A chef’s life with Dane Baldwin of The Diplomat

07/24/19 • 70 min

Every chef has a unique story to tell. On this week’s podcast, we talk with Dane Baldwin, chef and owner of The Diplomat about his passion for food and his journey to becoming a chef.
From his first food-related job to opening his own restaurant, Baldwin shares stories about his early years working at Sendik’s to his first cooking gig in the kitchen at the former Gil’s Cafe. Along the way, he shares tales from his work at Bartolotta’s, SURG Restaurant Group and -- finally -- his own restaurant. We also chat about how it feels to make the James Beard Foundation’s semi-finalists’ list and what it takes to recreate the flavors of a fast-food burger to create the Diplomac.

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Creating bars where women (and men) feel safe

Heading out to the bar for a drink is supposed to be fun. Unfortunately, the potential for drink tampering, sexual harassment or assault has become frighteningly common, especially for women. Even if it hasn’t happened to you, it’s likely happened to a friend of yours.
It’s estimated that one out of every four women will experience sexual violence at some point during adolescence or early adulthood. Statistics also show that at least half of those crimes will occur while the perpetrator is under the influence of alcohol.
So what do bars do to create spaces that are safe for both women and men? In this episode, we chat with Peaches Seguin and Colleen Santner of Una Cafe about creating a bar culture in which customers feel safe and welcome. During our chat, we discuss bar culture, factors that make some bars feel more safe than others and the elements that go into creating a safe, welcoming bar culture. Along the way, we laugh, drink shots and get to know Seguin and Santner a bit better.

Next Episode

Plant-based cuisine with Melanie Manuel

Mainstream demand for plant-based cuisine has resulted in 2019 being declared Year of the Vegan. Growth in flexitarian diets means plant-based alternatives have gained mass-market appeal, and even long-time meat-heavy markets like Milwaukee have seen exponential growth in access to vegetable-based fare.
In this week’s podcast we chat with Melanie Manuel, chef-owner of Celesta, a relatively new East Side restaurant specializing in vegan fare. Along the way, she shares her thoughts on restaurant ownership, the inspiration behind her approach to plant-based fare, her success in making vegan food accessible to customers and her thoughts on the increased popularity of plant-based proteins like the popular Impossible Burger.