LA CROSSE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – Matt Curtis is heating things up down on 3^rd Street. Curtis purchased the Apothik Eatery and Food Truck in August of this year. After years of being forced to close because of the pandemic, Apothik is re-opening its physical location at 411 3^rd Street South on November 10^th. Chef Nathan Wang will once again be whipping up high-quality food, with a practical, grounded, approach from the physical kitchen for diners to enjoy.

Curtis promises that the physical location is just part of what he is hoping to do with the Apothik brand. They will continue to operate the food truck during warmer months and he says they are trying to expand the catering side of the business both with and without the truck.  That is where his new Sous Chef/Catering Manager, Megan Larson comes into play.

Larson operated her own, in-home, catering business for years. Tailoring menus to the individual wants and needs and will be bringing that to the Apothik experience as well. She says, “What I did with my business was get to know the individual and really craft a unique experience around the event they were hosting. What we are going to do here is integrate some of that style of catering using our stationary menu along with the personalization of it.”

How does one convey to a reader that the food being served is, really… really… good? If this were a paper medium, I would include the salivation marks from the things that Chef Wang whips up. What I can tell you is that he delivers approachable food with scratch cooking and wholesome ingredients. Front of House Manager, Eli Garrish says “Our food speaks for itself. AS soon as people sit down to eat chef’s food, it was love at first bite. That is really the only reason we have such a strong following of rabid fans. Chef’s food.”

And there is the secret to Curtis’s success. The man knows how to surround himself with capable, hardworking, and passionate people. Chef Wang’s food has its own reputation he also blacksmiths and makes his own knives. Gerrish is dedicated to crafting cordials and giving a cocktail experience to patrons. And I can only imagine that the rest of his staff works as hard as the examples above them on the chain of command.

Then there is Megan Larson. If you aren’t familiar with her, you should be. She is not only a capable and impressive cook in her own right, but also an accomplished actress in town, and a M.A.S.H. and World War II era amateur historian. Megan has taught cooking classes and cooked for highbrow and down-home events alike, She has managed people and departments and has seen just about every side of the service industry that one can.

When the doors to Apothik fly open on November 10^th, make sure you have a reservation. With their rabid fans already salivating at the possibility of indoor Apothik eating it is sure to be a hot ticket in town. And, with the all-star team that Curtis has running things, that ticket is only bound to get hotter and hotter.