FoodCrush

Larb. Green papaya salad. Sticky rice. Historically, the food of Laos has flown under the radar in the U.S., often taking a back seat to more popular dishes from Thailand; but all of that is changing as young chefs take the reins, introducing the cuisine to an increasingly inquisitive American palate. 

Among those young upstarts is Alex Hanesakda, owner of SapSap, a food-based business through which he has introduced the food world to both food products and experiences that underscore both Lao flavors and traditions. In this week’s podcast, we talk with Hanesakda about his career path, from growing up cooking with his family in his hometown of Burlington Wisconsin to launching his own company. Along the way, he shares insights into his approach to Lao fare, the reception he’s received along the way and his plans for the future.

During the podcast, we also conduct an online taste test of one of SapSap’s newest products, a Lao hot sauce.

Some chefs work in restaurants. Others share their talents in less traditional venues. In this week’s podcast, we chat with The Pabst Theatre Group’s executive chef Kevin Sloan, a culinary professional who spends his days and nights shopping and cooking for artists and musicians who visit the Cream City.

During our chat, Sloan offers a peek into his day to day creating menus for performers that pass through the doors at the Pabst and Riverside Theaters. But he also takes us on a fascinating journey through his career, from his transformative early experiences cooking in New Mexico to opening his first restaurant, The Social, a venue which assisted in changing the trajectory for South Second Street in Walker’s Point. He shares insights gleaned from restaurant ownership, travel and simple life experience. Along the way, he paints an insightful portrait of his life as a trailblazing chef whose sense of curiosity, adventure and drive has enriched both his work and development as a human being.

If you’ve been to Kegel’s Inn, you know that it’s one of Milwaukee’s few remaining German staples. Founded in 1924, the restaurant and beer hall is a piece of living  history and a well-preserved landmark that offers a snapshot into Cream City History. But it takes a great deal of work to keep an iconic restaurant running.

In this week's podcast (part two of a two-part episode), we chat with Julian Kegel, the 4th generation owner of Kegel’s Inn in West Allis about his decision to take over his family’s 95-year-old business. During our conversation, Kegel talks about the history of the restaurant, sharing memories and stories passed through the generations.. We also discuss the challenges of keeping the restaurant relevant in 2019 while staying true to its roots. Along the way, we chat about Kegel’s legendary fish fry, the difficulty of making changes to a beloved restaurant and a few ways Kegel is leading the venue  into the future.

The choice to take on a family business is tough. And when that business has persisted for nearly 100 years, it's even more challenging.

In this week's podcast (part one of a two-part episode), we chat with Julian Kegel, the 4th generation owner of Kegel’s Inn in West Allis about the years leading up to his decision to take over the family business. During our conversation, he shares his story, from working for his dad’s business (Wheel & Sprockett) to living with Jim Hoyt, renowned mentor to bicyclist Lance Armstrong, in Texas. Along the way, he shares his thoughts on finding his own way in the world, living in Alaska, meeting his wife Stephanie and launching his photography business, a series of events which would ultimately prepare him to move back home to assume his role as owner of Kegel’s Inn.

Milwaukee might be a land flowing with frozen custard; but there are an increasing number of local ice cream shops that are giving the classic frozen treat a run for its money. Among them is Purple Door Ice Cream.

Founded by two former educators, Lauren and Steven Schultz, Purple Door has been serving up delicious ultra-premium ice cream since 2011, growing the business from a small wholesale business to a successful ice cream empire with three locations throughout the Milwaukee Metro area. As they approach nine years in business, we thought it would be a good time to chat with the Schultzes about all things ice cream.

On this week’s podcast, we chat with Lauren and Steve about how they made their ice cream dreams into a reality. Along the way, they share stories about the ups and downs of the business, including failed flavor experiments, turning a challenging scenario with Harry Connick Jr. into a marketing win and what keeps them excited about ice cream after nearly a decade.

