In the heart of Madison’s East Washington corridor lies a culinary gem known as Robinia Courtyard. Originally created in 2015, the Courtyard is now home to three concept restaurants centered around a magical outdoor dining oasis. Come along with us to visit Jardin as we explore their globally-inspired, locally-sourced, 100% plant-based menu.
The response to the food at Jardin has been “amazing, way beyond all expectations,” says co-owner Jon Reske. For Jon, who has been vegan for eighteen years, to see a restaurant where upscale, completely plant-based cuisine is not only accepted but embraced by folks “from all walks of life, all types of eaters,” has been “overwhelming.”
Jon’s commitment to plant-based living stems from his passion for sustainability. “Twenty years ago, to announce that you were vegan was often met with outright hostility. I found myself having to bone up on the defenses of the vegan diet.” That is something he’s grateful for now, because taking the time to study the positive environmental impacts of plant-based eating made it seem like “a no-brainer. The amount of resources allocated to livestock agriculture are astounding. As this world gets smaller and the repercussions of decisions made on one side affect the other much more loudly and quickly than before, it’s very apparent that we need to make every move in the right direction.”
For Jon and his Robinia Courtyard co-owner Armando Magaña and Executive Chef Juan Umaña, Jardin feels like a step in that right direction. “Armando is the backbone of this place,” Jon says. “He is very passionate about everything we do at Robinia Courtyard, [and when] Juan reached out to us we loved what he had to say, what he had to offer,” so much so that they actually pushed back their 2022 reopening to give him time to take the helm, add his final touches to the menu and put his team in place.
Together, these folks are creating a space for community to gather, crafting meals that delight and deeply satisfy both vegans and non-vegans alike, and transforming notions of what is possible with local, plant-based cuisine…one eater at a time.
“What’s really driving me right now going into spring and summer is the seasonality and building on existing connections with our farmers. I’m really looking forward to showcasing more of that locality in our menu, to start experimenting with a lot more diversity,” says Chef Umaña.
Spring also ushers in the start of foraging season, and looking ahead Juan is excited to feature morels and other spring mushrooms, ramps, watercress and other wild-growing seasonal delights from right here where we live.
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