Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a truly delicious doughnut.Its dough is buoyant and buttery with a subtle, satisfying chew. Its icing is smooth and sweet, but not cloying. It's indulgent; but at the same time balanced and restrained.
That's just the sort of doughnut that Chef Jackie Woods sought to create when he opened Donut Monster, a playfully named doughnut shop that’s taken a humble comfort food and elevated it to a new level.
This week on FoodCrush, we’re exploring the world of doughnuts with a fine dining chef who redirected his passion for creating balanced, well prepared dishes into a mission to create the best tasting doughnuts possible. Along the way, he offers insights into his creative process, his benchmarks for excellence and the thought processes that keep him focused on upping the ante on one of America’s favorite breakfast treats. He also gives us a peek into the future of both Donut Monster and Brute Pizza, his newest collaboration with chef and colleague Paris Dreibelbis.
Listen in!
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Got an idea for a topic we should consider for FoodCrush? Want to offer feedback on our latest episode? Email me at lori@staff.onmilwaukee.com. You can also give @FoodCrushPod a follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for additional tidbits, live tastings and more.
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.
