For the eighth straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee.com, presented by Locavore, the newest restaurant at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as the winners of our "Best of Dining 2014."
Marcus Restaurant Group will launch its popular Fall Chef Series on Saturday, Oct. 25.
The series, which takes place on Saturdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Mason Street Grill Chef’s Counter. will feature chefs from Hilton Milwaukee City Center, InterContinental Milwaukee, The Pfister Hotel and Mason Street Grill.
The 90-minute taste-and-learn classes will allow guests to get to know some of the city’s culinary leaders, enjoy perfectly paired beverages and sample each chef’s seasonal preparations and take away great tips to use in their home kitchens.
Read a recap of one of last year's sessions for a preview of what to expect.
Fall classes include:
Oct. 25: Fall Pasta Picnic
Mark Weber, executive chef, Mason Street Grill
Join Weber as he harnesses the power of the autumn harvest to craft a series of hearty pasta dishes. Find out how to make shaped and filled pastas, and learn recipes for easy-to-make entrées, from Pappardelle with Braised Duck to Spinach Ravioli with White Truffle.
November 1: Fresh From the Orchard
Brian Frakes, executive chef, The Pfister Hotel
Frakes awakens the season’s nostalgic flavors with apples, pears and ciders from Weston Apple Orchard in New Berlin. With an imaginative twist on classic fall favorites, The Pfister Hotel’s executive chef highlights the versatility and beauty of the orchard’s heirloom produce.
Nov. 8: Spirits of the Season
Aaron Miles, executive chef, InterContinental Milwaukee
Summon the sweeter side of autumn in this installment of the series. Miles teaches the technique of fall-inspired craft cocktails, as well as homemade jams and preserves. Explore the richness of the late-season harvest, yielding ripe fruits and other cold-weather comfort foods.
Nov. 15: VIP Veggies
Bill Doyle, executive chef, Hilton Milwaukee City Center
The meat is always the star of the show; why not shed a little limelight on the vegetable? Doyle demonstrates some unique dishes featuring a veggie as the center of the plate, with protein serving more of a supporting role. Discover his creative uses for cauliflower, sweet corn and other fresh ingredients.
Tickets, which are limited to 20 guests per session, are $29 per person, plus tax and gratuity. For reservations, call (414) 935-5950. More details on each session can be found at MarcusChefs.com.
Guests can choose to stay the night Friday or Saturday evening with accommodations in a deluxe king or deluxe double guest room at The Pfister, starting at $149. Chef series tickets are sold separately.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
