Thank you for considering The Rattlesnake Club! Our History The Rattlesnake Club, owned and operated by premier chef Jimmy Schmidt, made its downtown Detroit debut in 1988 and has since reflected the best of an ever-evolving, contemporary American cuisine. Awards and accolades for Jimmy and his river-front restaurant are many, most notable are the James Beard Foundataion's "Best Chef of the Mid-West" 1993, Detroit Monthly's "Restaurant of the Year" 1995, Gourmet's "America's Top Tables" 1998 and "America's Best Restaurants" 2000, Wine Spectator's "Award Winning Wine Lists" 1993-2000 and the DiRoNA Award 1993-2001. Year after year, Jimmy and his team redefine fine-dining to prove that innovation and excitement combined with delectable menus and recipes provide for an unforgettable dining experience. Private Dining and Catering The Rattlesnake Club has private dining facilities on-premise suitable for parties up to 500 guests and our off-premise catering possibilities are virtually endless. We will cater to any theme or occasion and have traveled across the ocean to bring our world-class dining experience to you. From bar/bat mitzvahs and 40th birthday celebrations to feature film premier parties, charity fundraiser galas and new product launches, we can do it all in our signature, first-class fashion. We have been honored over the last 13 years by providing personalized service at the private residences of Metropolitan Detroit's business and civic leaders for both corporate and personal events. Our social, charity and corporate events range from as few as an intimate four guests to as many as 3,500 guests in lakefront properties, offices, retail stores, museums, sports complexes and backyards across Michigan, the Mid-West and Europe. Our signature Rattlesnake menus offer suggestions to help you through your planning decisions. If your tastes are inclined toward other ingredients, ethnic flavors, theme presentations or specific budgets, we would be happy to design a menu for you. We can satisfy dietary requests with any of the menus you select. We use only the highest quality, fresh, sustainably produced ingredients including USDA prime meats cut to our specifications in our unique menu preparations. All recipes and presentations are created from scratch by our culinary staff in our Detroit-based restaurant. We take pride in providing a unique, personalized fine-dining experience, served by our professionally trained team. Awards Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) Award, 1993-2001 Detroit Free Press' "Michigan's Top Ten Restaurants," 2001 Gourmet's "America's Best Restaurants," 2000 Zagat Survey "America's Top Restaurants", 2000 Wine Spectator's "Award Winning Wine Lists" 1993-2000 AAA Michigan Living's "Treasure Award #1 Chef," 2000 Gourmet's "America's Top Tables," 1998 Detroit Monthly's "Restaurant of the Year," 1995 The James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef in the Mid-West," 1993 (only Michigan chef to receive this award) Restaurant and Institution's "Ivy Award," 1990 Biography of Chef Jimmy Schmidt Jimmy Schmidt, a native mid-westerner, opened the first Rattlesnake Club in Denver, Colorado, in 1985 and, following its success, opened Detroit's Rattlesnake Club in June of 1988. Over the years, many prestigious awards have been bestowed upon Schmidt and The Rattlesnake Club including the Ivy Award, Who's Who of Cooking, the James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef of the Midwest" 1993, Detroit Newspaper's readers poll "Michiganian of the Year 1993," Detroit Monthly's Restaurant of the Year 1995, Gourmet's "America's Top Tables 1998" and the DiRoNA Award 1993-2000. Schmidt is also CEO of Functional Foods Company currently producing his latest creation, SmartChocolates. Schmidt is the author of Cooking for All Seasons (MacMillan, 1991), Jimmy Schmidt's Cooking Class (Detroit Free Press, 1994), and co-author of Heart Healthy Cooking for All Seasons, released in 1996. Schmidt writes a weekly column for the Detroit Free Press/Knight Ridder Wire Services appearing in 200 newspapers across the country. He actively serves on the Board of Overseers of Chefs Collaborative 2000, is an active contributor for Public Voice and is a member of the Young President's Organization (YPO), successfully completing the YPO Executive Training Seminars for 1998, 1999, and 2000 at Harvard Business School. Schmidt is also one of the founding chefs of the culinary charity Share Our Strenght and worked directly with the Department of Agriculture to improve the National School Lunch Program. While studying electrical engineering at the University of Illinois, Schmidt traveled to France to obtain foreign language credits toward his degree. He stayed there to pursue his culinary career and received the French Classic and Provencial Culinary Arts diploma from Luberon College, Avignon, France, and the French Institute Technique du Vin diploma from Maison du Vin in Avignon in 1974. In 1976 he received his Professional Chef's diploma Magna Cum Laude, graduating First in Class, from Modern Gourmet, Inc., Newton Cetnre, Massachusetts, under the direction of Madeleine Kamman. After serving as Senior Chef at Chez La Mere Madeleine, New Centre, Mass., he moved to Detroit in 1977 to become Executive Chef and Executive General Manager of the London Chop House. The Rattlesnake Club Art Collection Featuring the works of noted artists including: Jim Dyne Frank Stella Lisa Spindler Robert Schefman Louise Nevelson & many more Beautifully appointed surroundings enhance a diner's experience and Jimmy Schmidt has ensured just that at The Rattlesnake Club. Schmidt's belief that your dining experience begins as you enter the restaurant and ends when you leave is evident not only in the food, but also in the decor of the restaurant itself. Your experience encompasses the ambience and accoutrements such as comfortable furniture, classic French china, shining silverware, sparkling crystal, artful food presentation, complimenting wines and beverages, soothing music and, most importantly, world-class, professional service. Our goal is to provide you with such an outstanding dining experience that you will treasure it until your next visit. We invite you to take a moment and appreciate our fine art collection, then relax and enjoy your meal with us.