When Ashley Turner accepted the offer to reimagine the menu at Hacienda Taproom & Kitchen, she brought a wealth of experience to the proverbial table. But she also brought a deep cultural knowledge of Texas BBQ and Southwestern fare.
This week, we sat down with the native Texan to chat about her experience growing up in a Southern restaurant family, the “secrets” behind great Texas BBQ and the culinary journey that brought her to Wisconsin. Along the way, we chat about her passion for food, her experience developing award-winning Sporkies for the Wisconsin State Fair and the unique qualifications that made her the perfect candidate to lead the charge at the new Hacienda Taproom & Kitchen.
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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.
