Chef Dave Ellis

01/30/2023

The burger I would’ve made at the end of “The Menu”

Here I have a classic burger with a beet hummus, roasted red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, purple kale, sweet potato, pickled red onions, goat cheese, tomato, and arugula.

12/27/2022

I’ve been silent lately as my life has shifted gears and transitioned into its next phase. If you know me personally then you’re aware of what I’ve been up to, for those that don’t, I have returned to my families restaurant with the opportunity to fully focus on creating specials. SunnySide Cafe has been apart of the Williamston community for almost 18 years and has always been family owned and operated. It’s a continuation of my grandmother’s restaurant that she ran for 13 years in Milford starting in the 70s.
On the bright side I have plenty of interesting content to share and to start here’s a taste of what I’ve been working on.

House-Smoked Pork Breakfast Tacos with sweet potato, onion bacon jam, pickled onions, scallions, cojita cheese, and a crema made from a reduction of the pork jus.

Sweet Potato Waffle with fried pears, Rumchata whip cream, apple syrup, and candied bacon.

Pumpkin Pie Stuffed French Toast with a pumpkin cream cheese filling and topped with a pumpkin frosting and glaze.

Seasonal Root Hash with beetroot, rutabaga, sweet potato, onions, peppers, and a spinach/beet green mixture.

Butter Pecan Cinnamon Roll with a maple bourbon brown butter cream sauce, butter pecan syrup, and topped with candied pecans.

Elvis Pancake topped with fresh bananas, peanut buttercream, and candied bacon.

11/21/2022

It was love at first sight when I first saw the stuffed donut creation. My favorite was fruity pebbles themed. It used a fresh locally made donut filled with a strawberry sauce, fruity pebbles, and ice cream that is pressed in a special contraption that makes to donut warm while the ice creams stays soft. I knew I had to recreate it!

I started off with one of my freshly baked cinnamon rolls and cut it in half, topping it with a cinnamon honey butter and a new Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rolls cereal. I then topped that with my own apple butter glaze & frosting followed by a milk dud powder. After the stage was set I added my large scoop of cookies & cream ice cream and headed to the hot press. I used what I had and pressed it using a mini pie maker. (Not quite the same as is used on the original recipe but that explains the odd shape at the end) After a quick press the sandwich came out exactly as they described, hot on the outside and cold on the inside. Topping it with more glaze, frosting, and powder this little recreation is my new favorite!

Sadly is west coast based and hasn’t spread to the east coast or Midwest yet but I highly recommend following them and enjoying everything they offer.

11/16/2022

Growing up in Michigan one of my favorite fall time memories is going to the cider mill. When you grow up in the area I did, that place is with the freshest cider and donuts! When creating a special seasonal cinnamon roll that captured the nostalgia from those childhood memories, I decided to use all ingredients coming from the mill.
I started off by taking a bushel of fresh apples and cooked them in a cinnamon clove sugar until they were soft and caramelized. I also took an apple butter and turned it into a frosting and a glaze. Next I topped it with a donut crumble that I made from fresh donuts out of the bakery that were twice baked in a cinnamon clove sugar.
Paired with a cup of mulled cider this one really captured the feeling of fall in Michigan.

11/07/2022

This monstrous creation was inspired by those incredibly large Bloody Mary’s that look like they could feed a small family. This behemoth was not for the weak of heart and was called The Strawberry Explosion. It consisted of a double stack of pancakes made from a strawberry batter covered in a strawberry frosting, then topped with cake balls, strawberry pocky sticks, strawberry ice cream, a cheesecake frosting, and a strawberry compote.
By the time this was on its way out of the kitchen I couldn’t help but feeling like Dr. Frankenstein watching my monster come to life.

11/02/2022

These are two of my favorite seasonal special cinnamon rolls I made for the month of October. They both involved a new technique that I discovered thanks to my curious mind and the love of mixing sweet and savory flavors. I thought to myself, “I bet someone has candied pumpkin before.” It turns out candied pumpkin is a tradition that is multiple centuries old.

