My 605: Nicholas Skajewski

What’s home unless you make it your own? My 605 takes you inside the lives, loves and little secrets of those who call South Dakota – area code 605 – home.

This week’s edition features chef Nicholas Skajewski, who is the co-owner of Skajewski Catering and named his pigeon Pete – “named after the secretary of transportation, Pete Buttigieg.”

My home in the 605 is: The west side! We recently moved from central Sioux Falls to west of Sertoma and have been absolutely loving it. The sense of community is wonderful, and we are still only a short drive from DTSF.

The biggest reason I live in the 605 is: My family. I met my wife, Sarah, in 2016, and we have built our wonderful family – three daughters – and lives right here in the 605. We love being able to safely raise our family while being close to both rural and urban areas.

We opened Skajewski Catering in 2019 and have established the business to be more successful than we could have imagined. So now we can’t leave, right?

After home, I spend the most time here: My office. I still take ownership of creating every menu/proposal myself. That takes a lot of time, but that custom touch is a great differentiator for Skajewski Catering.

When I need to get away, you’ll find me: Camping! We LOVE to camp and try to go out as much as life permits. My wife and I really want to create memories for our girls, and many of those will be around a bonfire or out on the lake.

The best meal I ever ate in the 605 was at: Parker’s Bistro. Stacy and her team over there do an absolutely phenomenal job with the food, beverages and experience. We enjoy dining there for all occasions, and I always offer up Parker’s as a key spot to those coming to town for dinner.

My go-to coffee shop is: Coffea, hands down. They source the best coffees and teas from all over the world, and the staff is top notch. I will never turn down a work-sesh at any of their locations with a latte and my Pixel Buds.

My favorite place to grab an adult beverage in the 605 is: Wherever Ben Schempp and Arnold Cowger are working at — currently Carnaval Brazilian Grill and DaDa Gastropub. The key to great adult beverages is the mixologist, and those two dapper gentlemen have it figured out. Enjoying their cocktails is an experience in itself as you are immersed to new flavors and textures that you didn’t anticipate in liquid form. To top that off, they are able to make you feel like you are the the most important person at the rail, creating an ambiance that is second to none. Respect.

When I need to experience the great outdoors, you’ll find me: In Platte camping and playing in the sand/water with my girls. We love that Platte is only a couple hours from home yet still feels like a getaway.

The spot I’d recommend for a date is: Full Circle Book Co-op. Great reads, local beer, simple tapas and conversation. It’s a nice adjustment from the typical dinner date!

The best pizza in the 605 is: Not known by me! I love pizza, but my KETO diet has me not enjoying pizza, so it’s been a while since I’ve got to enjoy any of our local variants. If anyone wants to make a great cauliflower crust pizza, hit me up!

When my friends and I get together, you’ll probably find us: Golfing! I love to golf, and we have so many great courses around here! If we aren’t golfing, we are probably working on some DIY project for one of the wives.

The place you never can go wrong taking kids is: The Washington Pavilion and the Great Plains Zoo. We heavily utilize our memberships at both every year!

When I want to meet new people in the 605, I go: I continue to engage with Sioux Falls Up & Coming and the YPN. Both groups offer amazing ways to meet new people and to further understand the businesses in the 605.

My best memory in the 605 is: My daughters being born!

The one thing I’m least crazy about in the 605 is: How boring the drive is heading west!

And finally, life in pictures. Here are the top three photos that most sum up My 605: