You might remember Chef Jason Gorman from Dream Dance Steak, where his leadership earned the restaurant a AAA Four Diamond Award from 2005 to 2011. Or maybe you remember him from the Iron Horse Hotel.
These day’s Chef Gorman the clean food advocate chef of Mangia Wine Bar in Kenosha, where he turns out delicious fare inspired by his Italian heritage, personal experiences and classical training from some of America’s best chefs.
Next week, Chef Gorman will be back in Milwaukee. And he’s packing all that’s best about spring in his suitcase. The James Beard Award-nominated chef will offer a cooking class at the Milwaukee Public Market on Monday, April 20 beginning at 5:30 p.m.
During the course, Gorman will demonstrate his recipes for
- Morel mushroom bruschetta with Clock Shadow Creamery ricotta and aged balsamic
- Spring pea soup with morels
- Gnocchi with morels, fiddlehead ferns and asparagus
In honor of his visit, I took a moment to catch up with Chef Gorman by email and asked him a couple of questions about the star of spring – the morel mushroom – one of the ingredients featured during his demo.
OnMilwaukee.com: What is the secret to bringing out the best in morels?
Jason Gorman: Morels are one of my favorite mushrooms this time of the year. When ever I am cooking with morels I like to keep things simple and try really showcase the mushrooms. I like to sauté them with a good quality extra virgin olive oil and finish with a good Wisconsin butter. The result is a crispy exterior with a mild nutty flavor.
OMC: What's something most home cooks don't know when it comes to preparing mushrooms?
JG: Morels and all mushrooms need to be washed. We soak morels for a couple hours in salt water to remove any unwanted "friends". You can even cut them in half if you are really concerned. Then it's important to let the morels dry out on a cloth napkin or towel. Any excess moisture will prevent sautéing properly and you will end up with soggy morels.
OMC: What's your favorite way to eat morels?
JG: I love morels with fresh pasta – maybe with some ramps or spring peas – with a touch of butter, salt and pepper and some Wisconsin parmesan shaved on top.
For more insider tips, join Chef Gorman on April 20 at the Milwaukee Public Market. Tickets are $39 and include a complimentary beverage, as well as a sampling of each of the dishes. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase online.
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.
