His culinary journey began at a young age. "It just always called to me," he says. "I started off as a dishwasher, and I really liked the atmosphere. And then I quickly moved up to line cook and sous chef." That initial exposure to the fast-paced world of professional kitchens ignited a passion. After steadily climbing the ranks, Mikkelsen attended culinary school and became an executive chef by age 22, working in restaurants across Minneapolis.
But the allure of the mountains and a change of pace drew him to Colorado in 2016. "My sister was out here, and it just sounded like fun to move out here at the time," he says. After a stint in Glenwood Springs, where he worked at the popular upscale restaurant the Pullman, Mikkelsen and his girlfriend decided to move to Boulder, where he had a brief stint at Oak at Fourteenth before moving on to work at Rosetta Hall and Acreage by Stem Ciders.
Still, "I just kind of wanted to branch off and do my own thing," Mikkelsen says. Noting a lack of Nordic cuisine in the local scene, he set his sights on starting a food truck. "I'm Danish and Norwegian. I just wanted to bring Scandinavian cuisine to Colorado."
A Scandinavian twist on the taco made with Swedish-style meatballs on lefse (traditional Norwegian flatbread).
Jared Mikkelsen
It's been five years since he "found a guy in Florida to build [his truck]," he remembers. "I drove all the way down there, picked it up and hauled it all the way back. Within six months, I was open."
The name Grey Duck Eats draws inspiration from the classic childhood game Duck, Duck, Goose. "Minnesota is the only state that plays Duck, Duck, Grey Duck, which is a Scandinavian game," Mikkelsen says. "We're not sure if the translation is correct or not, but we will take it to our grave."
Over the years, Mikkelsen's homage to his childhood and culture has earned a dedicated following. The most popular smørrebrød include the classic smoked salmon and the hot ham and Swiss, as well as vegetarian options such as beets and spuds. "The spuds are kind of like a deconstructed potato salad on top of bread. I confit them in butter, then cool them down and slice them onto a sandwich served cold. A lot of smørrebrød places in Denmark do this style of sandwich," he explains.
His favorite dish, though, is the meatball tacos. "It's a play on Swedish meatballs, which are served on lefse, a Norwegian potato flatbread, and that's what I use as the tortilla," Mikkelsen says. "So you've got the cream, you've got the potatoes with the lefse, you've got the lingonberry jam and the pickles, and then you've got the meatballs. Traditionally, lefse is either served with just butter or butter and sugar, and you roll it up, and it's kind of like an appetizer or a dessert. I don't know how my grandmother would feel about me turning them into tacos, but here we are," he adds with a laugh.
Mikkelsen sources his lefse from a small company in northern Minnesota, while the bread for the smørrebrød is made locally by Moxie Bread Co.
Grey Duck Eats typically rotates between the Rayback Collective and Wild Provisions in Boulder, 4 Noses Brewing Company in Broomfield, Odd13 Brewing in Lafayette, and occasionally Lafayette's Liquid Mechanics.
While Mikkelsen dreams of opening a brick-and-mortar one day, he's focused on expanding his catering services and participating in more events for now. "I just want people to know more about Scandinavian culture, because it's not very well represented here," he concludes. "It's hearty but still healthy food. I try to locally source as much as I possibly can, and it's just something different than French fries and tacos."
For more information about Grey Duck Eats, including its schedule, follow it on Instagram @greyduckeats.
