Jason DeRusha
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VITALS FAVORITES THIS OR THAT |
Jason DeRusha filed his first report for WCCO-TV on April Fool’s Day in 2003. Since then, he’s earned nine Emmy Awards, his food coverage was a finalist for Outstanding TV Segment in the prestigious national James Beard Awards, the Jaycees named him one of the Ten Outstanding Young Minnesotans, and the city of Minneapolis proclaimed Sept. 21 “Jason DeRusha Day.” No fooling. Today, Jason co-anchors WCCO This Morning weekdays from 4:30 a.m. until 7:00 a.m., WCCO Mid-Morning from 9 to 10 a.m., and WCCO 4 News At Noon. He is also the station’s food reporter, producing “DeRusha Eats”. While at WCCO, he was among the first television reporters on the scene and on-the-air at the Interstate 35W bridge collapse. He answered “Good Question” for 5½ years. In 2013, he was named one of the “40 under 40,” the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s list of young community leaders. Minnesota Monthly named him to the “Power 75” list, writing, “If anyone understands where mass media is going … it’s DeRusha.” Marquette University named him the Young Alumnus of the Year in 2012. Before coming to WCCO-TV, Jason spent three years as a reporter at WISN-TV in Milwaukee. Prior to that, he anchored the weekend news at KWQC-TV in Davenport, Iowa, reported for WREX-TV in Rockford, Ill. and interned at “ABC World News Tonight” in New York. Jason’s been nominated for more than 20 Regional Emmy Awards, and he’s won Regional Emmys for Anchoring WCCO This Morning, for breaking news coverage, reporting his DeRusha Eats segment and the Good Question segment. In the Twin Cities, Jason is a past-President of the Board of Governors of the Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He’s a frequent speaker and host for charity fundraisers. He is a frequent fill-in host at WCCO Radio, and has been writing for Minnesota regional magazines since 2009. He’s currently the food critic for Minnesota Monthly. Jason’s a glass art collector, and he’s been a judge for the Uptown Art Fair. He’s also tried to blow a couple glass art pieces, with limited success. Jason graduated from the Honors program at Marquette University with political science and broadcast communication degrees, magna cum laude. Jason lives in Maple Grove with his wife Alyssa (a Wayzata High graduate), and their sons Seth and Sam. |
DeRusha Eats: Inside The Dairy Queen Test Kitchen
For the nearly 7,000 stores across the country, every treat on the menu has its origins in a nondescript office building in Edina, Minnesota.
Cooking with WCCO: Spring Pea Soup
Farmers markets will be opening soon and that means lots of sugar snap peas. Chef Ashley Mendel from A’viands manages the St. Gertrude Rehabilitation Center Kitchen in Shakopee, and recommends this bright, minty, spring pea soup.
DeRusha Eats: Punch Pizza
In the early days,Punch Pizza was a sit-down in St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood, with a wood-fired oven that got up to 1000 degrees.
DeRusha Eats: The Mad Hatter Restaurant & Tea Room
There is nature, beauty, and tranquility alongside the Rum River, and outside one of Minnesota’s oldest homes. But inside that home there is laughter, conversation, and the energy of a place that is far from a historic artifact.
DeRusha Eats: The New Dino’s Looks To Conquer
Dino’s Gyros started with Dino Adamidis and his stand at small festivals and fairs. Minnesotans were lining up to eat this meat on a pita that they couldn’t pronounce.
DeRusha Eats: Dogwood Coffee Company
The man behind one of the most acclaimed small coffee roasters in the country got his start like so many Minnesota teenagers: he took a job at Caribou Coffee.
‘No Tipping’ Experiment Ends At 2 Minneapolis Restaurants
Remember the big experiment about Upton 43 and Victory 44 abolishing tipping and including service in the price? Consider it over. Both restaurants have resumed a traditional style of pricing, where the customer adds a gratuity.
DeRusha Eats: W.A. Frost & Company
It is the spot in St. Paul for marriage proposals, celebration dinners, and Sunday brunch, and it’s been in business for four decades.
