Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders

On a special edition of Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie tours High Stakes by Bartolotta and the Peacock Lounge with Bartolotta Restaurant Group owner and co-founder, two-time James Beard Award winner, Chef Paul Bartolotta. They explore the restaurant’s art-deco design, unique dining rooms, exclusive Wagyu program, and the playful Milwaukee Players Room that honors Milwaukee community leade...

Live from Studio D, host Charlie sits down with Scott Marshall, CEO of Community Smiles Dental, to cook a simple meal—steak with collard greens and chickpeas—and discuss Scott’s journey from radio marketing to nonprofit leadership.   The episode highlights Community Smiles Dental’s work bridging gaps in pediatric dental care for children on Medicaid in Southeast Wisconsin, the challenges families...

On this episode of Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie visits Sobelman’s Pub & Grill to chat with owner Dave Sobelman.   They discuss the bar’s history, roots as an original Schlitz pub, and how Dave turned a neighborhood tavern into a city-famous spot for burgers and over-the-top Bloody Marys.   They talk about the viral chicken-topped Bloody Mary, the Shepherd Express breakthrough, their...

To start the 5th year of Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, host Charlie visits Fishbone Social in midtown Milwaukee   He chats with Bria Grant, executive director of UniteWI, about the new restaurant and community hub.   The episode highlights Fishbone’s mission: combining hospitality with workforce development by training community health workers, creating job pathways, and building econo...

Join Host Charlie at Döner Kebab in Milwaukee to meet co-owners Ray and Alma. He watches how they prepare Germany's favorite street food: rotisserie Black Angus shaved into warm, homemade flatbread with lettuce, red cabbage, onion, and signature herb-spicy sauces.   The episode explores the dish's popularity in Germany (about 16,000 shops serving 2 million people daily), shows the in-house bread a...

Cooking Nigerian Classics with Chef Titi - Egusi, Fufu, Jollof Rice   Join the International YouTube Collab as Chef Titi of Taste of Africa guides a flavorful journey through Nigerian cuisine, preparing jollof rice, egusi (melon-seed) soup, pounded yam fufu, fried plantains, and fried beef.   The episode mixes cooking tips, cultural context, and a tasting around the table, showcasing authentic ing...

In this episode of Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, host Charlie cooks cheeseburgers and sweet potato fries with Kristopher Pollard, Milwaukee Film's giving and membership director. They grill, make a Big Mac–style "special sauce" and a sriracha dipping sauce, and sit down to enjoy the meal.   Between bites, Christopher talks about his journey to Milwaukee, his work building Milwaukee Fil...

On this episode of Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie visits Kinship Café in downtown Milwaukee. He chats with Café Culinary Manager Shania Hutchins about the menu and the café’s role in workforce development. Together, they sample a Mediterranean grilled salmon salad.   The episode highlights Kinship’s mission to train and employ community members, Shania’s culinary journey from Tandem to Ki...

On this episode of Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie chats with Megan Todd, co-owner of La Masa Empanada Bar, about their two Milwaukee locations.   La Masa features freshly made empanadas and recently expanded into the Milwaukee Public Market. They discuss menu evolution, brunch offerings, and the fast-paced grab-and-go concept at the market.   The episode highlights La Masa's commitment to...

Live from Studio D, host Charlie welcomes Megan Seppmann, Chief Commercial Officer of the Wisconsin Center District.  Megan shares her family spin on a spicy, veggie-forward bolognese-style sauce, featuring chicken meatballs, ground beef, roasted poblano peppers, and jalapeño-stuffed olives.   Between cooking steps, Megan discusses her Minnesota roots, hospitality career, and how the Baird Center...

In this episode of Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie visits Momo Mee and talks with owner Himanshu Makansa about the pan-Asian restaurant’s focus on handmade soup dumplings (momo) and noodle dishes (mee), plus its local awards and loyal following.   The episode highlights Momo Mee’s steamed soup dumplings, Korean spicy noodles, craft cocktails, large portions, newly added halal options, and...

Join Charlie and Chef Joe Parajecki as they cook Bigos, Poland’s national dish — a hearty blend of pork, beef, kielbasa, sauerkraut, dried mushrooms, prunes, and spices — and let it simmer to perfection.   Along the way, they discuss the Polish Center of Wisconsin, Polish Fest, Joe’s culinary work, and an upcoming foodie tour in Poland, then taste the finished dish.   You can watch the YouTube vid...

