, which has served as a primary shopping destination in the Twin Cities for more than 40 years, recently completed a $100 million renovation. Field Day will be located in the mall’s newly remodeled wing, near the new Nordstrom department store and several other premier retailers.

“In the near term, we’ll open the first location of Field Day at Ridgedale Center, vet it, and refine it, and then roll it out to whatever extent the public embraces the concept,” Roberts says.