Running a restaurant takes vision, business acumen, determination and attention to detail. But it also requires adaptability, knowledge of the market and a willingness to work hard and evolve with the times. All of those things came into play for Chef Andrew Miller, Cameron Whyte and Sam Emery as they embarked on a collective journey to open Merriment Social, Third Coast Provisions and Flourchild Pizza.
During the 150th episode of the FoodCrush Podcast(!), we’re talking with these longtime friends, colleagues and business partners about their entry into the restaurant industry and their first-hand experience creating brands that resonated with diners in Milwaukee. What made the friends decide to go into business together? How did they build the skills they needed to make it happen? From Miller’s inaugural experiences running a local Italian restaurant in Northern Illinois to the opening of their third restaurant (and marketing their adjacent frozen pizza brand), this podcast traces the careers of three friends whose restaurants helped to change the face of the dining scene in Milwaukee.
Love this episode? Check out these related podcasts:
Andrew Miller talks pizza & the inspiration for Flourchild
The Art of the Sandwich with Chef Andrew Miller
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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.
