Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders
Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders is an interview and cooking show where we talk about our guests’ work in the community, cook something, and then enjoy the meal together. From our elected leaders to those working at the grassroots, we talk with people trying to make Milwaukee a better place.
Episodes
Hi, and welcome to another episode of Local Chefs Go International. This monthly podcast showcases a different country each month. This month, we are in Japan, and we visit Kawa Ramen & Sushi in Milwaukee to explore Japanese sushi making.
Master Sushi Chef Mars demonstrates how to make California rolls, dragon rolls with eel, and nigiri like salmon and yellowtail, sharing tips on rice, knife skills, and sauces.
Host Charlie...
On Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, host Charlie interviews Joseph Addison, President of 100 Black Men of Greater Milwaukee. They talk about his Pensacola, FL roots, military family values, and his pathway to Milwaukee.
Joseph explains how his chapter of 100 Black Men focuses on mentoring youth, promoting education, health and wellness, and economic empowerment for the African-American community and the city at large.
...
On Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie sits down with Josh Mendiola, chef de cuisine at Sanford in downtown Milwaukee, to explore his culinary journey from the Philippines to leading the kitchen at one of the city’s top restaurants.
The episode highlights Josh’s signature dishes (a beef kofta and Filipino okoy), his mentors and influences, Sanford’s menus and dining experience, and his work with community programs and chef co...
On this episode of Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, Frank Cumberbatch shares his journey from Trinidad to Milwaukee and his decades-long career in public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Frank talks about his work as VP of Engagement at Bader Philanthropies, focusing on community-driven development and inclusive decision-making.
The episode closes with a lighthearted kitchen segment where Frank and host Charlie prepare a ...
On Munching Around Milwaukee, Host Charlie talks with Chef Heskeith "Kess" Flavien, (you can see the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/7KLr_mz8aBE ), executive chef at St. Kate the Arts Hotel in downtown Milwaukee. Kess discusses his journey from St. Lucia to Louisiana culinary school and through local restaurants to his role leading multiple dining outlets at St. Kate, including a new sushi program and seasonal menus.
The epis...
On this episode of Munching Around Milwaukee, Host Charlie visits Maxie's on Milwaukee's west side to meet chef-owner Joe Muench and sample newly updated appetizers — including hush-puppy-style cheese bites, popcorn crayfish, and a crab-topped deviled egg — following a renovation and menu refresh.
The episode also highlights Black Shoe Hospitality's other concepts (Blue's Egg, Story Hill BKC), Joe's culinary background, the group's...
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, cooking on a griddle and finishing in the...
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 cooking segment where Cat prepares Pen...
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 dining room.
The conversation covers S...
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 Reservoir Park. The community-driven ...
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 ghanoush, makloba, and baklava, and emp...
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 watch the YouTube video here - https://...
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 rink, growing Oktoberfest into major c...
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 paella recipe. Lafayette cooks on t...
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 90‑day aged 32‑oz tomahawk — and high...
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—homemade pork and shrimp egg rolls—while ...
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 using simple, high-quality ingredients ...
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 cookbooks (including Wisconsin Field to ...
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 Hispanic businesses and the wider c...
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 through an e-commerce platform, and deli...
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