Wisconsin food culture is influenced by modern migrants as well, from the Hmong people of Laos who were granted amnesty in the U.S., to Black chefs whose families traveled north in the Great Migration. View map. Expand your Chinese food horizons at Taste of Sichuan, Restaurant review: At Little Tibet, home tastes like blood sausage and beef broth, Madison mayoral candidates Reyes, Rhodes-Conway air sharp contrasts, Madison voting guide: What's on Tuesday's ballot and more, Foxconn fallout includes bitter politics in Mount Pleasant, Badri Lankella focuses on '3 Cs' in run for Madison School Board, Three Madison chefs nominated for 2023 James Beard Awards. Just throwing it out there! WebMy name is Luke Zahm and I'm the Chef and Owner of the Driftless Caf. One big livability indicator for the Minowas was the quality of a town's food co-op, and when they toured Viroqua, they found a huge, thriving grocery cooperative. The prevailing wisdom was that family farms had to scale up if they wanted to survive. But these young businesses have been a long time in the making. Viroqua sits in a rare pocket of the Midwestcalled the Driftless areathat remained unglaciated in the last ice ages. When Im not highlighting our incredible programs, Im pedaling the countryside, hiking at a state park, making soy candles, thrift shopping or hanging out with my husband and miniature schnauzer. Jamie Lamonde worked for Organic Valley for 11 years before leaving to stay home with her children.
Thank you for the opportunity to share these stories with you its a dream come true. And if it wasn't for (Driftless Cafe), it would be a completely different town.". Tickets are available for purchase here. Wisconsin State Journal, Amber Arnold/Wisconsin State Journal via AP. In the end, it would require more than $4 million in upgrades to turn the 100,000-square-foot space into a viable home for food businesses, a build-out Noble financed one grant at a time. Zahm recently spoke with WPR's "The Morning Show" host Kate Archer Kent. I can only hope its as delicious on your screens as it was making it. I'm being pretty staunch and firm about not having to go to the store to get accessory ingredients to make something. Use of this Site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy. A self-described "foodie" who loves dining out, Vig said he's been lucky to travel with his band Garbage and eat in some of the world's best restaurants. Chef Vang runs Union Hmong Kitchen located in Graze Provisions + Libations food hall. The new season of Wisconsin Foodie. Your email address will not be published. He serves as an advocate, evangelist even, for a complex mix of cultural and historical regional foodways.
They have grown the business, hiring delivery drivers and selling to food service purveyors. But we also felt for the community we serve, its the responsible thing to do., Our staff came in yesterday and we cut the paychecks and set out all the perishable food that we had in the cafe so they could take it home. I think first and foremost, there's heartbreak because we definitely pride ourselves on being a focal point of community and gathering and sustenance and love for the people around us. But Vernon County never fully embraced industrial agriculture, thanks to its independent streak and a quirk of its geological history: The retreating glaciers that flattened much of the Midwest 10,000 years ago had never reached the region in the first place. It's busy day and night, particularly since its chef and co-owner, Luke Zahm, became a 2017 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest. Needless to say, I do a lot of emotional unpacking and as a result, feel vulnerable when I view the Wisconsin Foodie episodes for the first time with you! In 2009, NCR, an ATM supply company, announced it was closing its 81-employee plant in Viroqua. WebGetentrepreneurial.com: Resources for Small Business Entrepreneurs in 2022. That is exactly why Viroqua is home to the Driftless Cafe. Next. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Stay informed with WPR's email newsletter. With over 200 certified organic farms in Vernon County alone, The Driftless Cafe utilizes the vast bounty and passion of the local farming community. Last year Chamber Main Street partnered with local building owners to offer short-term, rent-free leases to local businesses (Cowboy Davids, the high-end bakery, was one participant). Facebook 0 Twitter Pinterest 0 0 Likes. Customers indulge in ice cream at Dave's Pizza and Sweet Shop on Main Street in Viroqua, Wisconsin.
Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Luke Zahm. Eddy Nix, who owns Driftless Books and Music in Viroqua, likens his "slow media" business getting away from technology and smartphone addiction to the slow food movement. The organization also implemented a micro-grant program modeled after Detroits SOUP program: residents gather, pool small amounts of money, and vote for local projects to fund. Observer archives, March 29, 2007 Zahm senator Luke Derheimer, second from left, reacts as senators pass a resolution recognizing Zahm Hall as Zahm Three decades of hard work and creative collaboration. 
Last year its population grew by nearly 1 percent, making it the second-fastest growing county in Wisconsin. Host Luke Zahm visits Little Blue Ridge Farm in Kendall. From his cheesey monologues with over the top pontification on cheese curds to wearing Now, I am trying to steer and guide conversations with characters that maybe arent as comfortable on camera. I usually tend to fill my time with work at the Driftless Caf, on various boards, and I even coach strength and conditioning and freshman basketball at Viroqua Area Schools. A University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate, he is a lifelong resident of the state. you catch my drift.
by Kim Kobersmith, The Daily Yonder March 11, 2022, This and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. For me to walk through a door correctly might take 10 takes from 10 different angles. As a result, the Driftless region retained its hilly topography. Locals braced for another blow. He trained as a chef at top restaurants in There is an eclectic cafe in the John Michael Kohler Art Center, a vegetarian cafe called Paradigm, plus a fun little cafe on the riverfront called The Weather Center. This summer, the 40-year-old chef steps in as the new host of the PBS show Wisconsin Foodie, shown Thursdays at 8 p.m. on Wisconsin Public Television. Whoops! I look forward to the next chapter in my role as a food storyteller and focusing on my extraordinary new role as father to my newborn daughter," says Cherek. Our standard of living might not be what it is in urban areas, but theres a different set of values here, she said. I think its been an important lesson for me to learn: how to surrender and trust the community around me. WATCH LUKE HERE! Hand-planted crops at Second Cloud from the Left Farm, a member of Viroquas Fifth Season Cooperative, in La Farge, WI. But its the time when the episodes actually air that our schedule quiets. You can cancel at any time. Sarah Elliott, market manager for the Dane County Farmers' Market, said the market has five members from Vernon County, three of which are from Viroqua proper. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of The Counter. Wells Fargo. Financing it was one of the more beautiful aspects of founding the cafe, said Zahm. Wisconsin voters went to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots for statewide, regional and local races. Arthur Ircink January 17, 2020. But those qualities didnt just help preserve the regions agricultural heritage. Cherek joined the Milwaukee Business Journal podcast this week to discuss his People dont give Midwesterners credit for being very worldly, he said. KAK: Mortgage abatement and rent abatement have been floated to try to help these restaurants from not folding completely. In 1992, Smithsonian magazine dubbed Viroqua The Town That Beat Walmart.. The oldest cultures in North America took refuge in these hills., Zahm points to the Sioux Chef, the Minneapolis-based restaurant and movement to restore Indigenous foodways headed by Chef Sean Sherman, as expanding his notion of regional cuisine. It helped me tell the story of the producers in the region, and really gave me an opportunity to become acclimated on camera. What's the big deal? WebLuke Zahm is a chef in Viroqua, WI and will be the new host of Wisconsin Foodie, on PBS. In fact, the first couple of seasons, I couldnt bear to watch. Since 2013, Zahm and his wife, Ruthie, who grew up in Viroqua, have operated Driftless Caf at 118 Court St. in Viroqua. LZ: It's astronomical. I cant wait to continue to explore and create broader awareness of the culinary scene with viewers as permanent host of Wisconsin Foodie.. They live in a farmhouse outside town where they grow kale, radishes, and medicinal herbs, among other things. We need the opportunity to try something different and a new jolt of energy into what were doing and we found that in Luke, Ircink said. We have cheap rents, lots of space, and a community thats really supportive.. Wells Fargo is part of the Banking industry, and located in California, United States. That recognition, considered one of the highest honors in the restaurant business, has brought in a lot of customers from outside Viroqua, and Zahm is happy to expose them to the town that he loves. People came that may have never heard of Viroqua or the Driftless Caf. For each burger sold, the cafe donates $2 to local nonprofits. "And that for me was the light bulb," Zahm said.