Candied pumpkin, or Calabaza en Tacha is a traditional Mexican recipe that dates back centuries to pre-Hispanic times when natives of the northwestern state of Michoacán would cook the squash in a fire pit oven with honey. Now a days you can typically find this dish during Día de los Mu***os, a holiday meant to remember, honor, and celebrate departed family members that have passed.

After finding out the long and celebrated tradition of candied pumpkin I knew I had to honor that while also being true to my style.
I started off by breaking down my locally grown sugar pumpkin like I would any squash and then cooking it in a brown sugar simple syrup with some of my favorite spices that consist of cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice berries, clove, nutmeg, coriander, mace, and peppercorn. Once the pumpkin reached its desired texture I strained it out and set aside some of the remaining liquid to be reduced into a syrup.

This first cinnamon roll I paired the candied pumpkin with a pumpkin crème anglaise, pumpkin spice syrup, and a pumpkin frosting.
The second roll I ran featuring this technique I decided the cover the candied pumpkin in chocolate and paired it with a frosting and glaze I made with pumpkin butter that I got from as well as freeze dried milk duds from Silver Harvest, a local vendor I met through the

11/01/2022

Adventure awaits at every farmers market I find myself at. Last month while stopping by the I was able to get my knife sharpened and repaired while I shopped the local vendors and obtained some seasonal produce including cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, ghost peppers, and Carolina reaper peppers. I also stopped by and purchased a beautiful custom made cutting board that’ll serve as a perfect background for future pictures.

10/25/2022

I absolutely love chorizo and everything it brings to a dish. I’ll never forget my first time experiencing chorizo and I feel obligated to share it with anyone that hasn’t.
This dish is an old favorite and my style in a nutshell. I believe in using new exciting flavors presented in a familiar way to make them more approachable. I call this Chorizo Benedict. I play on a traditional classic but using different ingredients that consist of chorizo, avocado, salsa verde, a soft poached egg, and pickled onions.

10/18/2022

Recently I was able to enjoy a dining experience from the other side of the plate and was invited to a wine dinner hosted by featuring wine from
It was a refreshing experience to sit and meet new people over delicious wine paired with full flavored and thoughtful food prepared by some young and ambitious local chefs.

10/14/2022

I love cooking with lavender and recently I was gifted some delicious lavender cherry granola from and it inspired this beautiful market roll.
To accomplish the flavors and textures I was aiming for I went with a lemon lavender crème anglaise, a lavender blueberry syrup, cherry lavender granola, fresh blueberries, and calendula petals for color.
Crème anglaise is French for “English cream” and is a custard like sauce. I started off by steeping some fresh lavender flower from in heavy cream. Once strained I then slowly added the hot cream to a sugar and egg yoke mixture while constantly whisking. This technique is referred to tempering your eggs. It’s important to whisk constantly and vigorously to gradually raise the temperature of the eggs with out cooking them and making scrambled eggs.
Once all the ingredients are combined I returned the mixture to the pan on a low heat while continuing to whisk. This will allow the sauce to thicken to the desired consistency without cooking the eggs. To avoid cooked eggs it would be best to use a double boiler.
When I was happy with the texture of the sauce I added the zest of several lemons and then put the sauce into an ice bath to drop the temp as soon as possible. I love using this recipe because it’s versatile and simple to change up the flavor to fit whatever recipe being made.
When making the syrup I used fresh blueberries and grapes from Wesenberg Produce, all grown here in Michigan. I made the fruit into a delicious compote and then steeped it with more fresh lavender flower and strained once finished.
This roll has been the most popular and my favorite market roll special to date.

