Chefs Paul Zerkel and Lisa Kirkpatrick have made a name for themselves over the last decade through their work at Roots, Wolf Peach, Odd Duck and most recently their own restaurant, Goodkind. Both express their personal stories through the food they serve; but we were curious to learn more. So we sat down with the Bay View chefs to chat about work, life and love.
During our conversation, we review their careers in both Milwaukee and Oregon, the similarities between Portland and Milwaukee and the reasons they moved back to the Midwest. Along the way, we reminisce about the development of the Milwaukee food scene over the past 10-12 years. We also touch on Zerkel’s love for sandwiches, late night dining, the growing ethnic dining scene in Milwaukee and what it’s like to work in the industry as a husband and wife team.