Over the next six years, Chowgirls gained recognition and awards from local organizations and publishers such as Minnesota Bride and Minnesota Monthly. By 2008, Chowgirls’ dedication to sustainability was prevalent, having piloted a commercial composting program with Eureka Recycling and working with Hennepin Environment to help restaurants and businesses prevent waste.

Operations expanded as we opened a lunch counter in Dinkytown, and catered major networks like The Daily Show and PBS NewsHour, moved to and built a new kitchen at 1222 Second Street NE, and then launched Chowgirls Parlor on the same street.

Heidi and Amy, with the help of Field Guide Inc, threw an epic soirée at the now-defunct Aria event space. A celebration of slow and healthy company growth and the staff who helped them build Chowgirls from the ground up, this party featured classic dishes from our formative years, terrarium-style botanicals, and a glorious branded cake from our friends at Butter Cream Wedding Cakes.

Over the next three years, Chowgirls is put on the map! Heidi and Amy embark on a U.S. tour for TV appearances and book signings for their cookbook, Chowgirls Killer Party Foods: Righteous Bites and Cocktails for Every Season published by Arsenal Pulp Press. To support their rapid growth, Chowgirls buys Joseph Catering and moves into a larger headquarters at 331 Hoover St. NE.

Over twenty awards and a thriving team, Chowgirls is booming having catered for major brands such as Tiffany's, Land O Lakes, NBC, General Mills, Carlson Companies, Ameriprise Financial, MN Landscape Arboretum, MN Orchestra, and Guthrie Theater.

Instead of celebrating their 15th anniversary in 2019, Heidi and Amy planned a Sweet Sixteen soirée for March 12, 2020 — but the pandemic changed everything. Following suit of other events in the news, they officially canceled the 400-person event. ⁠

Adapting quickly, Chowgirls partnered with Second Harvest Heartland to launch Kitchen Coalition, an initiative to rescue food, employ chefs, and feed the community. In response to George Floyd’s murder, they also removed "Killer" from their name, embracing a more inclusive brand identity.

After navigating the challenges of the pandemic, Chowgirls returned to catering in 2020, adapting to new protocols while helping clients celebrate safely. In 2022, they launch a brand refresh with the help of Ari Lamb of ALC, introducing sub-brands — Classic, Concepts, By-the-Box, and Cordial — offering four thoughtful catering solutions. 

Chowgirls celebrated 20 years of business in 2024 with a Roaring 20th Anniversary event in the Guthrie Theater's event space. Surrounded by close friends, family, business partners, and longtime chefs and employees, Heidi and Amy celebrated two decades of exceptional hospitality, sustainability, and community-driven catering.