2023 Summer Valparaiso Magazine

CULINARY ADVENTURES AWAIT | LINCOLN FLATS >>
Head Chef, Aaron Kujawa (far left);
Owners, Dr. Steven and Jill Buck (front);
and staff, Lincoln Flats
By Sean Hay
FROM DISHWASHER TO AWARD-WINNING HEAD CHEF AT
LINCOLN FLATS, THERE’S NO SITTING STILL FOR AARON KUJAWA.
aron Kujawa isn't one to boast.
When you ask about his background
and what he brings to the
table (pun intended) as Lincoln
Flats' head chef, you can almost feel
him shrug as he talks, as though it's
no big deal.
"I worked at Strongbow Inn for about 15 years.
No formal training, just the school of hard
knocks from the ground up, you know – started
off as a dishwasher, prep cook, line cook, banquet
chef, sous chef," he says.
Of course, that IS kind of a big deal, since Kujawa
trained under Valparaiso legend and Culinary
Institute of America-educated chef Russ
Adams, owner of long-time Valparaiso institution
Strongbow Inn. Adams consulted with
owner Stephen Buck on Lincoln Flats’ concept,
and his presence also helped bring Kujawa on
board as head chef.
“The first time I asked Aaron if he wanted to
work for me, he said no,” chuckled Buck. “I
know he thought, ‘This is some crazy doctor
who thinks he’s going to play restaurant.’ But
when he found out that I had hired Russ Adams
to give me a hand, he reconsidered.”
Far from standing in the shadow of his Strongbow
mentor, though, Kujawa has stepped out
and made a mark of his own during his five
years as Lincoln Flats' head chef.
“What I love is an honest home cooked meal
that somebody has put their heart and love
into,” said Kujawa.
You don’t have to look any further than Lincoln
Flats’ menu to see this philosophy brought to
life. Pork schnitzel, a double bone-in pork chop
and a meatloaf feature are consistently popular
with patrons, and during warmer weather,
the poke bowl and weekly salmon features are
go-to’s.
With a menu that rotates two to three times per
year, Kujawa makes sure that the team is keeping
things fresh. “You want to try to do something
different, not follow the beaten path all
the time,” he says. “My staff and I bounce ideas
off each other so everyone has their hand in
the pot. We all get a sense of ownership in
what we do.”
Kujawa has also been recognized for his culinary
skills on a regional level. During 2019's
Chefs of Steel competition, sponsored by The
Times of Northwest Indiana, Kujawa was one
of just 15 chefs from across Lake, Porter and
La Porte counties invited to compete. He and
his signature grilled elk chops with blackberry
maple drizzle made it into the top three. The
elk chops are a consistent favorite at the restaurant
too. “Regular customers ask for it, and
we still do it as a special about once a quarter,"
said Buck.
Taking a Cue from Valparaiso’s
Commitment to Innovation
Kujawa, Buck and his wife Jill are all lifelong
Valparaiso residents, and the team makes it a
point to follow the lead of the community that’s
given them so much.
“I can't think of another community that's
warmer and more eager to try new things, you
know? And that's kind of where we're at. We're
always trying something new. I mean, even
if it's just something as simple as the way we
serve our Manhattan,” said Buck.
It’s not as simple as that, though. From a unique
Argon draft system that can keep a bottle of
wine fresh for 21 days to collaborations with
18th St. Distillery and Journeyman with whiskey
aged in cabernet casks, the idea of sitting
still is not in Lincoln Flats’ DNA.
When asked for a little advice for those aspiring
chefs looking to find their way, Kujawa’s
guidance could not be any more on brand:
“Keep just chopping.”
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