Potawatomi Hosting Farm-to-Table Pop-Up
Two-day Gather & Grow experience showcases Milwaukee area farmers and producers.
Gather & Grow red wine braised beef cheeks. Photo by Sophie Bolich.
A limited-time dining experience at Potawatomi Casino Hotel will make local purveyors its centerpiece, with five seasonal courses featuring ingredients from Mushroom Mike, Great Lakes Distillery, Kallas Honey Farm and others.
Gather & Grow, a pop-up restaurant, is set to open Sept. 22 and 23 inside Serenity Room, located on the third floor of the hotel at 1721 W. Canal St.
The farm-to-table theme is nod to the land and those who steward it, as well as a continuation of Potawatomi’s efforts to support independent farms and producers across Wisconsin, said Jennifer Wilzbacher, director of restaurant and beverage operations.
“We have always been very proud to be a part of Milwaukee and wanted to extend that past our doors to partner with people and farmers from Milwaukee, but also from greater Wisconsin—whether it be beverage or food,” she said.
During the pop-up, guests can expect a pre-meal farmers market featuring samples from featured vendors and a complimentary goodie bag. A QR code on the menu links to additional information about each local partner.
Gather & Grow brings a new dining experience to Potawatomi, which may open the door to future pop-ups, Wilzbacher said. “This is our first stab at it, but we want to potentially do it in the future, switching it up a little bit depending on what’s going on within Wisconsin and Milwaukee.”
The prix fixe menu begins with a welcome cocktail—Great Lakes Distillery Rehorst Gin with citrus cucumber, celery bitters, and soda water—paired with a bread basket featuring lemon-basil sourdough, caraway lavash and spreads like caramelized onion and sumac butter.
The first course, Uphoff Farm pork belly confit, features a tender cube of fatty meat paired with crisp fennel and apple salad. The dish, a delicate balance of indulgent and refreshing, pairs with Odyssea red sangria.
Additional highlights include braised beef cheeks with smoked and pickled pearl onions, polenta and pea shoots, paired with a porcini mushroom-infused cocktail. A beautifully presented apple spice dessert assembles green apple mousse, caramelized golden and red delicious apples, spice cake and Biscoff crumble into a realistic-looking apple.
Pete Zach, director of culinary operations, said creating the menu was an enjoyable shift from high-volume preparations, allowing the team to develop dishes “at a more intimate level.” Each executive chef was assigned one course and sourced ingredients locally to bring their vision to life.
“To really focus on something ourselves and built it together, it helps unify the team,” he said.
Reservations for Gather & Grow are now available to book online. The meal is $80 per person, or $120 with beverage pairings.
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