Foreword by Chef Paul Bartolotta

Four-time nominated, and two-time James Beard award-winning Chef Paul Bartolotta is the co-founder and owner of The Bartolotta Restaurants, the premier restaurant group in the Greater Milwaukee region. An internationally celebrated chef and restaurateur, Chef Bartolotta has brought his culinary talent and vision to kitchens all over the world – from Italy to Paris to New York to Las Vegas – for more than 30 years. With an education and training steeped in tradition and authenticity, Chef Bartolotta’s culinary skills have earned him many accolades from the James Beard Foundation, Michelin Guide, New York Times, the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA), AAA, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and others. His passion for creating authentic experiences continues to inspire the growth of the company that he and his brother, Joe, launched in 1993. Their achievements have earned them national recognition, with a nomination by the James Beard Foundation for Outstanding Restaurateur four years in a row – 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. 

Ann Christenson

Author

A Milwaukee native, Ann Christenson has written about Wisconsin food and food culture since the late 1990s and is the longtime dining editor at Milwaukee Magazine. Christenson was raised on simple Midwestern home cooking (think casseroles made from Betty Crocker recipe cards), burgers from the old Pig & Whistle in Shorewood and pizzas from Zaffiro’s. As a teen, she subscribed to Seventeen magazine and Bon Appetit – the recipes, evocative photos and travel stories in the latter publication helping shape her then-sprouting fascination with the culinary world. Christenson trained as a reporter and is inspired by the literary journalists (e.g., Tom Wolfe) who reimagined nonfiction in the 1960s and ‘70s. Her education has been immersive and includes cooking, reading great food writing (M.F.K. Fisher, Ruth Reichl), traveling, taking cooking classes, and dining – frequently and ardently – in restaurants that represent diverse cultures and traditions.