A Main Street Mainstay: Cue Montage

June 18, 2025

By April Pearson

With a commitment to serving quality food from local ingredients, cultivating local relationships near and far, and treating customers and workers well, Montage is about more than fine dining — it’s about creating connections in the community.

In Partnership

Six years ago, Jim Landau approached his three favorite employees — Mike Keller, Cody Tucker and Dorian Larson — to see if they’d be interested in buying their favorite place of employment — his restaurant, Montage. 
 
“We all had been working here for quite a while,” says Keller, “and we all loved it, so of course we said yes!” The three friends purchased the business from Jim and Jodi Landau in 2021 and transitioned from employees to employers.
 
Keller does the bookkeeping and accounting; Tucker oversees the back of the house, including food orders and kitchen scheduling; and Larson is in charge of the front of the house, including servers, bartenders and hosts. “But we’re all pretty familiar with each other’s roles, so we can help each other out and keep things fluid.” Keller points out that they also have three wonderful managers, as well as a loyal and competent staff who make their lives easier.
 
Of course, they kept the name Montage because, “it fits well with what we’re trying to do,” says Keller. “It allows us to explore and expand the world of culinary arts, instead of sticking with just one type of cuisine.”
 
Where does Montage source ingredients?
   • B&R Quality Meats, Ackley (pork chops and sirloins)
   • Cup of Joe, Cedar Falls (coffee and tea)
   • Hansen’s Dairy, Hudson (dairy and bread)
   • Junior Greens, Cedar Falls (greens)
   • Mariposa Farms, Grinnell (herbs)
   • Martin Brothers, Cedar Falls (various ingredients)
   • Monarch Farms, Waterloo (apples)
   • Sysco Iowa, Ankeny (strip loins and tenderloins)

In the Kitchen

The chef de cuisine at Montage is Michael DeVore, and the sous chef is Austin Carlson. “Both of them are very experienced, and they’re always willing to try new things,” says Keller. “We actually encourage them to stage at other restaurants.” In the culinary world, “staging” refers to working for free in another restaurant to grow their skills and techniques. “They've staged in Minneapolis, Chicago, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids — a bunch of places — to learn as much as they can from different chefs. And they bring that expertise back to us.”
 
Thanks to the chefs’ and owners’ high standards, almost everything at Montage is prepared from scratch. “Our desserts, sauces, dressings — all of it is made in-house,” says Keller. “There are very few things we don't make ourselves.” Known for its flavorful protein entrees, Montage goes through at least 100 pounds of pork chops, 100 pounds of sirloin, 80 pounds of New York strip and 70 pounds of tenderloin per week.
 
Between the fresh, locally produced ingredients and the care Montage puts into every dish, customers recognize quality when they taste it. “Iowans seem to have a deeper appreciation for their food because they understand where it comes from and what it takes to produce it,” says Michael Rosenberg, a bartender at Montage.
 
One of Montage’s top-selling entrees is the pasta alfredo. Made with just a few simple ingredients — fresh cream, butter, garlic and parmesan cheese — this decadent dish is available with chicken or shrimp. Another signature item is the prime-cut sirloin, served with a savory side, such as herb-roasted vegetables, twice-baked potatoes or goat cheese risotto. The newest menu item is quickly gaining popularity — the espresso-chili New York strip, which pairs nicely with fresh snap peas, whipped sweet potatoes or a light Asian slaw.
 
And for dessert? How about a crème brûlée, seasonal cheesecake or chocolate soufflé with vanilla ice cream?

In Celebration

Montage’s variety of culinary delights appeals to a variety of customer appetites. From a couple out on the town to a college professor on an interview, from a family celebrating a milestone to a business hosting a catered event off-site, Montage is perfect for special occasions. “Anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, prom — people are always going to have reasons to go out and have a nice dinner,” says Keller, “and I think that's one really good thing about us.”
 
Montage’s unique combination of exceptional yet affordable food, upscale yet relaxed environment, and knowledgeable yet friendly staff makes it a dining experience everyone can enjoy. “The food here is excellent, and the space has a classy aesthetic,” says Rosenberg. “I like working for a fine dining establishment that’s also very welcoming.”
 
Keller says, “One thing Jim and Jodi established early on was that they wanted it to be a family-friendly restaurant, so there isn't a dress code or anything like that, and kids are always welcome.”

In the Community

“I moved to Cedar Falls and just fell in love with it,” says Keller. “The community here wants to support small businesses and local people. And you get that everywhere in Iowa, whether it’s a town of 600 or it’s Des Moines. It creates deeper relationships and a sense of community that’s harder to find anywhere else.”
 
Montage is heavily involved with Community Main Street, an organization that produces events in downtown Cedar Falls for residents, businesses and visitors. “Sturgis Falls is a big event here, with carnival rides, concerts and activities for kids,” says Keller. “We also do a block party every year, where they close down Main Street and have sand volleyball, a band, a silent disco — it’s basically a get-together for people in the community to come and hang out. And then we have RAIGBRAI this year, so that’ll be beneficial for everybody too.”
 
Montage supports higher education in several ways, including sponsoring shows at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and donating to the Allen Legacy Program for nursing students at Allen College. What’s more, most of Montage’s employees are students from Hawkeye, UNI and Wartburg. “The managers are nice, and they’re good about working with my schedule,” says Rosenberg, a senior at UNI. “My job is challenging, but it doesn’t stress me out, so I can still focus on school.”
 
Turnover is surprisingly low, especially for a business that employs college students. “Jim and Jodi set up a good foundation for the culture we have here, and I’m glad we've been able to continue that,” says Keller. “Our biggest factor for turnover is graduation, and that’s something we've always prided ourselves on.”
 
Keller continues, “We've had five or six sets of siblings, where all of the siblings have worked here, starting in high school and working all through college, and even into grad school. So they’ve worked here for like eight years, and we've watched them grow up! That’s really cool to see.”

In Conclusion

Montage is more than a restaurant. It’s a Cedar Falls main street mainstay built on long-term partnerships, quality cuisine and service, and authentic relationships in the community. From locally sourced ingredients to a culture that values both staff and guests, it remains a welcoming space for everyday moments and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.