More AboutBlack Woods Grill & Bar

Executive Chef, Black Woods Group

Ben Thoen grew up in Washburn, WI and after graduating from Washburn High School attended Le Cordon Bleu. Classically trained during school, Chef Thoen had the opportunity to work under very accomplished chefs his entire career, beginning at a young age. His first job at the age of 13 was with Good Thyme Bistro in Washburn working with Chef Chris Basnia and launched him into everything hospitality. His fondest memories of his early career are of working with French Chef Germain Palledeau learning the ins and outs of the business of food and honing in his catering and banquet skills in Chicago, IL for Lettuce Entertain You and Wolfgang Puck Catering. Chef most recently had the opportunity to train in Miami Beach, FL and earn his Vegan & Raw Chef Certification with Vegan Fusion ™. Chef Thoen is very happy once again back home in the Midwest after having lived across the country and could not be more proud than to work with the Black Woods Group. As Executive Chef he leads the restaurant location kitchens and works side by side with the creative sales teams, skilled general managers and the powerful support teams that make up the Black Woods Group.

General Manager at Black Woods on the Lake

Blake Yorde was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but has made his home in the Northland for almost his entire life. He went to High School at Duluth East before proceeding on to University of Minnesota Duluth to pursue a degree in Communication with a Minor in Coaching. Blake feels these degrees proved that he could learn and helped him polish his ability to talk to a wide range of people.

Blake began his career in the hospitality industry when a friend approached him to assist at Grand Superior Lodge in Two Harbors, MN. There, he ran the deli and got his start in banquet bartending.  After a few years, Blake was ready to come back to Duluth. This was when he found his place within the Black Woods Group. He worked at the Duluth Black Woods and at the Greysolon Ballroom by Black Woods before becoming the General Manager of Black Water Lounge in 2011. He oversaw Black Water for almost three years. Blake left the company for a short period of time after that but made his way back to the Group when he began bartending at Tavern on the Hill in 2015. Then, in 2018, he transitioned back into a management role and now leads as the General Manager of Black Woods on the Lake. Blake feels the most important part of his job is to take care of our guests, and to provide them with a complete dining experience.

Blake is an adventurous Minnesota Man. He is passionate about the outdoors and spends as much time as he can either in the woods or in a boat. He found his “little piece of heaven,” in Alaska, where he has been a fishing guide for most of his adult life. During the winter, when Blake isn’t ice fishing, you can find him at Spirit Mountain, making the fresh snow powder so that people can go snowboarding, skiing, and tubing. He also enjoys spending time with his wife, Joy, and his 10-year-old Alaskan Malamute, Sage.

KITCHEN MANAGER AT BLACK WOODS ON THE LAKE

Rolland (Rollie) Barron grew up in Burnsville, MN and moved to Duluth after graduating from high school in 2008. Rollie was hired at Black Woods on the Lake as a dishwasher just after his move. Little did we know, at the time, what an incredible addition to the team Rollie would turn out to be. After working at Black Woods for a short while, Rollie’s older brother, Eddie, reached out looking for help opening a new endeavor in the Black Woods Group: The Black Water Lounge. It was there that Rollie was first introduced to the real in’s and out’s of working in a kitchen.  After a few years of learning and growing his skills, Rollie transitioned up the hill to work alongside the team at Tavern on the Hill and then was quickly promoted to the Assistant Kitchen Manager. He was there for two years before joining the Black Woods Group Commissary Kitchen, where he helped prepare food and desserts for multiple locations in our company, including the three Black Woods Restaurants and the Greysolon Ballroom by Black Woods. Then, in 2017, almost 10 years later, Rollie came full circle and ended up right back where he started: Black Woods on the Lake. This time, he took over as the Kitchen Manager. Rollie continues to enjoy his time in the Black Woods Group. He loves the people he works with, and he plans to keep progressing and growing within the company. Outside of work, you can find Rollie enjoying a cocktail with his family at his cabin in the Brainerd Lakes Area. He enjoys making simple, fresh dishes at home and loves to grill all kinds of meat entrees, from ribs to hamburgers to steaks. Rollie is an easygoing, strong leader, with a diverse set of skills, and we are proud to have him on our team.