Spring at Mara: A Season of Flavour and New Experiences at Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis

Mara, the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant led by James Beard Award–winning Chef Gavin Kaysen at Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis, invites guests to experience the flavours of a new season with the spring menu launch and debut of a prix-fixe offering. Rooted in the Mediterranean and guided by precision, technique and a deep respect for ingredients, the new culinary offerings reflect Chef de Cuisine Thony Yang’s continued refinement of Mara’s culinary identity. At the same time, Bar Mara head mixologist Pip Hanson introduces a newly reimagined cocktail menu that further establishes Bar Mara’s presence as a globally-influenced grand hotel bar where craft and creativity meet.

“We always come back to the Mediterranean spirit at Mara—the warmth, the ease, the way an everyday meal becomes an occasion. We think our new menu format helps to capture that, with the flavours of the region spread across all four courses,” says Chef Kaysen.

The launch also marks a new chapter for the restaurant under the leadership of Kerry Allen, recently appointed General Manager, bringing 22 years of experience to Mara’s restaurant and bar team. Allen’s career has been shaped by some of the country’s most celebrated dining destinations from Charleston to Denver, to a Michelin-starred French bistro in California.

“I am very excited to partner with Chef Gavin and Chef Thony to heighten the experiential element of Mara’s new chapter in this incredible restaurant community,” says Allen. “Mara is evolving, and I am elated to work with such a passionate team to help create something exciting and connective within our space.”

A Mediterranean Journey: Mara’s New Spring Menu

At the heart of the new menu is a culinary concept that Chef Thony describes as a tour of the Mediterranean moving through Spain, Italy, and France, with each dish grounded in the ingredients and rhythms of the season.

“This new menu reflects a lighter, more vibrant approach to spring, with an emphasis on freshness and balance,” notes Chef de Cuisine Thony Yang. “I appreciate the complexity and simplicity within one dish and creating a menu where each course compliments the next.”

Each course has been aptly titled to reflect this journey. Uno, Due, Trois, and Dolce will allow guests to experience the culinary coastal cultures of Southern Europe.

The Chef’s Table for Every Guest

The newly launched prix-fixe, four-course menu has been created for guests to have a chef’s table experience from anywhere in the restaurant. This four-course option allows guests to experience a range of dishes with inspiration from the Mediterranean and beyond.

“The à la carte menu that also offers a prix-fixe option from each course was especially exciting to create as we had to keep in mind that guests may choose the prix-fixe, four-course option, in which they are going to choose one menu item from each course for their own personal culinary journey,” says Chef Thony. “Chefs generally choose each item for a coursed meal. We had to craft each of these dishes to compliment the next should guests choose the prix-fixe option.”

To complement this European culinary journey, an optional wine pairing to the prix-fixe, four-course menu has been crafted by Mara’s Sommelier, Mary Kennedy. Mara’s wine program continues to evolve and was recognized by Wine Spectator with a Best of Award of Excellence in 2025 for its superior, diverse wine program.

Bar Mara: A New Era for the Grand Hotel Bar

Bar Mara, Minneapolis’ Grand Hotel Bar, is the Twin Cities’ crown-jewel cocktail bar, blending an approachable vibe and an abundance of warmth with culinary craft. The launch of new cocktail concepts has been created alongside a new Bar Bites menu to appeal to Bar Mara’s discerning guests.

Pip Hanson, Bar Mara’s Head Mixologist, is excited to announce this new direction. “We have re-concepted our cocktail program to include three new cocktail concepts,” Hanson shares. “While each of these concepts stands strongly on their own, together they create a distinctive cocktail program utilizing novel techniques to complete a grand hotel experience for our guests.”

The new cocktail program, which will be launching in early May, includes the Immaculate Classic Cocktails, with grand-hotel highball service, and a modern spin on classic cocktail techniques. The Delightful Signature Cocktails highlight unusual ingredients, novel techniques, and fresh stories. The reimagined Functional Spirit-Free program, which includes both wine and spirit alternatives, botanical teas and other ingredients made according to the highest standards of conventional cocktails.

For details and reservations, click here and follow @marabygk for upcoming announcements.