Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders

Mastering Venezuelan Arepas with Chef Greg Leon at Amilinda   Charlie visits Chef-owner Gregory Leon at Amilinda Restaurant ( https://amilinda.com/ ) for the International Cooking Collab featuring Venezuelan cuisine. Greg shares his Venezuelan roots and guides the making of classic arepas and a shredded beef (carne mechada) filling.   The episode covers mixing arepa dough from white cornmeal, cook...

On Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie sits down with Catherine "Cat" Rabenstine, the new CEO of the American Red Cross in Wisconsin.   They discuss her journey from Pennsylvania to leadership roles in Chicago and Milwaukee, the Red Cross's disaster response work (including recent Milwaukee flooding), and the power of volunteers and community support.   The episode also features a hands-on coo...

Munching Around Milwaukee host Charlie sits down with Teresa Balistreri-Warsh, co-owner of Sala - Modern Sicilian Dining on Milwaukee’s east side, to celebrate the restaurant’s 25th anniversary and share the story behind its Sicilian-inspired menu.   They discuss family recipes like the signature sugo and meatball sauce, the addition of pizza, and the role of seasonal specials and art in the dinin...

On this week’s episode of Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, host Charlie interviews community leader Theresa “Rese” Schneider about her nonprofit background and work in Milwaukee, including her time at Discovery World.   Teresa shares the emotional story of her daughter Stella’s cancer diagnosis and recovery, and how that inspired her promise to build an inclusive Stella’s Playground at Re...

On Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie interviews Taqwa Obaid, chef-owner of Taqwa’s Bakery and Restaurant in Milwaukee. Taqwa shares her journey from Jordan to opening an authentic Middle Eastern restaurant during the pandemic, and how she built a business that includes catering and school meal programs. The episode highlights signature dishes such as taboon bread, manakish, hummus, baba ghan...

On Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, host Charlie sits down with Kathryn Dunn, the new President and Chief Visioning Officer of WWBIC, to discuss her Milwaukee roots, long career in philanthropy, and vision for expanding access to capital and business training. They also prepare a fresh tomato-and-pepper pasta with Italian sausage, sharing the personal story behind the recipe. You can watc...

Host Charlie visits Kegel's Inn in West Allis to sit down with owner Julian Kegel and explore the restaurant's 100‑year history, Julian’s unexpected journey from guiding and photography to running the family business, and the couple's efforts to modernize the menu while keeping the German tradition alive. They discuss bold community projects—closing 59th Street for a beer garden and winter ice rin...

City of Milwaukee Commissioner of City Development Lafayette Crump joins host Charlie to discuss his journey from Milwaukee neighborhoods to Duke University and the Mayor's Cabinet, his work leading city development and housing initiatives, and his approach to public-private partnership for community impact. The episode also features lighthearted moments—karaoke memories—and a step-by-step, easy p...

This week on the Munching Around Milwaukee Podcast, Chef Darlene VanManivong sits down with host Charlie to talk food, family, and her path from Le Cordon Bleu to executive chef at Rare Steakhouse. You can watch the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/nDDBf_0eDbg   The episode features the signature dishes from Rare  Steakhouse — braised pork belly salad, a house burger with chimichurri, and a 9...

On today's episode of Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, Teach for America Milwaukee Executive Director Mike Nguyen chats with host Charlie.  Mike shares his family's immigrant story, his educational journey, and his leadership work in the city. You can watch the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/sixKRmw24x0   In the cooking segment, Mike demonstrates his favorite childhood recipe—homem...

On this episode of Munching Around Milwaukee, Chef Kyle Knall joins host Charlie to talk about his award-winning Birch restaurant, directing Stone Bank Farm’s culinary program, and opening a 190-seat French brasserie called Cassis in Milwaukee’s Third Ward. They cover Kyle’s career from Alabama, New York and stops in between before ending up in Milwaukee. Kyle shares his cooking philosophy of usin...

On the Munching Around Milwaukee Podcast, host Charlie talks with Lori Fredrich, senior food and dining editor at OnMilwaukee.com, about her path from classical studies to food writing and her storytelling approach to covering chefs, restaurants, and the people behind the food. The episode explores Lori's annual 52 Restaurants list, her City Tins curation, which emphasizes women in food, her cookb...

On this episode of Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, host Charlie sits down with Diana Bilstrom, a Mexican-born community leader who has worked extensively in nonprofit family services and is the Senior Director for Growth and Strategic Partnerships at the Wisconsin Latino Chamber. Diana shares her personal journey, career path, and her mission to build trust and partnerships that support...

