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This week on the FoodCrush podcast, we're catching up with Valeri Lucks, co-owner of Honeypie Cafe, SmallPie, Palomino and Comet Cafe about industry life, her career and exciting things on the horizon.
During our chat, we discuss Honeypie Cafe’s big move, the way Lucks is working toward fair compensation for both front and back of house employees and her full circle decision to re-assume ownership for Comet Cafe, a restaurant she and her brother Adam Lucks helped to transform in 2005 (and operated together for a decade). She also offers insights into what guests will be able to expect from the cafe when it reopens later this year.
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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.
