Birch Hosts John Markus For Collaboration Dinner

Site of Birch, 459 E. Pleasant St. Photo by Aliza Baran.

With its ever-changing menu and emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, Birch is known for keeping things fresh.

And that extends beyond the restaurant’s core dishes, as Chef-Owner Kyle Knall hosts frequent pop-ups and a rotating cast of guest chefs, showcasing everything from oysters to French bistro fare.

“We have so many regular guests that we love, and so we want to give them — and really anyone in Milwaukee — the opportunity to try something new,” Knall said. “And it’s just really fun for us, to cook with somebody new and learn things from them and just have a good time.”

The latest change-up will take the form of a collaborative meal with John Markus. The Barbecue Hall of Fame Pitmaster and Emmy award-winning writer is also a close friend of Knall’s. He’ll pay a visit to the restaurant, 459 E. Pleasant St., on Thursday, Oct. 3.

Together, the chefs will present a multi-course meal that celebrates their intertwined history and ongoing commitment to innovation.

“He’s just a very fun guy to work with,” Knall said, noting that Markus was an investor in his first New York City restaurant, Maysville. The two have remained close since then, and have teamed up on several culinary events over the past decade. “We’re always looking for another opportunity to cook together.”

Tomorrow’s headlining dish, beef short ribs, is a riff on Contramar-inspired fish — a favorite on the Birch menu. After a day-long stretch in the smoker, the tender ribs will be served with homemade tortillas for build-your-own tacos at the table.

Guests can also look forward to throwback dishes including hay-roasted oysters with brown butter and pickled shallots, as well as a crispy grit canapé with country ham and bourbon aioli.

Both dishes were standouts on the Maysville menu, said Knall, harkening back to the chefs’ earliest days of friendship.

Additional canapés—confit chicken wings with pickled cucumbers and pimento cheese with crunchy vegetables—along with a steelhead trout tartare main course and a stone fruit-based dessert will round out the meal.

Reservations are sold out; however, Birch may accept a limited number walk-ins.

“We’re going to play it by ear,” said Knall, noting that he hopes to welcome as many diners as possible. Due to the nature of the meal, which relies heavily on slow-smoked meats, accommodations will be restricted.

The tasting menu is priced at $98. Like Birch’s other pop-ups, 15% of proceeds will be donated to the Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting food and beverage industry workers through financial assistance, mental health support and more.

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