Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders

From Farmland to Travel Wisconsin: Maria Van Hoorn on Food, Tourism, and Community

Host Charlie sits down with Maria Van Hoorn, Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, to discuss her rural Wisconsin upbringing, public service career, and efforts to promote tourism, culinary stories, and partnerships with local and tribal communities across the state.
The episode features a cooking segment where Charlie and Maria make clam linguine, share family and travel stories, and explore how food and events help drive economic development and community connections in Wisconsin.
You can watch the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/wai1nhg809s 
The recipe is available on our website at - https://cookingsecretsformen.com/2025/11/10/clam-linguine-or-linguine-alle-vongole/ 
"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.

From Charleston to the Cream City: Tony Snell-Rodriguez on Community, Inclusion, and tortilla de patatas

Host Charlie sits down with Tony Snell-Rodriguez, Director of Community Engagement and Inclusion for Visit Milwaukee and chair of Milwaukee's Equal Rights Commission.
Tony shares his journey from the Navy towns of his childhood to advocacy, hospitality, and a new life in Milwaukee. He discusses his community work, promoting the city through conventions and sports, and the importance of authentic storytelling.
In the culinary part of the episode, Tony also replicates his mother's Spanish tortilla de patatas, explains regional food traditions, and highlights Visit Milwaukee's new cookbook that celebrates local chefs and recipes.
You can watch the video here - https://youtu.be/-_ZzX0H_UeE 
The recipe is available on our website at - https://cookingsecretsformen.com/2025/11/06/tortilla-de-patatas-spanish-tapas/ 
"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.

Inside Milwaukee's Award-Winning Public Market: A Flavor-Filled Tour

Join a lively tour of the Milwaukee Public Market with host Charlie and Market Executive Director Paul Schwartz, showcasing the market’s vendors, food highlights, and community role. Discover popular vendors like St. Paul Fish Co., Fultz Family Market, Aladdin Middle Eastern Food, Freese’s Candy Shoppe, and unique spots such as the Wurst Bar and St Paul's Tiki Bar. 
Learn how the Milwaukee Public Market earned national recognition as the best Public Market in the US for the last two years. They host events and cooking classes, and help activate the Third Ward with outdoor spaces, concerts, and community programming while serving both locals and visitors.
Paul brings a wide selection of foods from the market vendors to share with Charlie and the audience.
The Milwaukee Public Market - https://milwaukeepublicmarket.org/ 
You can watch the video here - https://youtu.be/ZFv8Lz001aM 
This Podcast is part of the Milwaukee Podcast Network. Munching Around Milwaukee 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.

Tech Leader Joe Poeschl Bakes Up Community Innovation

Live from Studio D, Charlie interviews Joe Poeschl, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Tech Hub Coalition. They talk about his Milwaukee roots, dual degrees at Marquette and MIAD, and his work co-founding the Commons and growing the regional tech ecosystem.
They discuss the Coalition’s role in Wisconsin Tech Month, innovation districts, and building inclusive tech-powered economic growth across southeast Wisconsin. The episode highlights community partnerships and strategies to attract and retain talent.
The show closes with a hands-on cookie-decorating segment where Joe shares a family sugar cookie recipe, demonstrates royal icing and decorating tips, and invites the audience to participate and taste the results. Frivolity ensues.
Milwaukee Tech Hub Coalition - https://www.mketech.org/
You can find the recipe here - https://cookingsecretsformen.com/2025/10/26/best-holiday-sugar-cookies-and-royal-icing/ 
You can watch the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/ivF2QpWG1tw 
"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.

Garden-to-Table BLTs: Foraging Lunch at Urban Ecology Center with Jen Hense

Charlie meets Jen Hentz, Executive Director of the Urban Ecology Center, at the new Washington Park facility to tour the community garden, forage for fresh produce, and prepare BLTs in the community kitchen.
The episode highlights youth canoeing on the lagoon, summer free meals, volunteer-driven gardening, and the Center’s mission to connect Milwaukee residents to nature, education, and community.
You can watch the interview here -  https://youtu.be/G52JrU40gyw 
The recipe is available on our website at -  
This Podcast 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.

Turkey Chili & Leadership: Darnell Hamilton Cooks for Milwaukee

Charlie sits down with Darnell Hamilton, Executive Director of Future Urban Leaders, to cook a hearty turkey chili while discussing Darnell's Chicago upbringing, his teaching career in Milwaukee, and the work his organization does to support young people through a long-term leadership pipeline.
The episode mixes cooking tips—turkey, sweet potato, black beans, peppers, jalapeño corn muffins, and a Hazy IPA base—with conversations about community pride, mentorship, and building opportunities for Milwaukee youth.
Darnell tells us how he makes his turkey chili
You can watch the video here - https://youtu.be/DtdplMofOzQ
The recipe is available on our website at -  
This Podcast 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.