Contact. How Restaurants Are Coping With Coronavirus Shutdown. "We love camping as a family, we love canoeing.
Still, theres the sense that somethings changing here, that a tiny town in a hard-up part of the state has started to reverse its fortunes through food.
It's also meat and cheese, and items like Wisco Pop natural soda and Kickapoo Coffee, two Viroqua companies with fans in Madison and beyond. But as this progresses, the farmers are going to come into an era of hardship as well. Ruthie Zahm said before they moved back, they would hit a certain point on their drive to Vernon County, and Luke would feel the call of home.
Lighting, decor, music, temperature, beverage and sight lines all of these factor into the psyche of a chef and restaurant owner. A $2 million grant from the Economic Development Administration helped modernize and refit the 40-year-old building, including new doors and windows.
As he was perusing the cheeses, he did a double take. I am mindful about strengthening a rural identity through good food., In 2020, Zahm became the host of Wisconsin Foodie, a PBS show celebrating all aspects of the rich food culture of the state. He is a two-time winner of the Edible Madison Local Hero Award, and was named a 2017 James Beard Best Chef Midwest semifinalist, a rarity for small-town culinary talent. As Wisconsin So far, the centers tenants employ 65 people. It felt really great. Instead, local businesses teamed up and adapted. But man oh man, theres amazing food culture thats rooted here that is simple, that is based in tradition, people passing down stories from generations. January 11, 2022 Luke Zahm Leave a Comment. Thats a tremendous amount of infrastructure that you dont find anywhere else., For small towns like mine, this is reassurance that were on the right path., Sue Noble, Vernon Economic Development Association, smaller scale, perennial production is a better fit. We went to his backyard and to his butcher in Campbellsport, this quintessential old school butcher shop. But the keystone tenant, arguably, is the Fifth Season Cooperative, a fruit and vegetable brokerage trying to do for produce what Organic Valley did for dairy and eggs. His writing and directing credits include A Guy Thing and The Godfather of Green Bay. Petes TV writing credits include Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader? as Jeff Foxworthys writer/producer and the sports comedy show Sports Soup. Pete is married with two children and splits time between Los Angeles and the Midwest. A separate sign displays the restaurants motto: Good energy equals good food.. The execs didnt go for it not enough advertising, Zahm recalled. Zahm is the owner and head chef of Driftless Cafe, which he has operated with his wife in Viroqua, Wisconsin since 2013. They've transformed this area, and now to have a restaurant like Driftless here is incredible.". But these inland seas brought people into this place for time immemorial. Ten months out of the calendar year are spent researching, documenting, traveling, actively interviewing, editing, polishing and then promoting. The community needed a vibrant place that reeked of soul, said Zahm.
