‘Top Chef’ filming in Milwaukee will highlight the city’s ‘exploding’ food scene

Paul Bartolotta has been a staple in Milwaukee’s food and dining scene for three decades.

The owner of the Bartolotta Restaurants, he’s also served as a guest judge for “Top Chef,” the popular Bravo cooking competition TV show. In recent years, he’s advocated for Wisconsin and Milwaukee to be the next location for the show.

This year, he got his wish, as the show is shooting its upcoming season in Madison and Milwaukee. Now, he’s excited for the world to see what he called an “exploding” food scene in Milwaukee.

“Since my brother Joe and I started the Bartolotta restaurants here now 30 years ago, we have seen Milwaukee’s culinary scene evolve into a world-class food destination,” he said. “I think it’s evident by the fact that Top Chef made the decision to come here.”

Bartolotta and many other city and state leaders helped convince the show’s producers to shoot the cooking competition show in Wisconsin. Bartolotta said other parts of the state — including Door County — will also be highlighted in different ways on the show.

“We want to share what we do every day, our various cultures, show our talent, and we’re really prideful — we’re proud to be Milwaukeeans and Wisconsinites — and to show what we do,” Bartolotta said.

Last year, “Top Chef” was filmed in London. In 2021, chefs competed in Houston. Now, Wisconsin will have the global spotlight.

Casey Kriley and Jo Sharon, Co-CEO’S of Magical Elves, the production company behind “Top Chef,” said in a statement they “know our incoming chefs will be inspired by the bourgeoning culinary scene in Milwaukee and Madison known for blending tradition with innovation and utilizing farm fresh ingredients.”

Crews with the show have already been seen at different locations in Milwaukee throughout the summer. David Caruso, the host of Milwaukee tourism TV show “Good Things Brewing,” said he’s happy to see the city’s food scene receiving more recognition.

“There is no doubt that Milwaukee’s food scene has definitely evolved,” Caruso said. “I think it’s kind of having a moment right now, and this certainly emphasizes that point.”

Earlier this year, nine Wisconsin chefs and restaurants across the state were named semifinalists for the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards, often described as the Oscars of the food world. Four of those restaurants and chefs were based in Milwaukee and four were based in Madison.

“It’s going to be neat to see everybody around the world really having an opportunity to connect with our food scene and to realize that much like many other things in our city, it’s something to be surprised and delighted by,” Caruso said.

“Wisconsin Foodie” host Luke Zahm said the state is full of cultural traditions, many of which revolve around food. But he’s seen more people pay attention to the food of the upper Midwest and Wisconsin recently.

“Our identity is growing, our brand is growing, and I think it’s tremendously impactful in Milwaukee specifically, because a lot of new ideas concentrate there,” Zahm said.

Meanwhile, “Top Chef” host Kristen Kish and judge Gail Simmons have been touring the culinary scene in the city and beyond, visiting different restaurants and cafes. One of those restaurants was Three Brothers, a Serbian restaurant in Bay View.

Milunka Radicevic said her family has owned and operated that restaurant for 66 years. She said it was an “incredible honor” to host members of the show.

“It’s such a wonderful opportunity to showcase our city, to showcase all of the talents that chefs and people and small businesses that make Milwaukee so unique and wonderful,” Radicevic said.

She believes the show, which will air in 2024, will encourage more people to visit Milwaukee, which she said has an “incredibly diverse” dining scene.

“I definitely think that the spotlight will bring more people here and curiosity will lead them to view our city as a wonderful place,” she said.