Sensational Seasonality

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, locallysourced, 100% plant-based menu.

The response to the food at Jardin has been “amazing, way beyond all expectations,” says co-owner Jon Reske. For Reske, 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.” Reske'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 Reske and 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,” Reske 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.

Juan Umaña

Clockwise from upper left: Chef Umaña brings an excitement and curiosity to his work at Jardin, from putting the finishing touch on a signature dish to conferring with his fellow chefs about their ever-evolving seasonal menu.

“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.”

A summertime showstopper: butterhead lettuce, roast peaches and strawberries, marigolds, dill, all tossed with in-house balsamic. A masterpiece in showcasing seasonality, this salad highlights the chef’s love of local fruits and flora.

Spring also ushers in the start of foraging season, and looking ahead Umaña is excited to feature morels and other spring mushrooms, ramps, watercress and other wild-growing seasonal delights.

IN SPRING GREEN!

If So, We've Got the Job For You!

Work with fellow fun-loving and passionate people at the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center at Riverview Terrace in Spring Green

Available Positions:

Kitchen Lead

Front of House

Back of House

Includes cross-training & optional housing on the property for an enriching experience of a lifetime!

- Seasonal Positions Begin in April

- Daily Operations May 1 - Oct 31

- Flexible Schedule Preferred

- Bonus & Incentive Pay Available tend to change from one prep cycle to the next as vegetables come in and out of season. A lot of thought goes into substituting ingredients, changing or adding spices to go with a new vegetable or mushroom, and working with the interplay of those dynamics.”

Opposite page, top left: A seasonal specialty from last summer showcasing local mushrooms, vegetables, and even edible flowers.

Opposite page, top right: Jon Reske, co-owner of Jardin

Opposite page, bottom: The bar at Jardin overlooking Robinia Courtyard provides a lovely spot to sit and enjoy a beverage.

-Chef Juan Umaña

Top left: James makes the sauce for the Door County cherry mole. Bottom left: The “lobster” in this lobster casarecce is a mushroom, served with Alimentari casarecce pasta, pulled lion’s mane mushrooms, herbed sun-dried tomatoes in a white wine cream sauce with blistered sage. Photos by Nicole Peaslee.