Past, Present, Future

Past, Present, Future

There was a recent article that Precinct and I were briefly mentioned in this last month. It was buried in a long article recapping memories of Milwaukee area establishments that have come & gone, weathered the storm of covid, & new that have popped up in the last few years. It definitely took me down a memory lane of fond meals I have eaten out & dishes I created for my guests. 

Reading this article really had me remembering the past. I started my first restaurant, Cafe Soeurette long before most these mentioned, and while I may have moved to a new Community and, street level to boot, the decor may be the exact opposite, the vibe is upbeat, honest, transparent, and fun! The roots of Cafe run so deep even here at Precinct. The regulars followed; we built new relationships quickly. It is so very different in the vibe, but the food is reminiscent of Cafe. Although if I really think about it. Cafe was the baby, food wise. My kitchen as a whole has evolved so much since 2007. Nineteen years of evolution in these two establishments. 

I think that’s why it was so very hard for me to read in “said article’ one sentence mentioning Cafe, Precinct, and myself. One sentence…..

It’s the first article, If I’m right since 2019, opening year of Precinct, any major Milwaukee area Journalist has mentioned us. 

If you go back and google Cafe Soeurette (please do) a plethora of articles will storm your screen. 

Precinct, two, that’s it… no joke. 

I often over the years have asked myself and staff what am I doing wrong here? 

Clearly our loyal clientele new & old know what’s happening in these four walls. 

About a year ago I finally hung up an array of articles, reviews, what not from my younger days of cafe, here in our hallway at Precinct. Customers often ask what’s this Cafe place have to do with here? I explain that was my first establishment. I respond with “I hope to add at least one for Precinct up there someday.”

But you know I have thought a lot in the last few weeks after reading this one line written about me in the last 6 years. 

Two words specifically “Inspired Casual”….

The staff has all read it as well. It has become a joke of sorts, now within this kitchen. All of us pondering what does it mean? Jokes coming at me on the back line after tasting a dish “that was super Inspired Chef” “What Inspired those flavors Chef” “I’m so Inspired after eating this” and so on and so on. 

We have all concluded that the casual part is because of the ambiance, the decor, I’m sure. There are no white linens on the tables, there is not too many forks to confuse the lesser knowledgeable diner in proper table etiquette from the Victorian era still spilling out onto the tables of much more proper and profound fine dining establishments of this era. There is no maître d’ , no wine sommelier, no table crumbers. 

It’s loud, there is color everywhere, our servers are fun, personable, real, and most of all honest. The Kitchen is open you see it all. You hear it all! I have worked in open kitchens that we were told not to talk. It was awful. Talk about making a kitchen seem pretentious, which couldn’t be further from the truth. And try and fire items with hand signals and gestures rather than simply asking your comrade for “how long” to finish a table up. Just stupidity at its finest. 

Personally, I think seeing and hearing the kitchen is something to celebrate! Hence why I built it that way. Our kitchen gives you the full story of what it takes from start to finish. You see what happens from the first step in our door, that next moment a simple fork, wrapped in a humble napkin, atop an naked undressed table, is holding that first bite of a carefully, intentional, well thought out prepared dish, so begging to dance with your tastebuds and whisk you a way to a world full of flavor and texture. 

Bet you thought I was gonna say inspired, got ya! 

I’m inspired every day yes. But as I’ve gotten older and have more experience my dishes are thoughtfully put together. I live, breathe, eat, sleep food. Each element is there with intention and purpose. Inspired can mean creative as well. I will take that! 

So I’m still just so confused by that word. “Inspired” maybe because casual followed it? Why am I so focused on it? I guess, because I could have thought of a million other descriptive words to have described what we are doing here. Also, I really feel the food at Precinct has evolved and grown so far since Cafe. I honestly believe we are putting out food leaps and bounds above what I did at Cafe. This staff is so talented, Period! We literally welcome you to come see and experience it all. 

I’m often told that folks are so happy to have found us because they are able to stay in the burbs for “big city” food. I love hearing that, because somehow we have achieved a casual atmosphere with, I believe a pretty eclectic artfully prepared menu. Everything made daily, from scratch, fresh product, no premade processed anything. 

I’m very unsure that Precinct will ever be noted the way Cafe was, I think that ship has sailed.

You know it took the last few weeks for me to come to terms with that. For the present time, I need to stop searching for validation from a handful of people with a pen & paper. Sure, it would be nice to add to that wall of notoriety, but you know what? Our proof is in the pudding! Ultimately what our customers think, is what matters! So, thank you all for the positive vibes and feedback, and really for taking it all in for what it is and appreciating what we have happening here time and time again. We work hard to bring new fresh fun food to you weekly. 



As for the foreseeable future we are going to continue doing what we do best here, being casual, unpretentious, loud, bold, fun, honest, and making some pretty rock star food! I would stand to say that we put out food that could hold a candle to any fine dining establishment but without the suit and tie!

We want you to remember every single bite and have that insatiable hunger for your next Precinct visit!