10/10/2022

There’s a fungus among us! Back by popular demand from my market crowd at the here’s my seasonal mushroom gravy. I went back to and decided on a diverse selection of color and texture this time. The gravy included 8 different mushrooms containing: shiitake, cremini, portobello, lobster, royal trumpet, yellow oyster, and chanterelle. I also used dried porcini mushrooms that were rehydrated and allowed for full flavor base.
Fun fact about lobster “mushrooms” is that they aren’t a mushroom at all. They are a parasitic fungus that grows on specific species of mushrooms known as Lactatius and Russula. It turns it’s host into the beautiful reddish orange color and when cooked it looks, feels, and taste similar to lobster.
I was beyond excited to obtain such a diverse selection of fresh fungi to bring intriguing textures and flavors to this dish.

10/05/2022

Bread pudding is one of my favorite go-to recipes when I’m running heavy on seasonal fruit. In my mind it’s a great way to allow ingredients to come together and create magical flavors and textures.
Here’s a recipe that features peaches, blackberries, and blueberry. I also used some extra leftover cinnamon rolls that were repurposed and allowed for amazing flavor. Typically I’d use croissants, but when in Rome use what you have.
It’s important that once all the ingredients are combined that they are allowed to sit, chill out, mingle and mix before it’s baked off. This will enable a more delicious and gooey dish in the end.

09/30/2022

Here’s a throwback to a special I ran showing an example of the many ways to present the wonderful flavor or pork. Everything was made in house as it starts of with a savory/sweet corn bread, homemade Mac & Cheese, pulled pork with a house made sauce derived from all the drippings and veggies from the pork, and topped off with my signature recipe of pickled onions. The colors flavor and texture of this dish always make me happy.

09/22/2022

I just can’t help myself when it comes to this freshly grown Michigan fruit. Bringing back my freshly baked extra gooey cinnamon rolls topped with scratch made glaze, beautiful fruit and a compote made with blueberries and grapes. All fruit comes from Wesenberg Produce as they’re consistently providing top quality produce that’s bursting with flavor. Can’t wait to share what I have brewing this week.

09/19/2022

Last week while I was at the I was able to pick up the most beautiful purple majesty potatoes and a variety of fresh garlic from and decided to make a dish that highlighted the fresh ingredients of the season.

I’ve prepared it along side some marinated chicken, fresh shiitake mushrooms from and used the Wolfmoon garlic. I deglazed the pan and made a sauce with the garlic and some scallions.

09/12/2022

Over Labor Day weekend I had the opportunity to cook for my family and I decided to go with some local seasonal produce, chicken, gnocchi, and topped with my special mushroom gravy. The gravy consisted of six different mushrooms: portobello, shiitake, oyster, blue oyster, cremini, and porcini. The fresh mushrooms come from and then I stopped by the for the fresh vegetables from several different vendors.

09/07/2022

If you know me then you’ve probably enjoyed my pulled pork in a recipe of some sort. There’s nothing I enjoy more then the king processes of properly preparing a pork shoulder/butt. The is succulent swine came from as they always provide top quality cuts of meat.

This specific run was special to me as I made it for the celebration of life for my grandpa. It had been over a decade since anyone on my mothers side of the family had experienced my cooking. It meant a lot and was important that I express to them who I’ve become over the last 10 years.

I start my process by submerging the shoulder in a brine that consist of salt, sugar, citrus and my favorite herbs and spices. After 24 hours I pull it and allow it to dry another 12-24 hours.

Once she’s ready I apply my signature blend of SweetHeat pork rub and place it over a bed of onions, dried chiles, fresh garlic, and fresh aromatics. Some of the brine is added to keep things moist.

The time to cook will be relevant to your cook temperature. I usually start the oven off slightly higher for the first hour or two and then bring it down a bit lower for the final 3-4 hours. Once she’s finished I’ll pull from the oven and allow to rest before I dive in.

After I’ve pulled and separated all the meat, I would then thoroughly blend everything left over and reduce. As it reduces I would add necessary herbs and spices to taste. Using a slurry at the end if needed. Before the sauce is thickened to the consistency I would want for serving I will add it to the meat and help make it moist and delicious.

