Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders

Paella & Public Policy: Cooking with Lafayette Crump

City of Milwaukee Commissioner of City Development Lafayette Crump joins host Charlie to discuss his journey from Milwaukee neighborhoods to Duke University and the Mayor's Cabinet, his work leading city development and housing initiatives, and his approach to public-private partnership for community impact.
The episode also features lighthearted moments—karaoke memories—and a step-by-step, easy paella recipe.  Lafayette cooks on the show, blending Spanish chorizo, shrimp, Arborio rice, and saffron.
You can watch the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/N9CUfGDcuxA 
You can see the recipe for Easy Paella here on our recipe website - 
“Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders” is part of the "Milwaukee Podcast Network." This show is an Interview and cooking show with Milwaukee Community Leaders.
We have an interview about their work in the community, then we cook something, and then we eat it. From our elected leaders to those working at the grassroots, we talk with people trying to make Milwaukee a better place.

From La Cordon Bleu to Tomahawks: Chef Darlene’s Milwaukee Journey

This week on the Munching Around Milwaukee Podcast, Chef Darlene VanManivong sits down with host Charlie to talk food, family, and her path from Le Cordon Bleu to executive chef at Rare Steakhouse. You can watch the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/nDDBf_0eDbg 
The episode features the signature dishes from Rare  Steakhouse — braised pork belly salad, a house burger with chimichurri, and a 90‑day aged 32‑oz tomahawk — and highlights her Lao heritage and sauce-driven approach to flavor.
They also discuss Darlene’s pop-up restaurant Thum, her experience working with top chefs, and Rare’s focus on local sourcing, seasonal menus, and happy hour offerings.
“Munching Around Milwaukee” is part of the “Milwaukee Podcast Network”. It is an Interview show with local Milwaukee chefs, restaurateurs, foodies, and food influencers.
We talk about the Milwaukee food scene and what makes it so special. We talk while munching on some of the best food Milwaukee has to offer. Join us each week as we Munch Around Milwaukee.

From Saigon to the Third Ward: Mike Nguyen’s Story & Egg Roll Secrets

On today's episode of Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, Teach for America Milwaukee Executive Director Mike Nguyen chats with host Charlie.  Mike shares his family's immigrant story, his educational journey, and his leadership work in the city. You can watch the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/sixKRmw24x0 
In the cooking segment, Mike demonstrates his favorite childhood recipe—homemade pork and shrimp egg rolls—while discussing TFA’s mission, funding challenges, and the importance of coaching and community.
Mike's sons, Apollo and Russell, are willing participants and help prepare the Vietnamese egg rolls. You can find the recipe here - https://cookingsecretsformen.com/2025/12/15/vietnamese-egg-rolls/ 
“Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders” is part of the "Milwaukee Podcast Network." This show is an Interview and cooking show with Milwaukee Community Leaders.
We have an interview about their work in the community, then we cook something, and then we eat it. From our elected leaders to those working at the grassroots, we talk with people trying to make Milwaukee a better place.

Chef Kyle Knall: From Stonebank Farm to Birch and a New French Brasserie

On this episode of Munching Around Milwaukee, Chef Kyle Knall joins host Charlie to talk about his award-winning Birch restaurant, directing Stone Bank Farm’s culinary program, and opening a 190-seat French brasserie called Cassis in Milwaukee’s Third Ward. They cover Kyle’s career from Alabama, New York and stops in between before ending up in Milwaukee.
Kyle shares his cooking philosophy of using simple, high-quality ingredients and collaborates with the local chef community. Kyle has helped transform Milwaukee’s food scene.
He is a three-time James Beard Award nominee, and Birch was on The New York Times' “The Restaurant List” in 2023.
You can see the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/v42IM2hPkvg 
“Munching Around Milwaukee” is part of the “Milwaukee Podcast Network”. It is an Interview show with local Milwaukee chefs, restaurateurs, foodies, and food influencers.
We talk about the Milwaukee food scene and what makes it so special. We talk while munching on some of the best food Milwaukee has to offer. Join us each week as we Munch Around Milwaukee.

Behind the Plate: Lori Fredrich onMilwaukee’s Food Scene

On the Munching Around Milwaukee Podcast, host Charlie talks with Lori Fredrich, senior food and dining editor at OnMilwaukee.com, about her path from classical studies to food writing and her storytelling approach to covering chefs, restaurants, and the people behind the food.
The episode explores Lori's annual 52 Restaurants list, her City Tins curation, which emphasizes women in food, her cookbooks (including Wisconsin Field to Fork), and the collaborative, farm-to-table relationships that define Milwaukee’s vibrant food scene.
You can see the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/3Xxi8dKm-rw 
“Munching Around Milwaukee” is part of the “Milwaukee Podcast Network”. It is an Interview show with local Milwaukee chefs, restaurateurs, foodies, and food influencers.
We talk about the Milwaukee food scene and what makes it so special. We talk while munching on some of the best food Milwaukee has to offer. Join us each week as we Munch Around Milwaukee.
 

From Mexico to Milwaukee: Diana Billstrom’s Recipe for Community and Enchiladas

On this episode of Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, host Charlie sits down with Diana Bilstrom, a Mexican-born community leader who has worked extensively in nonprofit family services and is the Senior Director for Growth and Strategic Partnerships at the Wisconsin Latino Chamber. Diana shares her personal journey, career path, and her mission to build trust and partnerships that support Hispanic businesses and the wider community.
The episode also features a hands-on cooking segment where Diana demonstrates her chicken enchiladas with a guajillo-ancho tomato sauce, offering simple tips for making quick, family-friendly meals while discussing inclusion, community engagement, and her vision for the Chamber.
You can watch the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/fHyBwEV_UX4 
You can find the recipe here - https://cookingsecretsformen.com/2025/11/27/mexican-chicken-enchiladas-or-enchiladas-rojas/ 
“Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders” is part of the "Milwaukee Podcast Network." This show is an Interview and cooking show with Milwaukee Community Leaders.
We have a short interview about their work in the community, then we cook something, and then we eat it. From our elected leaders to those working at the grassroots, we talk with people trying to make Milwaukee a better place.