Cameo owners are off and running with renovations on new concept inside athletic club

The brainchild behind Cameo at the Castle, temporarily limited to food truck service due to Covid-19, has announced plans to expand into the Rochester Athletic Club — with an updated menu and a new brand.

Cafe Relish, operating under the same LLC as Cameo, will occupy the space currently known as the Club Cafe and Deli — just past the main entrance of the RAC. Head chef Zach Ohly says negotiations started before Covid-19 hit, but the pandemic greatly affected the final vision for the space, which will undergo a full remodel before the restaurant opens.

“With Covid, what we’ve found is that minimizing contact is great for guests,” said Ohly. “People want to be able to grab what they want and go. That’s on the forefront of their mind, so we took that into account when we designed the space.”

The emphasis on a ‘grab-and-go’ concept can be found in the menu as well — expect soups, salads, sandwiches and smoothies to be the main offerings, but don’t be surprised if some Cameo favorites hit the menu at some point. The restaurant, while past the main entrance to the RAC, will be open to the public. 

While Cameo’s location inside the Castle remains temporarily closed (hopefully re-opening this fall), Ohly says the Cafe Relish/RAC agreement is designed to last for years — adding a sleeker, faster-paced, health-conscious option to the Cameo umbrella.

“I think we’ll be a great addition to an already great, nationally recognized, health club,” said Ohly. “We’ll come in with some insight on how to operate that hospitality side, freshen up the menu, and give people some different options. We’re really excited to get started.”

While Ohly says there’s no set opening date just yet, expect to hear more before the snow flies.

Isaac Jahns is a Rochester native and a 2019 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism. He reports on politics, business and music for Med City Beat.