Previous. His hometown was on the food label, listed as the place where it had originated. Originally from the Bronx, he lived in Brooklyn in the 1990s and early aughts and spent most of the last decade in Los Angeles. This has been an ideal place to start this kind of business, said Caleb Nicholes, a cofounder of the company. Growing up as a rural kid plays so much into the work I do now, said Zahm. The producers sent me out on shoots with just a cameraman for me to practice. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1597166322662-mid-article-1'); }); "Kyle [Cherek] was the first face of 'Wisconsin Foodie,' and played an integral role in helping thousands of Wisconsinites fall in love with local food and culinary culture," notes Arthur Ircink, founder and director of "Wisconsin Foodie. (All photos in this article courtesy of Luke Zahm. People here are really intent on supporting each other, and shopping locally is not something you have to drill into peoples heads, said Nora Roughen-Schmidt, executive director of Viroqua Chamber Main Street (the organization is a cross between a chamber of commerce and a revitalization association). The new season of Wisconsin Foodie, FULL EPISODE: Chef Yia Vang | Union Hmong Kitchen | Vinai Wisconsin Foodie. Back in the early '90s, Vig said his father told him, "the hippies are saving Viroqua. Learn more about accessibility at UWMadison. Website feedback, questions or accessibility issues: web@umark.wisc.edu. So, as the 2022 Wisconsin Foodie season approaches its Jan. 20 airdate, I humbly surrender myself to you. To do one episode is one thing. WebWisconsin Foodie artfully blends food, cooking, and travel while showcasing local businesses, restaurants, purveyors, and farmers telling their story and helping to promote a local, sustainable economy. It was apparent from the moment we met! Winners will be announced May 1 at an awards gala in Take the Baked Wisconsin macaroni and cheese. When Arthur and Kyle and the crew showed up I had things prepped. Vernon County has, People are moving in from other places, and theyre bringing big ideas here., People here are really intent on supporting each other, and shopping locally is not something you have to drill into peoples heads.. The most frustrating thing is in an industry where we are one of the largest market sectors in the United States for employment, that we can't provide affordable health care for a lot of employees. How does Wisconsin Foodie plan to tell immigrant and indigenous stories? Here's what to know. Luke Zahm - Owner and Head Chef - Co-Owner of The Driftless "The people here, they are educated about food. People from around the world want to just touch and experience it.. The new season of Wisconsin Foodie premieres 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20 on PBS Wisconsin. He's pleased that organic farmers from the area are starting to branch out. An aerial shot of Tunnelville Road in La Farge, WIhome to Organic Valleys national headquartersshows the Driftless Areas characteristically hilly terrain. This site was built using the UW Theme | Privacy Notice | 2023 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. The family has been in business for 70 years and Cesar told him about cuts he wanted that theyd never heard of using. Named for the Midwests Driftless Region, the Driftless Cafe headed by chef and Wisconsin TV personality Luke Zahm carries on the areas rich tradition of local Ruthie and Luke Zahm run Driftless Cafe in Viroqua. But Sue Noble, executive director of the Vernon Economic Development Association (VEDA) saw an opportunity. When a west coast television producer told chef Luke Zahm that not enough people care about the food of the upper Midwest, it was like pouring rocket fuel on a match.. Doubling down on row crops just wasnt a feasible option. The Grammy Situated in the rural southwest area of the state, it is the county seat and largest community in Vernon County. Luke and his wife Ruthie, daughter Ava and sons Benjamin and Silas all live in Viroqua, Wisconsin. Driftless Cafe Owner And Chef Shares Ideas To Help Local Restaurants, Farmers. It teaches me to let go and just be myself on camera, it teaches me to listen, and it pushes me to grow and ultimately share a part of this unique experience with all of you. WebCharlie Zahm is an American singer and player of Celtic, maritime and traditional American music. WebZahm, 37, grew up in La Farge, and, his wife, Ruthie, 38, in Viroqua. When Im not scouring the state for fun music and arts content, Im usually being forced to go on a hike by my demanding border collie or being forced to read on the couch by my demanding cats. Yias goal is to make Hmong food more approachable for American diners while also paying homage to his family and their history.
Ive enjoyed my guest role with Foodie immensely. Budweiser promises to bring beer to the red planet, The liquor industry is harshing on legal pots buzz. He trained as a chef at top restaurants in Madison, two hours away, and soon he and his wife Ruthie, 38 and also from Vernon County, dreamed of starting a place of their own. Two years ago, Zahm and Driftless were long-listed for a James Beard Award for Best Chef Midwest, and the Viroqua-based Edible Madison magazine has twice named him a Local Hero..