In this week’s podcast, we take a dive into the world of genetic research with Sherry Zhang, founder and CEO of Geopalate, an innovative company which uses the power of genetic analysis to assist consumers in identifying the foods that are most beneficial to their body and health.

During our conversation, Zhang offers insights into the rapidly growing field of genetics and explains in simple terms how that research can be used to assist consumers in taking control of their well being. She offers insights on the connection between genes and obesity, why a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition is innately flawed and how genetics plays a role in the body’s ability to process compounds like lactose and gluten. Along the way, Zhang offers insights into the technology behind nutritional genomics, explains the relationship between DNA and food and offers insights into how knowledge of an individual’s genetic make-up puts them into a powerful position to make better dietary decisions. 

If you’re curious about how genetics impact health or would like to know more about how you can use your genetic data to make smarter decisions regarding your diet, Zhang provides a wealth of information to set you on your way. She also shares an opportunity for FoodCrush listeners to get a discount on a Genopalate DNA analysis.

Food is often credited for its power as a unifier, as a tool to build community and for its ability to bring people from various backgrounds and walks of life together in community.

On this week’s podcast we talk to Jesus Gonzalez, a young entrepreneur and chef who has built bridges with his Mazorca taco truck and championed Latino/a culture and community through his work as co-founder of the new Zocalo Food Park. During our chat, Gonzalez shares his journey from Milwaukee’s South Side to culinary school and back home again. He offers wit and wisdom about building his dream from scratch, and he offers insights into the vision for -- and the goals of -- Milwaukee’s first food truck park. 

Chefs Paul Zerkel and Lisa Kirkpatrick have made a name for themselves over the last decade through their work at Roots, Wolf Peach, Odd Duck and most recently their own restaurant, Goodkind. Both express their personal stories through the food they serve; but we were curious to learn more. So we sat down with the Bay View chefs to chat about work, life and love.

During our conversation, we review their careers in both Milwaukee and Oregon, the similarities between Portland and Milwaukee and the reasons they moved back to the Midwest. Along the way, we reminisce about the development of the Milwaukee food scene over the past 10-12 years. We also touch on Zerkel’s love for sandwiches, late night dining, the growing ethnic dining scene in Milwaukee and what it’s like to work in the industry as a husband and wife team.

Little more than two years ago, it was easy to be blissfully unaware of CBD. But not anymore. Cannabidiol (CBD)-based products have seen exponential growth in the U.S. as consumers grow more and more interested in its potential to alleviate any number of ailments from inflammation and pain to acne, anxiety, insomnia, depression, post-traumatic stress and even cancer. And the food and beverage industry has taken note. Restaurants, grocers and small food manufacturers have begun adding CBD oil to everything from lattes to ice cream.

In this week’s podcast, we talk with Colin Plant, owner of Canni Hemp Co., a boutique retail shop in Walker’s Point and Chef Mitch Ciohon of Snack Boys, Taco Moto and Burger Moto about the CBD phenomenon. We discuss the science behind cannabidiol products, its potential benefits and the myths surrounding it. We also discuss the varying quality of products on the market, potential drug interactions and tips for smart consumers. We also discuss the way cannabidiol products are being used in restaurants… and why.

If you’re curious about CBD or wondering if it’s good, bad or otherwise, Ciohon and Plant provide plenty of food for thought.

The drive-in restaurant is a dying breed. Born in the mid-twenties following the automobile boom, the drive-up restaurants saw their hey-day in the 1950s and 60s before gradually losing steam to the new-fangled drive-thru restaurants.

This week on the podcast, we chat with Chris Roepke, third generation owner of Nite Owl Drive-in, an old-school joint that’s been serving up burgers, ice cream, malts and shakes since 1948. He shares the history of the drive-in, his thoughts on keeping the iconic business running into the 21st Century and the secrets behind Nite Owl’s tasty burgers. 

We also chat about the secrets behind Nite Owl’s burgers, the ups and downs of running a seasonal business and Roepke shares fun stories and memories about one of Milwaukee’s longest-running businesses.