Paulius Musteikis
Gilbert Altschul: The chef/owner of Grampa’s Pizzeria and owner of Gib’s Bar on Willy Street was born and raised in Madison’s Marquette neighborhood. After high school, Gil got his B.A. in business at UW-Whitewater and then attended the Scottsdale Culinary Institute. From there he worked in kitchens in Chicago and San Diego before returning to Madison to open his first restaurant.
Daniel Bonanno: The James Beard award nominee was just a kid when he started working with his father at their family-owned Italian grocery store and deli. After going to Le Cordon Bleu in Minnesota, Daniel worked at the Grand Geneva Resort, Mangia in Kenosha and Spiaggia in Chicago. Wanting to expand his knowledge, he moved to Florence, Italy, where he attended the culinary school Apicius; he returned to a sous chef position at Spiaggia and in 2012 opened Madison’s A Pig in a Fur Coat with business partner Bonnie Arent.
Laila Borokhim: After an imaginary career as a backup dancer for Beyonce, Borokhim opened her first restaurant in downtown Madison focusing on the food of her heritage.
Tim Dahl: Madison-born Tim Dahl graduated from UW-Stout with a B.S. in hospitality management. Following graduation, he attended Le Cordon Bleu, where he learned that quality ingredients create the foundation for great cuisine. After graduating with distinction from Le Cordon Bleu, he honed his skills in several of Chicago’s Michelin-starred restaurants — NoMi, Naha and Blackbird. Throughout his work and travels to Italy with wife and Nostrano co-owner Elizabeth, Tim has learned the importance of incorporating local ingredients to enhance the food that he brings to the table each day. He also manages Nostrano’s garden on Madison’s west side, where he sources many of his restaurant’s fresh seasonal ingredients. Tim serves as the executive chef of Nostrano. As new restaurateurs, Tim and Elizabeth strive to offer diners an experience to match meals they both enjoyed in Italy, while juggling their roles as parents of three small children.
Elizabeth Dahl: Elizabeth’s culinary inspiration began in her childhood, where she relished helping her Lebanese grandmother cook “just like in the old country.” Following completion of the culinary program at Kendall College, Elizabeth worked in a variety of distinguished Michelin-starred restaurants in the Chicago area, notably Charlie Trotters, Naha and Boka. Those experiences helped develop her unique style of sophisticated and approachable desserts. She serves as the executive pastry chef at Nostrano. As new restaurateurs, Tim and Elizabeth strive to offer diners an experience to match meals they both enjoyed in Italy, while juggling their roles as parents of three small children.
Evan Dannells: Evan Dannells is the culinary director of Merchant and its sister restaurant, Lucille, which will open in spring 2016. With a career in the food industry spanning more than 15 years, Evan has developed a deep technical skill set, food knowledge, passion for Wisconsin heritage and farm-to-table cooking philosophy. He is a champion of the local food movement and leads all strategic buying initiatives, hiring, training and menu development across the kitchens of Merchant and Lucille, reflecting our city’s evolving food culture, seasonality and personality. Evan has been cooking since the age of 15 and has worked at James Beard Award-winning restaurants including L’Etoile in Madison under Odessa Piper, Blackbird with chef Paul Kahan and L’Etoile under Tory Miller.
Patrick DePula: Chef/owner at Salvatore’s Tomato Pies, Patrick grew up near Trenton, N.J., home of some of the best tomato pies (pizza) on the planet. His grandparents came from Loreto Aprutino and Casandrino, Italy. Settling in Chambersburg, Trenton’s Little Italy, his family established grocery stores, a meat-processing business, notable restaurants and delicatessens. Salvatore’s Tomato Pies endeavors to honor his roots while creating award-winning tomato pies with the incredibly fresh and sustainable ingredients available in Wisconsin. He is a founding board member of the Madison Area Chefs Network and a co-organizer of Yum Yum Fest. He has received several awards in recognition of his work with local producers and for his work with school lunches. When he’s not cooking in his restaurants, he can be found in school cafeterias or at home spending time with his two boys, ages 4 and 7.
Dan Fox: Dan was trained at Kendall College in Chicago and began his career at Everest, a premier dining room located atop the Chicago Stock Exchange building. Dan developed his globally influenced approach to cooking by working in restaurants throughout France and Austria. Following his time abroad, Dan returned to Chicago to work for Spring Restaurant before joining the Madison Club culinary team in 2006. Recently Dan opened his first restaurant, Heritage Tavern, a farm-to-table new world tavern that showcases globally inspired cuisine featuring local Wisconsin ingredients, and Heritage Catering. When not at the tavern, Dan takes a more hands-on approach to his cuisine by raising heritage pigs just outside of Madison. Dan is on the advisory boards of Madison College and Slow Food Madison.
