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'Savoring' Milwaukee's 170th Birthday

Will Clayton
/
Flickr

Tomorrow night Milwaukee celebrates 170 years as an incorporated city. The Milwaukee Press Club is hosting the city birthday party, Savoring Our City, that kicks off at 5:30 Thursday evening at The Grain Exchange.

The city birthday party looks back at some of the top food products Milwaukee was founded on, such as pork and grains, but also celebrates our culinary scene by recognizing the top chefs and restaurants the city has to offer today.

"If you go through everybody who’s on Carole’s top 30 list or anybody we’ve talked about on the show, there’s a connection to either a Marcus kitchen, a Bartolotta kitchen or a Sanford kitchen. It’s that profound," says Lake Effect essayist and food contributor Kyle Cherek.

Cherek explains how Milwaukee's history is centered around food and food production, as well as what the city's food scene has evolved into 170 years later:

Bonnie North
Bonnie joined WUWM in March 2006 as the Arts Producer of the locally produced weekday magazine program Lake Effect.
Kyle Johnson Cherek is a culinary historian and food essayist. He was the former host of Wisconsin Foodie on PBS, and for over a decade he has chronicled regional food stories, exploring where our food comes from, and how it shapes who we are. His signature wit and keen observations have made him a sought-after keynote speaker, media contributor, and culinary storyteller. Kyle has been awarded the Wisconsin Broadcast Association Award twice for his compelling essays on food culture.