Despite reductions in poverty, incomes are below the state average, and there are still several boarded-up storefronts on Main Street. Nowadays Subarus share the road with pick-up trucks and horse-drawn buggies driven by the countys Amish farmers. Youre trying to deliver a monologue before the sunlight fades into the night, but cant shut them up long enough in the back seat to get a word in. The Supreme Court case on same-sex wedding cakes hinges on a single question: Is food art? Elevated above Main Street, the Viroqua Food Co-op, established in 1995, is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. One time many years ago, I was riffling through my grandmother Ruth's box of handwritten recipe cards when I pulled up short at the sight of t. The new season of Wisconsin Foodie premieres 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20 on PBS Wisconsin. He replaces Kyle Cherek, previous host of "Wisconsin Foodie.". I am the education communications manager for PBS Wisconsin Education. Often, the food itself is just a piece of the overall dining experience that we are striving to create. Against all odds, they created a farm-to-table destination restaurant that draws regular patrons from as far as Madison and Chicago and have nurtured a diverse food shed that provides nearly 100% of the cafes ingredients. WebLuke Alexander Zahm, age 30s, lives in Saint Cloud, MN. The foresight of this family [who backed the Cafe initially] expressed our direction of seeing the need in the community and our emotional responsibility to provide for those needs, said Zahm. Small Viroqua, Wisconsin, pop. It has 4,400 square feet of retail space and is undergoing an expansion that will double its size, said Charlene Elderkin, the co-op's marketing manager. The number of destination diners drops off and locals fill the tables. The 12th season of "Wisconsin Foodie" starts Thursday night with its new host Luke Zahm, the James Beard-nominated chef/owner of Driftless Cafe in Viroqua. KAK: What advice do you have for people cooking at home?
We may not all have the same privilege and opportunity to eat in restaurants in our state that are so high-brow. Its hard work. People travel a long way because they want something that is real and tangible, authentic.
KAK: Are you concerned that your employees will be forced to find other jobs? Its roots trace back to the 1980s, as global economic forces started to take a toll at home, battering three industries the region had long relied on: agriculture, tobacco, and manufacturing. Historically, the rural communities in the region used to be structured around local creameries. Uplands Cheese in Dodgeville, Wisconsin is a farmstead creamery. At right, chef Luke Zahm preps for an event at the Driftless Cafe. Madison, WI 53706 I know that people kind of laugh about that, but it's something to do and that lady knew how to cook.. Luke Hemmings and Sierra Deaton Matt Baron/Shutterstock. For years, the property housed nothing but an abandoned cheese factory. Theres a ton of examples of that in food media culture. After they graduated in 2003 Lukes degree is in behavioral science and law, and Ruthies in nursing they got married, and stayed in Resourcefulness, determination, and a willingness to work together allowed Vernon Countys agricultural producers to find a way forward while others struggled elsewhere. Several years ago, owners Anna Poplawska and William Scott began working out of their home, which, according to Anna, is a former church, very large and zoned commercial. Their work-- applying labels by hand to trays that hold
Together, they formed the Coulee Region Organic Produce Pool (CROPP)better known today as Organic Valley. I also enjoy bicycling, baking, playing board games and watching movies (especially musicals). As a kid growing up in a small, rural town in Wisconsin, I found my identity in food, Zahm said. They said, "Were swinging through the area tomorrow and wonder if youd like to be profiled?" "When I left here in the '70s and went to UW, it was a dying community and people were moving out.". Ultimately, she hoped to turn the space into a home for food-manufacturing, one big enough to replace the 81 jobs lost when NCR left. Zahm is among the Best Chef: Midwest semifinalists, which will be narrowed down to nominees on March 15. by Required fields are marked *. it just wasn't the same home feeling," she said. Rural America just feels like its not being paid attention to. It was too much! Fairchild, Dreamfarm: With Luke Zahm. There are indigenous pieces that are worked into menus here that people take for granted. Arthur was like, Push all that to the side. Location. According to the local tourism board, there are now more than 32 vineyards in the county. Watching myself on television isnt easy. Outside the office, you'll likely find me with my nose in a book, outdoors or farming! WebI've been watching since the beginning and my wife and I both found Cherak insufferable. Nicole Simonson and her daughter, Ella, 8, eat at Blackhawk Grille on Decker Street after riding their bikes there in Viroqua, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Foodie artfully blends food, cooking, and travel while showcasing local businesses, restaurants, purveyors, and farmers telling their story and helping to promote a local, sustainable economy. The Driftless food movement didnt happen overnightor by accident. (Thats at lower wholesale prices, not retail).
