If you’ve appreciated the expansion of the food scene and the growth in Wisconsin’s food culture over the past decade, you’ll want to mark your calendars for this very special dinner featuring local industry leaders who’ve been honored by the James Beard Foundation.
Taste of Milwaukee: A Friends of James Beard Benefit Event will take place at EsterEv, 360 E. Erie St., on Tuesday, April 25 with seatings at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The dinner will feature six collaborative courses which showcase globally-inspired cuisine alongside expertly paired beverages.
Hosted by five-time James Beard semi-finalists Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite, this special evening will showcase the work of some of the city’s (and state’s) most talented chefs while supporting the James Beard Foundation’s mission to celebrate, support and elevate the people who shape American food culture.
Featured guests will include:
- Kyle Knall, Executive Chef and Owner of Birch
- Adam Siegel, Executive Chef and Owner of Lupi & Iris
- Karen Bell, Executive Chef and Owner of Bavette La Boucherie
- Justin Aprahamian, Chef and Co-Owner of Sanford
- Paul Zerkel and Lisa Kirkpatrick, Co-Owners of Goodkind
- Katie Rose, Co-Owner and Beverage Director of Goodkind
Tickets for the Taste of Milwaukee Dinner are $150 per person and include six courses, plus beverage pairings. Tickets are available for purchase online. All proceeds from the dinner will benefit the James Beard Foundation.
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.
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