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Toasty’s chef and proprietor Tom Hagen. Photo by Mary Lovold.

I sat down with Tom Hagen, owner of Toasty’s in Duluth, to talk about his gem of a sandwich shop. Tom and his wife Rachael are co-owners and the chefs at Toasty’s from its inception. They have also been business CropShare Partners with Uncle Herman’s Farm for at least 10 years.

Tom has a rich and diverse history in the food scene with 26 years of experience. He has a work ethic that puts many to shame, with a 65-hour work week, three days off a year, a burning desire to make great food affordable, and a food that is cleanly-sourced to help others mitigate health concerns.

He entered the food community at the age of 16, working for the Black Woods Group, and found himself second in command in the kitchen by the time he left for the East Coast at 20 years old. He then moved to New Jersey and served the local community, providing  comfort food for those who were unable to get home on 9/11. 

Tom realized at that point that “it takes time to build something, and seconds to lose it.”  He then moved on to Manhattan and worked with a $12 million per year restaurant, which became number 1 out of 300 stores. Tom believes that “serving the best food allows people to do the best they can in life.”

Minnesota called Tom back to Duluth, working again for the Black Woods Group, a local brewpub company, and opening six restaurants in the community. 

He stressed that the quality of ingredients and the techniques used to create a great product were keys to success. 

Tom finally opened his own restaurant, Toasty’s, in 2014, located on the hillside, and in 2015 added an additional storefront in downtown Duluth, eventually relocating to the Medical Arts Building at 324 W. Superior St. 

Toasty’s is tucked just beyond the entrance of the Medical Arts Building on Superior street. It has a cozy eating space with a beautiful mezzanine level which is a favorite eatery for the downtown business crowd. Toasty’s serves cut to order salads which are fresh and nutritious, using local and organic produce when available. 

Tom is meticulous in making sure he knows where his food is coming from to enable his customers to consume food from the local environment. Food that is local and freshly picked, not weeks old due to shipping from a different state, is healthier and tastes better!. 

Tom has found that it is extremely cost effective to make all his bread in-house.  All kneading bread all by hand. 

He has a strong desire for his food offerings to be made in-house, to be affordable and to create a better product for the community. 

Tom believes that “hard work involves knowing how to use the proper techniques.” 

When a family member became ill with debilitating headaches, sinus and allergy issues Tom realized the importance of clean eating and the relevance of how food can help mitigate health concerns. 

Toasty’s offers gluten-free options for those who have allergies to gluten.  Although not a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, he has many options available for those who struggle to find options in restaurants. At Toasty’s, all sandwiches can be made gluten and dairy free. 

With the cost of eating out increasing, Toasty’s is dedicated to making delicious and affordable food available to the community. The cost for a delicious, locally sourced sandwich ranges from $4 to $7.50. Tom believes that “Food is Fuel, and Food is Power.” 

Toasty’s newest adventure is opening a dining space that offers dine in and take out for dinner. The new space is at street level and will host local art from the community. The menu will include international dishes that will cater to people’s personal comfort food choices at an affordable price with an average dinner price of $15.

This story originally ran in the newsletter produced by Uncle Herman’s Farm, a small CSA farm owned and operated by husband and wife team Pat Thomson and Deb Hannu. Toasty’s has a been a longtime customer of Uncle Herman’s Farm. Like other CSAs (community supported agriculture), Uncle Herman’s Farm sells a “share” in their summer crop, then, throughout the summer, crop sharers pick up a box of veggies every week. Learn more at unclehermansfarm.com.