MN’s Best Chicken Wild Rice Soup

illustration by michael hoeweler

Wild rice soup might as well be Minnesota’s state dish, and nobody does it better than the St. Paul Grill and Hotel. The original recipe, with bacon and large vegetable chunks, is only available from the hotel’s room service. The chef at the Grill restaurant wanted to add more dry sherry, which lends a nice richness to that version. To make sure the soup stays consistent, typically the same chef makes about 12 gallons every other day.