Private Chef Launching Restaurant, Retail Shop in Bay View

Joe Sutter and Micaela Erickson. Photo courtesy of Micaela Erickson.

Micaela Erickson‘s culinary philosophy starts with tradition, but doesn’t end there — comforting but also nourishing; indulgent, but with an eye on the environment; braised lamb but also braised beans.

“Love a bean, I will tell you that,” she said with a laugh.

After nine years as a private chef, Erickson is seeking to expand on that approach, introducing her work to a broader audience with the opening of Radish, a restaurant and retail store at 2986 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. The venture, set to open in late spring, shares its name with Erickson’s private chef business, launched shortly before the pandemic.

“I’ve always had a daydream of what I would do if I decided to take this to a storefront,” she said. “There are all these ideas and excitement. But I just wanted to move beyond cooking from my house and my clients’ houses and find more outlets to the public.”

Everything fell into place when Erickson’s friends, Dion and Shannon Roldan, purchased the Bay View building and offered up its commercial storefront; a residential portion is slated to become an Airbnb.

“I was like, ‘this is too serendipitous. It’s time,'” said Erickson , a native of the neighborhood. “It’s really cool to be back in my old stomping grounds.”

With a background in business and hands-on experience at local eateries like La Merenda, Bavette La Boucherie and Ca’Lucchenzo, Erickson is well-equipped to bring her vision to life at Radish. That means flexing her creativity to fit maximum flavor into a limited menu—no more than six dishes daily—and making the most of a “really petite” 350-square-foot space.

The business will primarily function as a prep kitchen early in the week, as Erickson and Radish’s chef Joe Sutter focus on client work. Dinner service will be offered Thursday and Friday evenings, inviting up to a dozen guests to dine at a counter surrounding the small kitchen.

Throughout the week, Radish plans to open at 11 a.m.—earlier on Saturdays—for casual snacks, baked goods and coffee. On weekends, Erickson hopes to attract attendees of the nearby South Shore Farmers Market, possibly offering incentives for those supporting local farmers.

She’s also considering adding an outdoor patio between the Radish building and its neighbor, The Wiggle Room, to expand capacity during the warmer months. The space could potentially host makers markets and other artisan events, she added.

“We’re just all about connecting the community to other small businesses and their crafts.”

A small portion of Radish will serve as a retail space, offering a curated selection of kitchen goods, ingredients and, eventually, grab-and-go snacks like cheese, sauces and dips.

When it comes to menu creation, Erickson’s approach is grounded in sustainability, from sourcing seasonal ingredients to leaning on local partnerships. She said her past experience with the nonprofit Slow Food opened her eyes to the Midwest’s abundance of farm-fresh produce.

“People always ask, ‘What’s your style of cooking?’ and I’d say my style is inspired by the season—it’s very produce-driven,” she said. “Of course, I use proteins like seafood and meats, but there are always fun vegetables dancing around—bright flavors, lots of herbs, spices and citrus. I just love embracing those flavors and ingredients.”

Still in its earliest planning stages, Radish has no set menu; even when finalized, it’s likely to change on a weekly basis. On any given day, however, guests can expect one of Erickson’s crowd-pleasing salads—a favorite among her friends and family. All dishes will be gluten-free, with an emphasis on scratch-made items like gluten-free sourdough and house ricotta.

Erickson was initially hesitant to advertise the restaurant as gluten-free, as the descriptor often carries stigma in the culinary world. “Some people are turned off by it, but others are so excited,” she said.

Rather than focusing on the absence of gluten, Erickson’s dishes are defined by a variety of fresh, flavorful ingredients—and just happen to be gluten-free.

To drink, the restaurant plans to offer a selection of beer and a “mindful” wine menu with a focus on responsible farming practices.

While Radish could easily be inspired by the ingredients on Erickson’s menu, the name is actually an homage to her sister, a steadfast supporter of her culinary journey.

“My mom gave us all vegetable nicknames when we were kids,” said Erickson, who was known as “tomato.” Her sister, Ashley, was Radish.

In transitioning from business school to restaurant work, Erickson struggled with imposter syndrome. “But she told me, ‘No, you don’t have to go to culinary school. You’ve got it. It’s your passion. Just go for it.’ She was constantly pushing me to do this, so I named it after her.”

A license application for the proposed business is pending before the Milwaukee Common Council. If all goes according to plan, Erickson said she hopes to open this June.

“It’s going to be a place to come celebrate food and culture — and enjoy it together,” she said of Radish. “I’m really excited to go beyond my clients homes and be a presence in the community.”

The proposed hours of operation for Radish are Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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