John Gadau and Phillip Hurley: Chefs Gadau and Hurley are the chef/owners of Marigold Kitchen (2001), Sardine (2006) and Gates & Brovi (2012). Both are from Chicago and gained most of their experience working in kitchens in San Francisco, L.A. and Chicago. They moved to Madison to collaborate and open their first venture in 2001.
Joseph Gaglio: Born in Brooklyn into a Sicilian-American family obsessed with food, and following his chef grandfather Agostino, Joseph started cooking at 12 years old in and around Brooklyn and Long Island before retreating to the rhetoric and relevance of Columbia University, where he received a degree in the high-demand field of English literature. When the job prospects were predictably nonexistent, he returned to work in in some of NYC's finest restaurants. A calling to return to academia landed him back in the classrooms at Madison College, where he has taught for the past 17 years while somehow presiding over his love child, Gotham Bagels. His latest, but yet to be open, venture is AGRIGENTO! (farm of the people), which preserves both the volatile and passionate cooking of his family, and the sustainable food community of his adopted Midwestern home.
David Heide: Owner and executive chef at Liliana’s Restaurant and Charlie’s on Main, Dave was born and raised in Fitchburg. He is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, and has been working in restaurants from Wisconsin to Minnesota to California since he was 16. Dave is passionate about all food, but Creole/Cajun food has always held a special place in his heart.
Jonny Hunter: A partner and founder at the Underground Food Collective. He is also a retired bike polo player and a soccer enthusiast.
John Jerabek: Chef John Jerabek grew up in Casco, Wis. At 19, he started working in the restaurant industry, traveling from Milwaukee to Phoenix and back again. Upon returning to Wisconsin, John moved to Madison and worked under Tory Miller and Odessa Piper at L’Etoile. John worked as executive chef at the highly acclaimed Sundara Inn and Spa in the Wisconsin Dells, Fresco and Johnny Delmonico’s. He recently joined the senior management team at Salvatore’s Tomato Pies as culinary operations director, where he is excited to continue to work with fresh, local ingredients. He lives in Sun Prairie with his wife (and soon-to-be-born son!).
Nick Johnson: Nick Johnson has always had a passion to cook for the pleasure of others. It started early while cooking family dinners at home. Eventually, his mother convinced him to attend culinary school at Madison College. Early in his career he traveled to New York City for a short stint at Café Boulud, and to Torino, Italy, to broaden his professional culinary philosophies and skills. He was the chef at Madison’s acclaimed Restaurant Magnus, where he created a following and a name, which led to a James Beard Semi-Finalist nomination for Best Chef: Midwest. After Magnus, he stepped into the kitchen at 43 North, where he received a nomination from Food & Wine magazine for Best New Chef People’s Choice. His newest venture arrives with the opening of 1847 at the Stamm House in Middleton.
Chris Ketarkus: Born and raised in Madison, Chris has over 19 years of restaurant experience. He graduated from the Culinary Program at Madison College in 2006 and spent the majority of his culinary career working as the sous chef at Lombardino’s, one of Madison's landmark restaurants. His passion for innovative cuisine and his pursuit of a new challenge led him to 43 North, where he has been working since December 2010. Chris continues to stay involved with the culinary program at Madison College, where he serves as instructor to help future chefs reach their goals.
Derek Lee: Derek Lee is the chef/owner of Pizza Brutta, a wood-fired pizzeria committed to local and sustainable ingredients. Derek grew up on a farm in North Dakota, got a liberal arts degree from St. Olaf College, and then spent the next 10 years working in sustainable and organic agriculture. After working on agricultural policy for Sen. Byron Dorgan in North Dakota, Derek moved to East Troy, Wis., where he worked at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute from 1997 to 2002. He then worked at Organic Valley as the food service national sales and marketing manager, and served as vice president of Organic Prairie, the organic meat company. After an apprenticeship at Antica Pizzeria in Los Angeles, Derek started Pizza Brutta in 2007.
Jason Kierce: Jason Kierce is the executive chef of Adamah Neighborhood Table, which is Wisconsin's only certified kosher kitchen. Jason, a Six Sigma Black Belt who has an MBA, left a lucrative career in the financial industry to pursue his dream of being a chef. “I was at Johnny Delmonico’s with a client. On my way to the restroom, I passed the open kitchen and saw the chef working in his whites. Something clicked inside of me, and I thought, ‘I want to do that.’” He went to Madison College for a culinary education and worked in some of the most renowned kitchens in the Midwest — including Graze, Liliana’s, Blue Marlin, Johnny Delmonico's and Cento — before landing his current position. Originally from Birmingham, Ala., Kierce moved to Madison for a love of snow, changing seasons and a beautiful woman who would soon become his wife. Jason still stays true to his Alabama roots by cooking classic Southern dishes for his family. When he’s not in the kitchen, his favorite activity is to relax with his family, read cook books, and try new restaurants.
