In December of 2021, we sat down with the owners of Maranta Plant Shop to talk about how they’ve built community in the Bronzeville Neighborhood through both their retail shop and mobile food trailer, Tostada by Maranta.
This week we’re talking with the woman behind those delicious tostadas: Chef Dominique Alvarado-Gonzalez. During our conversation, she talks about her culinary journey, the experiences that have influenced her career and her approach to making some of Milwaukee’s best tostadas. Along the way, we talk about growing a business during the pandemic, balancing work and family and her hope for the future. Alvarado-Gonzalez also offers a few words of advice for aspiring food entrepreneurs.
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As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
