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ABOUT US
Gentleman Forager isn’t just a brand—it’s a way of living closer to the woods, the seasons, and the wild food waiting just outside your door.
Founded by Mike Kempenich, one of the Upper Midwest’s most experienced foragers, Gentleman Forager has grown into the region’s go-to source for wild food education, functional mushroom beverages, and immersive outdoor experiences.
Mike’s decades of experience—teaching, cooking, supplying top restaurants, and developing unique wild food products—have shaped GF into a trusted name in both the culinary and wellness worlds.
Mike has taught mushroom identification at the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin, appeared in national outlets like Bon Appétit, Outdoor Life, MarketWatch, and State Plate with Taylor Hicks, and is a contributing writer and photographer for The Minnesota Harvester’s Handbook. He’s also been featured on Minnesota Bound, Prairie Sportsman, and more.
What started with mushrooms has grown into something richer and more wide-reaching:
– Foraging classes & mushroom ID workshops
– Wild food-themed dinners, events, and pop-ups
– Catering and chef collaborations
– Headwater functional mushroom beverages
– Wholesale wild food supply to restaurants across the region
Whether you’re here to learn, taste, wander, or stock your kitchen with something truly unique—Gentleman Forager is here to help you find the good stuff. No fluff. Just deep woods knowledge, honest ingredients, and a whole lot of flavor.
The Story Behind the Forager
I didn’t grow up thinking I’d be “the mushroom guy.” But somewhere along the way, the woods got under my skin and never let go.
What started as a curiosity turned into a calling—one that pulled me out of the corporate world and dropped me, boots first, into the world of fungi, forests, and wild flavor. I began by cultivating mushrooms indoors—long before it was trendy—and quickly became one of the first large-scale mushroom growers in Minnesota.
But growing indoors only scratched the surface. What really captivated me was the forest: the complexity of ecosystems, the sheer variety of edible species, the idea that something as strange and beautiful as a mushroom could be hiding in plain sight if you just knew how to look.
Over the years, I went from selling mushrooms to teaching about them. From picking for restaurants to partnering with chefs. From quiet forays to big wild food dinners and festivals. Eventually, I founded Forest to Fork, the first wild food grocer in America, where customers could watch mushrooms grow inside a massive 20-foot-tall glass chamber. And now, with Gentleman Forager, I’m continuing that journey—blending science, food, and wild exploration into something that helps people reconnect with nature and nourish their curiosity.
I’ve taught thousands of students how to identify mushrooms safely. I’ve eaten stranger things than I care to admit. And I’ve spent more days than I can count with my boots muddy and my pack full.
And honestly? I still get just as excited finding a patch of chanterelles now as I did on day one.
If you’re the kind of person who wants to know what’s out there—and maybe taste it too—you’re in the right place.
Let’s Learn and Have Fun Together
Get in touch so we can start your journey!
