Key Lessons Learned
Dec 11, 2018
Luke Shimp
Key Lessons Learned

From racecars to restaurants, Luke Shimp is a master in some unusual industries. He started his career as a NASCAR championship mechanic for Roush Fenway Racing, and then worked with Joe Gibbs racing from 1998 until 2001. Shortly afterwards, Luke partnered with Blue Plate Restaurant Company and founders, Stephanie Shimp and David Burley, all of whom received the Restaurateurs of the Year Award from the Minnesota Restaurant Association.

 

In 2013, he parted ways with Blue Plate and opened Red Cow, a burger joint with a sophisticated twist that includes craft beer, mixology-driven cocktails, and a stellar list of 30 wines. With Red Cow, Luke has won several awards including Restaurateur of the Year, the MSP Business Journal Eureka! Award for Innovation, and the Twin Cities Burger Battle. USA Today also listed Red Cow’s Turkey Burger as one of the top 10 in the United States, and Jason DeRusha named Red Cow one of the 38 best burgers in St. Paul and Minneapolis. 

Today, Luke also owns Red Rabbit, and continues to grow his restaurant empire—one burger at a time.