Nico and Karri Schuermans As the owners and operators of Chambar, Medina and The Dirty Apron Cooking School, Karri and Nico Shuermans know a thing or two about bringing the right food to the people.When Chambar opened in September of 2004, it was a restaurant with an innovative concept in a risky location. The vision for Beatty Street that the couple had would pay off quickly.

With numerous accolades and awards, Chambar still holds the title for the city’s hottest dining spot years later. Never ones to rest on laurels, Nico and Karri opened Café Medina with former Chambar staffer Robbie Kane in the fall of 2007. The café serves as the daytime solution to Chambar’s nightly clientele -- a place where those looking for the different, the eclectic, and the innovative can enjoy breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch.

Robbie Kane has always loved the art of providing memorable dining experiences. In 2004 Kane took a server position at Medina’s sister restaurant Chambar. He forged an instant connection with owners Karri and Nico Schuermans, but expressed a desire to one day open his own restaurant. Three years later when the space next door to Chambar became available for rent, Kane was an obvious choice for a business partner in a new breakfast venture that would become Medina.

Brought on board to help with everything from initial concepts to mission statements, Kane quickly proved himself to be as adept at opening a restaurant as he was at serving in one. As co-owner and manager of Medina, Kane now provides memorable meals to the countless urbanites that crave a unique breakfast and lunch destination. More importantly, he has created a place that people come back to again and again not just for the food, but also for the experience.