South Dakota’s Restaurant of the Year pairs fusion-inspired food with unlikely location

By Kate Meadows, for Pigeon605

Opening a fusion-inspired, locally sourced restaurant in Custer, with a population at the time of less than 2,000, was the scariest and hardest thing Joseph and Eliza Raney had ever done. In fact, it was something they had never intended to do to begin with.

But when Joseph Raney was named a finalist for a prestigious James Beard Award in 2023 and the Raneys’ restaurant, Skogen Kitchen, won Restaurant of the Year from the South Dakota Retailers Association earlier this year, the risk proved without question to be worth it.

Recognition as a finalist for a James Beard Award put Joseph Raney among the ranks of Bobby Flay, Anthony Bourdain and Wolfgang Puck – past winners of a James Beard Award. At first glance, it might seem that Raney, working in a little building with a 30-seat capacity just off Main Street in Custer, was swimming in too small of a pond.

But the Raneys are elated with their local restaurant and the small town they now call home. Skogen Kitchen has its regulars, and it is situated at the center of what Eliza calls “the most amazing community.”

The name, Skogen Kitchen, is somewhat of a misnomer. “Skogen” is Swedish for “forest” – fitting, Eliza says, because Custer is in the Black Hills National Forest. And Joseph has Norwegian heritage. But Skogen Kitchen is neither a Swedish nor Norwegian restaurant.

“At the beginning, the name was easily misconstrued,” Eliza continued. “But people are understanding the concept more and more.”

That concept is what Eliza describes as “chef-driven, progressive American.” Joseph and Eliza travel often and all over the world. At Skogen Kitchen, they aim to bring experiences from various cultures to the table.

There was never a time when Eliza did not know Joseph as a chef. Eliza met Joseph, an alumnus of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Hollywood, when they worked in the restaurant industry together for a couple of years. Originally from Minnesota, Eliza had moved to California with her best friend from high school at age 20. She knew she wouldn’t stay in California forever; she was set on raising her future family in the Midwest, closer to her hometown roots.

As Joseph and Eliza talked about where they might settle down, they turned their focus to the Black Hills. It seemed like a good fit. It was within a long day’s drive from Eliza’s hometown, and, says Eliza, “We could go to Denver and eat, which is our favorite thing to do.”

Soon thereafter, Joseph spent a whirlwind 48 hours in western South Dakota, touring Black Hills homes with a Realtor. In Custer, he landed on a house that matched just what he and Eliza were looking for. He made an offer, and he and Eliza moved in eight months later.

“We didn’t know what to expect,” Eliza admitted.

Joseph settled into life as a chef, working at Custer’s Sage Creek Grille. Eliza worked at another local hot spot, Black Hills Burger & Bun Co., and filled in as a substitute teacher in the Custer schools. They quickly grew familiar with the community, and it wasn’t hard to fall in love with it.

Through Eliza’s work at Burger & Bun, the restaurant’s owners came to know about Joseph’s career ambitions as a chef. They told Eliza about a little place they owned around the corner from Burger & Bun and offered it to the couple if Joseph wanted to start his own restaurant.

Taking the owners up on that offer might have been a hard decision, but it was a fast decision.

“We thought, what was the worst that could happen?” Eliza said.

They figured that if it didn’t work they would simply try something else.

Within a day, Eliza and Joseph agreed they would give it a go. They hosted two soft openings to get the community talking. They invited 30 members of the greater Custer community to breakfast for dinner the first night, and 30 more community members to dinner the second night.

They officially opened Skogen Kitchen on May 4, 2017, offering simple menus for breakfast Fridays through Sundays and dinner Wednesdays through Saturdays. Local weatherman Eric Gardner, who features a food channel as part of his news segment, helped to get the word out about the new restaurant. News spread, and, said Eliza, “it just kind of blossomed.”

Christy Chamberlin and Bob Reich were among the community members who heard word that a new dining option was coming to Custer. They showed up the first week, and they’ve had standing reservations every Wednesday and Saturday since.

“It’s incredibly good food,” Chamberlin said. “Joseph is a fabulous chef.”

Early on, though, naysayers cautioned the ambitious couple. Joseph’s ideas for classically trained chef-driven meals inspired by his and his family’s international travels and sourced as locally as possible would never work in Custer. The concept seemed too creative for a small rural town.

“We were concerned about such a high-end restaurant being successful in Custer,” Chamberlin said “But boy, were we surprised! We were so wrong!”

The Raneys always take January off to travel. Along with a much-needed break from the hustle and grind, travel inspires them to keep learning and experimenting, while continuing to be inspired by new ideas and flavor combinations.

“Food creates intimate experiences for people,” Eliza said. “We don’t have a large menu, but all of his dishes are an adventure.”

The Skogen Kitchen menu changes three to four times a year as Joseph and Eliza strive to keep their customers curious and open to new food ideas.

“If you don’t keep creating and keep growing, the restaurant will die,” Eliza said.

Many customers compliment Joseph on his creativity, according to Eliza.

Chamberlin’s favorite meal at Skogen Kitchen is rabbit leg.

“I’d never had rabbit before,” she said. “It was just fabulous.”

Another customer favorite is Joseph’s lobster steam bun, inspired by a trip to Maine.

In Maine, said Eliza, it’s customary to try lobster rolls wherever you go. Joseph came up with the idea of steaming a bun instead of baking a roll, creating his signature lobster steam bun.

“It’s very fluffy and light and melts in your mouth,” Eliza said.

Reich already knows what he’ll order for his next meal at Skogen Kitchen. He’ll get the beef tartare tacos, sashimi and the lobster steamed buns.

“They’ll tickle your taste buds,” he said.

Pastas are all made in-house, and Eliza and customers Reich and Chamberlin all attest that the soups are fantastic. Recently, Joseph created a coconut curry with a drizzle of honey, toasted pumpkin seeds and parmesan cheese.

Fish is flown in fresh daily in what Eliza calls “a mission every day.” And if you’re in the mood for a good steak, look no further. Eliza is confident that Joseph’s steak, traditionally cooked, is the best filet you’ll ever have.

Chamberlin agrees. “I’ve quit grilling steaks at my house because Joseph does such a great filet,” she said.

Reservations are highly recommended because of the size of the restaurant. The owners recently fully enclosed a side patio, and there is limited outdoor seating in the warmer months. But, said Eliza, “We have our little building, and that’s all we have.”

Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

For newcomers, Eliza has  advice: “What I say to new people is, if you’ve never been here, just please trust the chef. He really knows what he’s doing, and he will take you on an adventure.”

Joseph holds himself to a high standard. “My food is only as good as the experience,” he’ll often say.

“We feel privileged,” Reich said. “Because we’re getting world-class food in Custer, South Dakota. It’s first-class, every time.”