On Wednesday, Milwaukee Magazine‘s signature Chef Event returned to Downtown Kitchen. Over 200 people enjoyed delicious small plates and heard from some of our city’s best chefs in a candid panel discussion.

The event, co-hosted by The Bartolotta Restaurants, featured chefs from many of Milwaukee’s finest restaurants: Heskeith Flavien from Mason Street Grill, Juan Urbieta from Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993, Adam Siegel from Lupi & Iris, Andy Schneider from Le Rêve Patisserie & Café, Justin Aprahamian from Sanford, Dane Baldwin from The Diplomat, Barkha Limbu Daily from The Cheel, and Alex Sazama from Benson’s Restaurant Group.

The evening started with a cocktail hour, sponsored by Five Trail Whisky, which provided samples of its American whiskey, and White Claw Spirits, which sampled its newly-released vodka and soda. Five Trail served the night’s signature cocktail, a dark old fashioned. Milwaukee musician Gabriel Sanchez performed for the event.

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For dinner, guests enjoyed eight delicious plates, including swordfish with romesco, potato and frisée salad, and herb purée; lobster and trumpet mushroom Bolognese with fusilli con buco, opal basil and shaved winter truffle; ale-braised beef stew with bulgur, root vegetables and coffee-spiced labneh; and paella with saffron aioli.

Our thanks to the event’s sponsors – Visit Milwaukee, Refined Renovations, Ameriprise Financial, The Temporary, Coors Whiskey Co. and White Claw Spirits. A portion of the evening’s proceeds supports Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, an organization devoted to ending hunger in Wisconsin.