By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published Nov 03, 2014 at 10:03 AM

If you're looking for something new to tempt your tastebuds, check out one of these upcoming events, including a new installment of the Plate Collective, brunch at Love Handle and a beer dinner featuring Leinenkugel brews at Miller Time Pub & Grill.

Plate Collective Dinner
Want a unique dining experience that showcases the art of presentation?

Join local ceramics artist, Kate Riley, and four local chefs on Sunday, Dec. 7 at Hinterland Erie St. Gastropub for the next installment of the Plate Collective dinners.

These dinners not only feature excellent food prepared by some of Milwaukee’s best chefs, but also one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces created by local artist, Kate Riley, who works closely with each chef to create vessels that uniquely feature the dishes being served.

For instance, one of the dishes at the December dinner will imitate a hibachi grill for a course that will be cooked and served tableside.

This installment will feature courses from Chefs Dan Van Rite of Hinterland, Thomas Hauck of c.1880, Shay Linkus of The Vanguard and Matt Kerley of Blue Jacket.

For a preview of what you can expect, read our article about the last Plate Collective dinner, which took place in September and featured cheese boards shaped like clipboards, duck shaped bowls and dishes that doubled as corn graters.

The four course dinner with wine pairings, cocktail hour, and a take away cup handmade by Kate Riley is $105.60, which includes tax and gratuity. Tickets can be purchased at platecollective.net

Lagunitas Brunch at Love Handle
Love Handle, 2215 E North Ave.,  opens for a special brunch event on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m., which features brews from Lagunitas Brewing Co

Join Chef Chris Benedyk for Czech Pils Michelada with pickles and charcuterie, pork belly biscuits and gravy with Lagunitas I.P.A., smoked trout rillete with beer mustard and pickled turnips paired with Lil Sumpin’ and chai waffles with beets, Taleggio ice cream and pumpkin seed brittle with Copper Ale.

Cost is $45 per person. Please call (414) 271-1093 to make reservations. Tickets can be purchased at the restaurant during regular business hours. 

Beer dinner at Miller Time Pub & Grill
Miller Time Pub & Grill will host a five-course beer dinner featuring Leinenkugel’s brews on Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. 

Diners will join James Sanchez, general manager and cicerone certified beer server, along with Chef Joseph Mikolajczak, as they are guided through a five-course feast perfectly paired with local beers. Joni Ekovich, Retail Beer Merchant for Tenth and Blake Beer Company, will serve as the guest speaker at the event.

The meal will start with Leinenkugel’s Honey Weiss-battered Wisconsin cheese curds paired with Leinenkugel’s Red, followed by a Leinenkugel’s IPL-brined deviled egg with rainbow chard salad, and charred Usinger's brat paired with Leinenkugel’s IPL; braised golden and red beet salad paired with Snowdrift Vanilla Porter; pear wood-smoked pork short rib paired with Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy Cherry DoppleSchwarz; and burnt orange cheesecake paired with Leinenkugel’s Cranberry Ginger Shandy.

Cost of the dinner is $40, plus tax and gratuity, per person. For more details, visit milwaukee.millertimepub.com, or call (414) 271-2337 for reservations.

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host

Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.

When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.