Charlie visits Fiddleheads in Lake Leelanau, MI, to speak with co-owner Chef Joshua Deters, who also runs the historic VI Grill in Suttons Bay, MI. They discuss Joshua’s Cincinnati roots, culinary training, and long restaurant career, which led to his ownership and rebranding of the VI Grill.   The episode covers opening Fiddleheads during the pandemic, its breakfast-to-dinner menu, local sourcing...

Hi, and welcome to another international YouTube club. Please watch and find out where in the world we are this month.   Join Milwaukee Chefs Go International at Eldr+Rime in Milwaukee, where Chef Jose Gonzalez and Chef David Cook showcase Swedish-inspired dishes: a smoky whitefish and trout dip with Scandinavian chips and pickled vegetables.    The fire part of the Swedish recipe includes wood-fi...

On Munching Around Milwaukee, Capt. Rhianna Macon hosts Charlie at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan, Station Milwaukee. They discuss the Coast Guard's missions on the Great Lakes, search and rescue and ice-rescue training, jurisdictional coordination, and her career path from Hawaii to command after 9/11.   The episode also highlights daily life aboard the station with a galley lunch prepared...

On Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, Angela Adams joins host Charlie to discuss her journey from Gary, Indiana, through Florida A&M and corporate roles to founding Sage Business Advisors and leading AALAM.   They explore leadership, family, and community service, then prepare a simple one-pan sweet-and-spicy roasted salmon with sweet potatoes and asparagus.   The episode combines perso...

On Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie visits Bayview to celebrate Lulu Cafe & Bar’s 25th anniversary with co-owners Sarah Jonas and Cam Roberts, tracing their start as a catering business to becoming a neighborhood anchor.   The episode covers their early $200-a-month lease, the evolution of their menu and space, community building in Bayview, and upcoming anniversary events, including a...

On Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders,  host Charlie sits down with Vincent Lyles, Executive Director of Milwaukee Succeeds. They discuss his Milwaukee roots, varied career, and the organization’s focus on improving early childhood education across the city.   The episode ends in the kitchen as Vincent prepares a vegan-friendly arroz con gandules (rice and pigeon peas), sharing cooking tips...

On Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie visits West Allis to meet Mark Lutz, the owner behind a cluster of connected food businesses on Becher Street. Known as the Blocks of Becher, they include West Allis Cheese & Sausage, Becher Meats, Archie's Flat Top, Scratch Ice Cream, The Bake Sale, and Station No. 6.   The episode follows how childhood memories grew into an integrated food destinati...

Join Charlie and guest Julia Child as they take you through coq au vin, a classic French chicken braised in red wine. This episode of International YouTube Club highlights France and walks viewers through a comforting, flavorful recipe.   The hosts season and brown the chicken in bacon fat, sauté the pearl onions and mushrooms, flame the cognac, then add red wine, beef stock, thyme, bay leaves, an...

On Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, host Charlie talks with Marian Jimenez, a BMO Harris treasury consultant and Latino community advocate. Marian shares her journey from the Dominican Republic to Canada and Milwaukee, and discusses her work advancing diversity, mentoring employees, and supporting small businesses. That work earned her a spot on the Milwaukee Business Journal 40 Under 40...

On this episode of Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie chats with Sam Wisneski, co-owner of Chillwaukee, a Milwaukee-based bicycle-powered popsicle and shaved ice business. They discuss Sam’s entrepreneurial beginnings, how he and his wife bought Chillwaukee, and the company’s community-focused, vegan-friendly menu.    The episode features a lively Riverwalk pop-up where they give away free po...

On Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, host Charlie sits down with Terrell Morgan, aka Ego the Artist, to discuss his journey from Milwaukee's 53206 neighborhood to becoming a renowned community artist and mentor. They cover his murals, work with local festivals and schools, and explore the creative drive behind his activism.   Joined by Ego in the studio kitchen, they cook Tuscan lamb chops...

On Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie visits Bayview’s Heirloom Restaurant to talk with co-owners Jess and chef Pete Ignatiev. They discuss their farm-to-table restaurant and popular food truck. They discuss seasonal menus, local farm partnerships, and their signature house-made burrata.   In the kitchen, Chef Pete shows step-by-step how he makes Heirloom's signature burrata from scratch. Fre...

Live from Studio D, host Charlie chats with Shary Pérez, Community Health and Research Director at United Community Center, and Milwaukee Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree. They discuss Shary’s journey from Puerto Rico to a public health career in Milwaukee and her community-engaged research work at UCC.   In the kitchen, Shary prepares Puerto Rican party favorites: sandwichitos de mezcla (Spam...