Lemon Tree Grocer
The Lemon Tree Team
Here at Lemon Tree Grocer, we are confident in our team and their accomplishments. We can assure you that they will do the best they can to make your visit as pleasant as possible. We invite you to get acquainted with our team and also see what we have been doing lately on our blog. Also feel free to talk to us now.
Timothy Canning : Owner, Chef
Tim Canning attained his B.A. in Culinary Arts from Kendall College right here in Chicago. Canning quickly got his start under the watchful guidance of Chef Steven Chiapetti at the renowned Chicago restaurants Mango, Rhapsody, and Mossant Bistro. He then traveled west and honed his skills within the fine dining restaurants of Vancouver and San Diego. Mr. Canning then moved to the opposite coast to open Arbor, a local bistro in Boston, as Chef de Cuisine. During Tim's seven year span in Boston he worked as Sous Chef under Chef Tony Maws (Best Chef Boston Magazine 07',08',09') at Craigie Street Bistro (Food and Wine "Top Ten Places to Eat Meat in the World") and also cooked with Michael Leviton at his accomplished restaurants Lumiere and Persephone. Tim Canning has worked hand in hand with local farmers, fish mongers, and meat distributors during his career as chef. In January, Tim moved back to his native home of Chicago with dreams of opening a locally driven fresh produce market. Tim and his business partner Shaun Black teamed up with the guys at Michael's Fresh Market to develop the Lemon Tree concept. Tim will continue his training at the Michael's Naperville store until the new store opens its doors. Canning will be the creative mind behind the Lemon Tree's kitchen as well as running the day to day of the store.
Shaun Black : Owner
Shaun Black is from the Detroit area and earned his B.A. in Advertising from Michigan State University. Following graduation he joined C.H. Robinson Worldwide, one of the largest transportation and logistics organizations in the world working in produce brokerage. While becoming the top sales associate in the Detroit office, he learned the ins and outs of 21st century produce handling. However, Shaun is a true entrepreneur, always wanting to have his own businesses. His enthusiasm and passion to do things right have left him with strong ideas about how business should be run in order to best serve his customers. Taking the expertise gained at C.H. Robinson, he moved to Chicago and opened the business he runs today, the International Produce Exchange which also serves as the Chicago office of Sunterra, a national produce brokerage firm. Shaun has been incubating the concept of a small specialty grocery for a few years after a good friend brought the concept his way. After searching for just the right location, he and Tim Canning have joined forces with the beautiful community of Downers Grove to make the Lemon Tree Grocer a reality.
Not just employees.
When we set out to create Lemon Tree Grocer, we wanted to do more than just serve as your local market. To us, fresh, good food is friendship and family.
Dennis Brumirski : General Manager
Dennis has been working in the grocery industry for the last eleven years, primarily focused on selecting and retailing beer and wine and fine cheese. Formerly with Trader Joe's, Cost Plus World Market and Whole Foods Market, Dennis has a demonstrated passion for food. Dennis remains excited about the prospects of helping to bring a small specialty grocery store to Downers Grove. His passion for specialty cheeses and flair for finding world class but cost effective beer and wine should help make the Lemon Tree experience intoxicating. Dennis will also be bringing his knowledge of retail grocery operations to the table, in an effort to ensure that the Lemon Tree experience is a lasting and impactful endeavor.
Giovanni DiSarova : Deli Manager
Giovanni has been working in the restaurant and travel/tourism industries for nearly 25 years. His adventuresome spirit, love of global travel, and an appreciation of delicious yet simply prepared cuisine makes him a welcome addition to the Lemon Tree Grocer team. Being a fiercely proud Italian, Giovanni intuitively knows that food and love and generosity all go hand in hand and he is uncompromising in his dedication to high quality, delicious food and customer care. As he says, “My food represents me and my home, and our guests are part of an extended family, really. They deserve my very best work. Plain and simple.” Although he enjoys cuisines from many different cultures, Giovanni ultimately prefers the rich, bold flavors of the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
James Brister : Butcher
With fifteen years experience in the retail meat cutting trade and an extensive background in the meat industry, James brings the knowledge he has gained from working alongside veterans of the trade, as well as his experiences working in the wholesale markets and processing plants. James began his career at age 17 as an Apprentice Meat Cutter. Excelling in his trade, he moved on to work in various capacities for several butcher shops and retail stores over the years. Besides his retail meat cutting experience, James has also worked in wholesale meat sales and the food service industry. The highlight of his career was achieving the role of Assistant Operations Manager at Consolidated Meats in Bradley, IL. James grew up in a small farm community in Kankakee County about 80 miles south of Chicago. He currently resides in the western suburbs with his wife Stacey and their children.
Joan Kucpal : Wine Specialist
Joan Kucpal’s experience began in the hospitality industry representing a collection of five star European Hotels, train travel and car rentals within Europe. This afforded her the opportunity to travel throughout Europe staying at these five star properties and experiencing the food and wine of each country and its regions. This is where her passion for food and wine grew into her next profession. Joan has worked in the retail end of the business for 3 years now and has the experience of assisting with the day to day operations of running a local wine shop. She continues to educate herself on the never ending information of wine and gladly shares this knowledge with like minded individuals and the curious.
Joseph Lessard : Meat & Seafood Dept.
Joseph Lessard offers a unique perspective for the Lemon Tree Grocer. After receiving a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois he went on to graduate from Kendall College with an associates in the Culinary Arts. After writing software for a financial trading firm in Chicago, Joseph decided to pursue his true passion: food. Soon after he was working at Follia in Chicago and quickly worked his way up to be the Sous-Chef. He most recently was a part of the opening team at Perennial where he worked under Chef Ryan Poli as well as Chef Giuseppe Tentori. An Eagle Scout, Joseph learned leadership skills at an early age and is always prepared for the challenges that the food industry offers. He looks forward to offering the highest quality service and products to the Lemon Tree Grocer customers.
Soyoung Shin : Pastry Chef/Cook
Soyoung Shin graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.S. in Organizational Management knowing that she wanted to do something in the culinary field. Upon graduation, she enrolled in the culinary program at Kendall College where she was able to build a solid foundation to prepare her for what was to come. Determined to live her dream to the fullest, she was able to land her first experience in the kitchen of Charlie Trotter’s. There she was able to experience, learn, and taste the best things food has to offer. She then continued her culinary journey working alongside Chef Bill Kim (Trio, Charlie Trotter’s, Urban Belly) at Le Lan where she spent most of her time learning about the pastry side of cooking. She then worked as Sous Chef at Uncommon Ground in Wrigleyville. There she changed the menu on a weekly basis inspired by locally grown, seasonal ingredients from Chicago’s Green City Market. After spending some time away from the kitchen, she is thrilled to be back doing what she loves most.
Stephanie Link : Cheese Monger
Stephanie has a love for cheese that started in culinary school and evolved during her time at Sam's Wines and Spirits where she gathered knowledge of cheeses from around the world. From triple creme to aged gouda, she loves them all, and she will teach you to love them too.