Molly Maciejewski: Executive chef of Madison Sourdough and general manager of Madison Sourdough and Madison Sourdough Patisserie, Molly has been in the restaurant industry for 15 years. Prior to moving to Madison to open Madison Sourdough’s Cafe, she cooked for the American Club in Kohler. There she had the opportunity to experience many different styles of cooking, from rustic Italian to fine dining. Having done savory cooking in many of their restaurants for years, Molly transitioned to pastry for the Immigrant Room. After graduating from culinary school, Molly worked for the John Michael Kohler Art Center, helping run the cafe and catering program there. Molly loves the Midwest, and making honest, straightforward dishes with all the great local resources available in the Madison area.
Francesco Mangano: Born and raised in Bologna, Italy, Francesco studied at the University of Bologna, receiving a history degree in 1998, and at the University of Siena (Master in Food and Wine Tourism, and Promotion of Local Products), graduating in 2004. He worked at the Ristorante il Bargello del Marchese in Bologna and also in Ferrara, Italy. Francesco also worked at Felidia Ristorante in New York before starting at Harvest and then Cocoliquot in Madison. In 2006 he opened Osteria Papavero, Madison’s first restaurant to start an HACCP program to produce local salumi/cured meat. He has lived in Madison for 17 years.
Tory Miller: Chef Tory grew up working in his grandparents’ diner in Racine before moving to New York to attend the French Culinary Institute and work his way through some of the city’s finest kitchens, including Bill Telepan’s Judson Grill and Eleven Madison Park. A Wisconsinite at heart, he returned to Madison to work under his mentor, Odessa Piper, at L’Etoile, where he found his true passion for local food through the Dane County Farmers’ Market. Tory took over L’Etoile in 2005, opened his second restaurant, Graze, in 2010, his third, Sujeo, in 2014, and his fourth, Estrellón, in 2015, always dedicated to providing locally sourced cuisine to a larger audience. A 2012 recipient of the James Beard Award Best Chef: Midwest, Tory has strived to strengthen Madison’s food system, local agriculture and wider community by supporting farmers and purchasing local Wisconsin products for all his restaurants, and most recently founding the Madison Area Chefs Network. When he is not working in one of his three restaurants, Tory spends time with his two young boys, passing along his love of all things delicious.
Aaron Mooney: Chef at Julep.
Matthew Moyer: Executive chef at the Great Dane Pub and Brewing Co. (all locations) since 1999, Matt is a Madison native who started his career working for Ovens of Brittany. He moved to The Fess Restaurant in 1991, eventually becoming the sous chef under chef Mohammed El Assal until the restaurant closed in 1994. After moving to Atlanta, Matt worked for Ray’s on the River, a well-known seafood restaurant, and then from 1996 to 1999 at John Harvard’s Brew House, helping them to open their fourth location in Atlanta. He worked as manager trainer for the company, training managers for 10 additional locations. He moved back to Madison in 1999 and was hired as executive chef for the Great Dane at the age of 28. He has been involved with aspects of consulting, opening, designing and training for almost 20 restaurants in his career.
Shinji Muramoto: Owner/chef at 43 North, Sushi Muramoto and Restaurant Muramoto.
David Oliver: Chef at Natt Spil.
Beth Pieters: The chef at Salvatore’s Tomato Pies, Madison location, Beth grew up on a small farm outside of Stevens Point and learned to appreciate farm-to-table food from a young age. Her biggest culinary influence was her grandmother, who relished cooking for family. She got her start in corporate restaurants, but found the ingredients, preparations and creativity lacking. She then enrolled in the culinary program at Madison College, where she was a WRA Hot Plate award winner and apprenticed for Julia Julian and Eric Stein at Fresco. Soon her internship at Fresco turned into a full-time position as a line cook. She then went on to become the catering chef at Steenbocks on Orchard. At Salvatore’s Beth enjoys working with fresh, local ingredients and creating unique dishes. Her influences include Marco Pierre White and Julia Child.
Matt Schieble: Executive chef of Harvest, Matthew is a product of the culinary culture shaped by a strong commitment to local, seasonal and organic products produced by Wisconsin farmers. Matt joined Harvest in 2008 as a passionate and creative chef. He quickly parlayed that role into sous chef, where he remained until 2010. After stints at notable restaurants in Chicago, Vietnam and Maui, Matt is excited to be back in the Midwest. Matt attended Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago.
Dan Schmitz: Chef Schmitz juggles the two Banzo food carts as well as the restaurant on Sherman Avenue. He is currently focusing most of his energy on Banzo’s newest venture on Willy Street, Banzo Shük.
Michael Signorelli: Award-winning butcher at Underground Butcher.
Casey Trumble: Chef at Brasserie V.
Abigail Zielke: Chef at Mezze, a cozy bar and restaurant off State Street that serves craft cocktails, Lebanese-inspired small plates and pizzas. Abigail graduated from UW-Madison in 2012 where she was an active intern for Slow Food UW. She gained experience at several local restaurants before starting at Mezze in 2015.