Once there you can do anything from sliders to tacos or even some outrageous mashup of your favorite food.

08/30/2022

Here’s a throwback to one of my favorite creations. It started off with an idea and a sleepless night that ended with this. I give you Candied Chorizo Cornbread Pancake with Ancho Chile Syrup, Poblano Salsa Verde, Pickled Onions with a poached egg.

08/27/2022

B-E-A-UTIFUL!!
Here’s one of my gooey freshly baked cinnamon rolls topped with fresh berries from Wesenberg Produce. You can find me every Saturday at

06/26/2022

“The people who give you their food give you their heart”

I’ve always felt that when I’m cooking I’m creating an intimate gift that is also a part of me. Spreading happiness one dish at a time.

06/19/2022

Some days you just gotta treat yourself

03/16/2022

Fresh to death. Had a lot of fun today and was able to take my sweet daughter to her first food show. Excited for new ideas for future specials.

01/06/2022

Started the new year off with this beautiful Bo Ssäm from dinners. This succulent piece of meat filled the air with an intoxicating aroma and melted in your mouth with some classic sliders.

04/06/2021

Preorder tomorrow or stop by between 430-630!

04/01/2021

Here we go. I’m excited to announce my next pop-up dinner of the year! I’m bringing back some favorites from past dinners and sharing with you some of my favorite flavors.
The menu consist of three different sliders on ciabatta buns:
Smoked BBQ Beef
Chicken Shawarma
Smoked Pork with Chimmichurri
The sides being:
Chile Rellenos Tamales
Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Mini Street Corn Quesadilla

I’ll be hosted by Sunnyside Cafe in Williamston on Wednesday, April 7th. You can preorder by calling (517) 655-7006. Come by and experience a melting pot of exciting flavor!

02/16/2021

Call now to reserve your dinner tonight!

Dinner tonight: a pop-up menu by
Chef Dave Ellis, there are still some spots left!
Schedule a pickup time or dine-in with us, limited seating available. Call 517-655-7006 to get your order in!

02/10/2021

Guess who’s back, back again. Coming at you with my first pop-up of the year and I decided to bring it a little closer to home. I’ll be sharing flavors that remind me of my adventures living in the great state of Michigan.
The menu consists of three sliders:
Deep Fried Mac & Cheese with Onion Bacon Jam
Creamy Buffalo Chicken
Smoked Pork with Chimmichurri
The sides being:
Chile Rellenos Tamales
Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Mini Street Corn Quesadilla

I’ll be hosted by Sunnyside Cafe in Williamston on Tuesday, February 16, and you can pre-order all week by calling (517)655-7006. Come by and experience a melting pot of exciting flavor.

01/14/2021

Hi I’m Dave. This is me. With all my quirks, passions, flaws, and aspirations. Here to remind you that mental health matters, Rome wasn’t built in a day, take each day one step at a time, and be kind to yourself. Spread love, defend truth. Don’t forget to sanitize, have a beautiful day, and most of all you can do it!

01/11/2021

Show & Tell. Here are my toys, the tools of the trade, and the favorite among all my collections. I’ve been building this up for over 8 years. Every item has its purpose and story behind why and when I obtained it. My first knife and still my workhorse to this day is my 10 inch Wusthof. I feel it was important to add my speaker to the chef roll since music is just important as a good blade.

01/08/2021

Working on the weekend specials. Caution wide load coming through. I’m bringing back an old favorite, the big breakfast burrito covered in chorizo gravy. I’m paying homage to my family by taking our traditional sausage gravy and fusing it with the exciting flavor of spicy sausage that chorizo brings.

You’d best hold on for this next one. Having fun with your pallet here on the Sweet Carol with a beautiful marriage of sweet and savory. I grilled one of our freshly baked cinnamon rolls and topped it with a sausage patty, eggs, house made sausage gravy and cheddar cheese. Adventurous eaters come out and try one or both of these tasty specials.