Blog

Grocery stores are leaving Milwaukee at an alarming rate.

Farmers, Chefs Call For Climate Action at James Beard Foundation Event

Iconic brewery in Wisconsin opens original brewery for tours for first time in nearly two decades

Screenshot 2025-02-07 at 12.21.38 PM.png

Million Dollar Bacon - Recipes | Jones Dairy Farm

Screenshot 2025-02-07 at 12.18.39 PM.png

Burger Nights @ Dirftless Cafe

Pete welcomes Wisconsin Foodie Creator Arthur Ircink!

The Great Discontent: Luke Zahm

Subscribe To Our Youtube Channel!

JDF009599-012Wisconsin_Foodie_Seasonal-1500x201-CB-V2-Vwi.png

What Is Real American Food? From Seed Savers to Indigenous Cuisine

Watch episodes

UNDERWRITERS

Thanks for your support!

RECENT EPISODES

The Art of Cheese… Why Wisconsin Does It Better

What makes Wisconsin the heart of American cheese? In this episode of Wisconsin Foodie, we explore The Art of Cheese through creativity, craftsmanship, and community. From a dish inspired by place at Taliesin, to a dinner honoring master cheesemakers at Deliciouser, to a lively pizza celebration at Seven Acre Dairy Company, this episode showcases the people and traditions behind Wisconsin’s cheese culture. From cream puffs to wood-fired pizza, it’s a story of how food connects us to the land and to each other.

Why Mint Mark Might Be Madison’s Best Restaurant

In this episode of Wisconsin Foodie, Luke Zahm heads to Mint Mark to cook with chef Sean Pharr, whose seasonal, ingredient-driven approach is rooted in deep relationships with local farmers. From harvesting oyster mushrooms at Vitruvian Farms to crafting house-made sausage, this episode shows how great food starts long before it hits the plate—and why Mint Mark is one of Madison’s most talked-about restaurants.

This Legendary Cookie Was Nearly Lost Forever

In this episode of Wisconsin Foodie, Chef Luke Zahm sets out to uncover the legend of the “Guerrilla Cookie” — a beloved Madison staple with roots in the counterculture of the 1970s. From the aisles of the Willy Street Co-op to an off-grid cabin where the cookie was first baked on a wood stove, this is a story of memory, mystery, and revival. After decades of searching, chefs, conservationists, and food lovers come together to bring the Guerrilla Cookie back to life — with proceeds helping support land restoration and conservation efforts.

What Makes Wisconsin Cheese So Good? Noble Rind & Marieke Gouda

In this episode of Wisconsin Foodie, Chef Luke Zahm visits Noble Rind Cheese Company, where thoughtful cheese boards highlight the depth and diversity of Wisconsin’s dairy culture. From there, we head to Marieke Gouda, where Dutch tradition and Wisconsin milk come together to create award-winning cheese. From farm to counter, this is a story about craftsmanship, flavor, and the people behind some of the Midwest’s most celebrated cheese.

Chef Luke Zahm Cooks Wild Rice Arancini

Chef Luke Zahm heads into the Driftless Cafe kitchen to prepare one of the restaurant’s weekly specials: Wild Rice Arancini. Featuring sustainably harvested wild rice, foraged ramps, lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms, sweet potatoes from Amish farmer Levi Miller, and Sartori SarVecchio parmesan, this dish brings together some of Wisconsin’s best ingredients.

Pizza Farms, Maple Syrup & Americana String Music

This episode of Wisconsin Foodie begins at Stoney Acres Pizza Farm, where wood-fired pizza nights bring the community together around local ingredients and the rhythms of the farm. From there, Luke travels to Stevens Point with musician Adam Greuel to tap maple trees and cook small-batch syrup in his family’s sugarbush, offering a cozy look at Wisconsin’s maple season and multigenerational traditions. The journey ends at Brokogi, where food, music, and community come together in an unexpected exploration of Korean cuisine in central Wisconsin.

From Farm to Breakfast Table

Sunrise on the farm. Biscuits in the oven. In this episode of Wisconsin Foodie, Luke visits Hinchley’s Dairy Farm for the Dane County Breakfast on the Farm, where thousands gather to celebrate June Dairy Month and connect with the families behind Wisconsin’s dairy industry. From there, the story moves to Viroqua and Maybe Lately, where from-scratch biscuits, French toast, and the “Mr. Sandwich” showcase a different side of Wisconsin breakfast. From the barn to the kitchen, it’s a look at how dairy, community, and craft shape the way Wisconsin starts its day.

Inside an Amish Blue Cheese Creamery

Some of the most complex cheese flavors in the country start with quiet, intentional farming. In this episode of Wisconsin Foodie, Luke visits Kingston Co-op Creamery, an Amish-owned operation producing award-winning blue cheese using regenerative practices and generations of tradition. With cheesemaker Nelson Schrock, he explores how small family farms and seasonal forage shape flavor, from milk delivered in ten-gallon cans to wheels aged up to 90 days. The journey continues at Owl Farm, where Luke joins chef Justin Aprahamian to create a dinner celebrating Wisconsin dairy farmers, regional ingredients, and the craft behind it all.

What Happens When a Top Chef Returns to Her Small Town

A Top Chef alum returns home to cook the Door County food that shaped her. In this episode of Wisconsin Foodie, Luke travels to Door County with Kat Turner, whose cooking is rooted in the peninsula’s orchards, fisheries, smokehouses, and small producers. Using local fish, orchard fruit, and seasonal ingredients, Kat creates a dinner that reflects memory, place, and the evolution of Midwest cooking. It’s a story about coming full circle, the people behind the food, and why some of the most meaningful meals happen far from the spotlight.

Kwik Trip Glazers | Glazer Bread Pudding

Join Wisconsin Foodie as we go behind the scenes at Kwik Trip's Central Bakery in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the birthplace of the legendary Glazer donut. Witness the full process as we follow the journey of a fresh Glazer, from mixing to frying to glazing, before finally tasting it fresh off the line. Kwik Trip produces over 47 million Glazers every year. These pillowy, airy, perfectly glazed donuts are a staple across the Midwest. This episode also includes a unique recipe for Glazer Bread Pudding, complete with caramelized bananas and bourbon sauce.

3 Brothers Farm | Uncle Wolfies Breakfast Tavern

In this episode, Luke Zahm visits Three Brothers Egg Farm in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, to explore how a multigenerational family farm balances sustainable farming with raising their children. From collecting eggs alongside 3,000 pasture-raised, certified organic hens to discussing the farm's deep connection to the land, Mike and Courtney share their inspiring journey. Then, we follow their high-quality eggs to Uncle Wolfie’s Breakfast Tavern in Milwaukee, where owners Wolfgang and Whitney explain how these exceptional ingredients elevate their dishes. Join us for a celebration of local food, family values, and the delicious impact of community farming.

Fried chicken, urban farming, and one of Milwaukee’s most meaningful food projects. In this episode of Wisconsin Foodie, Luke heads to Kinship on Martin Luther King Drive, where a café, urban farm, and food center come together to serve the community with dignity. Reuniting with chef Caitlin Cullen, he explores how Kinship blends scratch cooking, workforce development, and food access, from their cult-favorite fried chicken to thousands of meals prepared each week. In the kitchen and out on the farm, this story shows how food can create opportunity, restore dignity, and strengthen Milwaukee communities.