The most recent example: a large, low-slung industrial building on the north end of town.
We may modify, suspend or discontinue any aspect of the Services at any time, including the availability of any Services feature, database, or content, or for any reason whatsoever, whether to all users or to you specifically. It planted a seed, and as Zahm went on to work in Madison restaurants he saw again and again how chefs hungered for the kind of ingredients springing from the Driftless area. With the help of my wife Ruthie and 30 employees, we own and operate our 44 seat restaurant. On Twitter, one fan wrote, "luke hemmings sitting at home next to his wife and Luke Zahm has been working as a Premier Banker at Wells Fargo for 11 years. The video quickly went viral and the 5SOS fandom did not hold back on their reactions. The producers give you some grace like thats you, thats a nuance, that will translate well on camera or well edit this out. Zahm is the owner and head chef of Driftless Cafe, which he has operated with his wife in Viroqua, Wisconsin since 2013. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, SAMARA KALK DERBY ", "In a way, he's right because it's a little left-wing counterculture that's come in here. 
He credits Zahm with pulling off something amazing. Its too soon to say how worldly and often wealthier transplants from the coasts will impact the region, and how wide the economic gap is between long-time Viroquans and more recent ones. In 2013, Zahm and his wife, Ruthie, took over Viroquas Driftless Caf, creating a small focused menu using locally grown organic products. As a kid looking for an identity in a small town, he found meaning in a newly formed It was a profound moment; he realized his rural home provided something that people in Madison wanted. The area doesn't lend itself to industrial farming and one of the reasons Organic Valley started was to find a way for small family farms to make it and not have to "go big or go broke," said the co-op's Elderkin. Two years later, the couple bought a restaurant in the seat of Vernon County: Viroqua, population 4,362. During a period when family farms in neighboring Iowa either disappeared or ballooned into sprawling, highly mechanized endeavors, CROPP allowed Vernon Countys farmland retain its diverse, decentralized charactera must for a good local food scene. People are moving in from other places, and theyre bringing big ideas here, said Ruthie Zahm, who manages the Driftless Caf.
Its this collision of cultures. Congrats on the new gig! As Driftless' Zahm spoke with a reporter one Thursday in early June, Viroqua's most famous son, Garbage co-founder and music producer Butch Vig, walked into the artfully designed, two-room cafe with his brother. Andrew is the editor of BizTimes Milwaukee. WebWATCH LUKE HERE! Danielle Renwick is senior editor of explorepartsunknown.com. I assumed it was TV magic, like I start a dish and we would have all the finished components and it would be a quick shoot. This sacred corn is older than their creation story Skywoman fell to the earth with the seeds.. Email me at [emailprotected]. Right now we're going through Vivian Howard's Deep Run Roots and finding recipes that we can adapt and modify to ingredients that we have on hand. Whether or not thats true, one things for certain: Vernon County doesnt fit neatly into the narrative of a downtrodden heartland. NEW: Dim Sum Give Some (Air Date 1/23/20) Arthur Ircink January 20, 2020. The menu changes daily, dictated by season and sourced ingredients from farmers, and often isnt finalized until the afternoon. How did you first hook up with Wisconsin Foodie?. Zahm
It's not going to be a surprise when people decide, 'You know what, I'm going to use my time to do something that is valued at a higher level in our society.'. Joe Rogan-Nordstorm said food tourists will drive from Illinois or from Madison on a Saturday to get two dozen of their cookies or their famous cashew, ginger carrot cakes, shop at the town's farmers' market and then eat at Driftless Cafe. "That is a big, big driver economically," Zahm said about the farming community.
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