2 MN Chefs Named James Beard Award Finalists
Two Minnesota chefs have a chance to be named Best Chef for the Midwest Region by the James Beard Foundation.
Cooking With WCCO: Red Lentil Crackers With Spicy Vegan Cream Cheese
Lentils have a big flavor and are rich in fiber, manganese and folate. They are so economical and can be served hot or cold, making them a fantastic staple for your pantry.
DeRusha Eats: Maker’s Mark
Ten years ago almost nobody was drinking bourbon. Today, it is everywhere. Bourbon is an $8 billion business and almost all of it is made in Kentucky.
Cooking With WCCO: Spinach Bites With Honey Mustard
Spinach, bread crumbs and parmesan cheese make these easy appetizers quick to throw together for brunch or impromptu gatherings.
DeRusha Eats: Sitting Down With The Real ‘Famous Dave’
The name on the door is Famous Dave’s, but for years there was no seat at the table for the real Famous Dave.
Are You Suffering From Man-O-Pause, Gents?
Some doctors call it “andropause” or male menopause. With a woman, it’s clear when menopause begins. For men, it’s less clear.
Cooking With WCCO: Citrus-Roasted Paiche In Collard Wraps
Whether looking to add a healthy spin to Taco Tuesday or a new dish for Fish Fridays, Citrus-roasted paiche in collard wraps makes an easy and delicious dish.
DeRusha Eats: The Kenwood Chef Goes From Addiction To Clarity
In his kitchen at The Kenwood in Minneapolis, Don Saunders works with precision, with clarity. But for most of his life as a chef, Don worked in a haze, fueled by addiction.
DeRusha Eats: What’s Next For The Women Behind Chef Shack
When you tell the story of Carrie Summer and Lisa Carlson’s Chef Shack, you have to start with the mini-donuts.
12 Twin Cities Chefs Named James Beard Award Semifinalists
Twelve chefs from 10 Twin Cities restaurants have been honored as semifinalists for the restaurant world’s most prestigious awards from The James Beard Foundation.
DeRusha Eats: Valentine’s Treats From Annie B’s & B.T. McElrath
It’s not Valentine’s Day without chocolate, and a Minnesota candy maker has a real love story to share. For nearly 20 years, B.T. McElrath has produced gourmet chocolate with popular truffles, the Salty Dog chocolate bar, and artisan toffee topped with almond in Northeast Minneapolis.
DeRusha Eats: Le Town Talk Diner
You would not expect a half-Italian, half-French woman, born in Marsailles, to open a restaurant on East Lake Street in Minneapolis. But Emilie Cellai liked the challenge.
DeRusha Eats: Zen Box Izakaya
It is not your sorry, broke, $0.99 packaged ramen noodle soup. The luscious, beautiful broth at Zen Box Izakaya is something quite special. “I call it a bowl of soul,” chef and owner John Ng said.
Chef Kaysen To Host 4 Top Chefs At Spoon And Stable For Charity
Spoon and Stable has earned national recognition since opening in 2014 in the North Loop of Minneapolis. From the finals of the James Beard award for Best New Restaurant in the nation to Restaurant of The Year in Food And Wine Magazine, chef and owner Gavin Kaysen’s restaurant has taken over headlines.
DeRusha Eats: The Herbivorous Butcher
The northeast Minneapolis storefront of The Herbivorous Butcher features a giant meat clever protruding from the façade, gleaming white butcher-style refrigerated cases inside. But there is no meat here.
DeRusha Eats: Eastside
There are new restaurants chasing trends, or trying to forge an identity as cutting-edge. Then there are restaurants that are just plain good; restaurants that open and instantly feel like they’ve been around all along.
DeRusha Eats: These Restaurants Have Banned Tipping, Raised Wages
For more than 100 years, we went out to eat. We got the check. We did some math in our heads and decided how much to leave as a tip. There’s a gratuity line right on your bill, where you get to help pay the wage of the server.
