From Our Family Restaurant to Your Kitchen
Rooted in St. Donatus, Iowa, the Kalmes family has spent five generations perfecting legendary flavors passed down through the years. Our family restaurant and catering operation (est. 1980s) has proven these recipes for decades — with one mission: serve the most tender, flavorful steaks in the Midwest. The secret? A proprietary 2-in-1 meat tenderizer and seasoning blend developed in our own kitchen.
For decades, customers kept asking, “What’s your secret?” Finally, we decided to share it. Today, that same restaurant-proven formula is available to home cooks, professional chefs, and food service operations across America — in every bottle of Kalmes seasoning and breading.
Kalmes Famous Deluxe Steak Seasoning & Tenderizer — restaurant-proven on the grill
22 Years — Best Catering Business
Voted the #1 Catering Business in the Tri-State Area for 22 consecutive years.
Iowa • Illinois • Wisconsin
Our Story: From Iowa to Your Table
📍 The Beginning — Where It All Started
Five generations of our family have been perfecting these recipes in professional kitchens — our family restaurant and catering operation (est. 1980s) has proven them for decades. That same spirit of hospitality and bold flavor lives on in every jar of Kalmes seasoning today.
Theodore & Stella Kalmes — “Windy” in Training
The Kalmes family — St. Donatus, Iowa
📍 Mid-Century — The Kalmes Store & Tavern
The Kalmes family operated a general store, tavern, and service station in St. Donatus — a community cornerstone for generations.
The original Kalmes tavern & service station
Kalmes Store — St. Donatus, Iowa
Windy & Helen Kalmes — behind the bar, St. Donatus, Iowa
Kalmes Famous Seasoning & SUPERB BLEND — on shelves across the Midwest
📍 1956–2016 — Celebrating 60 Years of Restaurant & Catering
Kalmes Restaurant & Catering served St. Donatus, Iowa for 60 years, earning 22 consecutive Best Catering Business awards across Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Kalmes Restaurant & Catering — Celebrating 60 Years (1956–2016)
Inside Kalmes Restaurant
Taste the Legacy for Yourself
Five generations of Iowa flavor — now in your kitchen. Restaurant-proven, family-perfected.
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