A Family Recipe Over Five Generations in the Making
The Kalmes story didn't start in a commercial kitchen — it started in the heartland of America in St. Donatus, Iowa in the 1850s, when Peter Kalmes opened his bar and began crafting bold, honest flavors that would define five generations of family cooking.
What began as a hand-blended seasoning crafted for family meals became something neighbors, friends, and eventually customers couldn't stop talking about. The secret? A commitment to real ingredients, balanced flavor, and a tenderizing technique that transforms even the toughest cuts into something extraordinary.
That original recipe — the one that started it all — lives on today in our Kalmes Famous 2-in-1 Meat Tenderizer & Seasoning. It's the same bold, savory blend rooted in five generations of family tradition, now available to bring that same restaurant-quality experience to your table. Alongside it, our SUPERB BLEND Breading Mix carries the same heritage — the same crispy, golden coating that made Kalmes Restaurant a Midwest institution.
The Kalmes Legacy in Photos
The original Kalmes store & service station, St. Donatus, Iowa
Kalmes Store — Complete Dinner Menu, St. Donatus, Iowa
Theodore & Stella Kalmes inside the original bar — "WINDY" in Training
Windy & Helen Kalmes — behind the bar, St. Donatus, Iowa
Kalmes Restaurant & Catering — Celebrating 60 Years, 1956–2016
Peter Kalmes — the man who started it all, St. Donatus, Iowa, 1850s
Kalmes Catering on location — feeding the Midwest, one event at a time
Kalmes catering in action — steaks on the grill, Midwest style
Kalmes Foods — keeping the family tradition alive
Kalmes Famous Seasoning & SUPERB BLEND — on shelves across the Midwest
Five Generations. One Family. One Standard.
In a world of mass-produced seasonings, Kalmes Foods remains a family brand with a real history rooted in St. Donatus, Iowa — a small Luxembourg Village community with a big culinary legacy. We don't just sell seasoning — we carry forward a legacy of flavor that started long before grocery store spice aisles existed.
By 1956, that legacy had grown into Kalmes Restaurant & Catering — serving the Tri-State Area and earning Best Caterer 22+ consecutive years in Iowa, Illinois & Wisconsin. The same recipes that earned those awards are the foundation of every product we make today.
When you cook with Kalmes, you're not just seasoning a steak. You're connecting with a tradition that's been perfected across five generations of an Iowa family that has never compromised on flavor.
From Our Kitchen to Yours
Today, Kalmes Foods products are available in 60+ retail locations across Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Alaska — and online with free shipping on orders $35+. Whether you're a home cook or a professional chef, our seasonings and breading mixes deliver the same restaurant-quality results that Kalmes has been known for since the 1850s.