On this episode of Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie sits down with chef Austin Vetter, founder of Fresh Chef Meal Prep and the newly opened Fresh Chef Cafe in West Allis. Austin discusses his weekly rotating menu, gluten-free options, and popular dishes like chicken marsala, loaded potato chili bowls, and cacio e pepe. Austin explains how Fresh Chef works—no subscription, order weekly throu...

On the Munching Around Milwaukee podcast, host Charlie sits down with Britt Buckley of family-owned Buckley’s in downtown Milwaukee. They discuss the restaurant’s journey from a tiny kitchen to a larger dining space, the family-run operation, and the menu of American classics with global influences. You can watch the full video here - https://youtu.be/y0JoXfYBOEw   The episode highlights seasonal,...

On “Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, host Charlie cooks up Disney-shaped pancakes with Ian Abston, co-founder of Light the Hoan, Forward 48, and NEWaukee. They discuss Ian's journey from Elkhart Lake to Milwaukee, the creation of community events like Light the Hoan, and his work connecting young leaders across Wisconsin. The episode blends local storytelling with a family-friendly cookin...

Munching Around Milwaukee host Charlie chats with John Ludwig, co-owner of Riley’s, about launching Riley Sandwich Company, Riley Social House, and Riley Bar + Burger across Milwaukee. They discuss opening during the pandemic, the decision to build a dog-friendly concept, and how the couple built a loyal community. The episode highlights Riley’s signature dishes — the Raleigh double Wagyu smash, a...

Munching Around Milwaukee presents Saffron's Next Chapter.  On the “Munching Around Milwaukee” podcast, Host Charlie sits down with Fatima and Hanish Kumar, co-owners of Saffron Modern Indian Dining, to sample their modern Indian dishes. They discuss their annual menu reinventions and community work, and reveal plans for aya, a larger Middle Eastern/Mediterranean-inspired restaurant opening in The...

Host Charlie sits down with Maria Van Hoorn, Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, to discuss her rural Wisconsin upbringing, public service career, and efforts to promote tourism, culinary stories, and partnerships with local and tribal communities across the state. The episode features a cooking segment where Charlie and Maria make clam linguine, share family and travel storie...

Host Charlie sits down with Tony Snell-Rodriguez, Director of Community Engagement and Inclusion for Visit Milwaukee and chair of Milwaukee's Equal Rights Commission. Tony shares his journey from the Navy towns of his childhood to advocacy, hospitality, and a new life in Milwaukee. He discusses his community work, promoting the city through conventions and sports, and the importance of authentic s...

Join a lively tour of the Milwaukee Public Market with host Charlie and Market Executive Director Paul Schwartz, showcasing the market’s vendors, food highlights, and community role. Discover popular vendors like St. Paul Fish Co., Fultz Family Market, Aladdin Middle Eastern Food, Freese’s Candy Shoppe, and unique spots such as the Wurst Bar and St Paul's Tiki Bar.  Learn how the Milwaukee Public...

Live from Studio D, Charlie interviews Joe Poeschl, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Tech Hub Coalition. They talk about his Milwaukee roots, dual degrees at Marquette and MIAD, and his work co-founding the Commons and growing the regional tech ecosystem. They discuss the Coalition’s role in Wisconsin Tech Month, innovation districts, and building inclusive tech-powered economic growth across s...

Charlie meets Jen Hentz, Executive Director of the Urban Ecology Center, at the new Washington Park facility to tour the community garden, forage for fresh produce, and prepare BLTs in the community kitchen. The episode highlights youth canoeing on the lagoon, summer free meals, volunteer-driven gardening, and the Center’s mission to connect Milwaukee residents to nature, education, and community....

Charlie sits down with Darnell Hamilton, Executive Director of Future Urban Leaders, to cook a hearty turkey chili while discussing Darnell's Chicago upbringing, his teaching career in Milwaukee, and the work his organization does to support young people through a long-term leadership pipeline. The episode mixes cooking tips—turkey, sweet potato, black beans, peppers, jalapeño corn muffins, and a...

Join Charlie and Lena DeLaet, director of sales for Summerfest and leader of Summerfest Tech, as they discuss Lena's journey from small-town Wisconsin to shaping Milwaukee's biggest events. Lena shares how Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. operates as a nonprofit, the evolution of Summerfest, and the community impact of Summerfest Tech. In the cooking segment, they prepare a lighter Big Mac salad, de...