There’s a new executive chef at the helm at the Iron Horse Hotel, 500 W. Florida St.
Chef Joshua Rogers joins the hotel from the Cheeca Lodge and Spa, where he worked with James Beard nominee Chef Dean James Max. Prior experience includes work at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco as well as Fairmont Peach Hotel in Shanghai, China and
Nantucket Island Resorts in Massachusetts.
Rogers will lead the hotel’s team of culinary professionals at Smyth, Branded and The Yard. He’ll also oversee catering for events, meetings and in-room dining.
And his culinary influence – which focuses on simplicity and seasonality – can be seen in updates to the menus at both Smyth and Branded, with items like chilled corn soup with chanterelles and shrimp; serrano ham with wild mushroom, arugula, creme fraiche and summer truffle; a Biker’s Sandwich with flat iron steak, caramelized onions and Guinness mustard on a pretzel bun; and Maple Leaf Farms duck breast with marcona almond, fig and baby leek.
"I believe that simplicity can be very satisfying and successful, and I’m thrilled to create a new culinary vision for The Iron Horse Hotel," Rogers notes."From each ingredient to every plated dish and all the steps in between, I aspire to lead by example to show my team that I am with them every step of the way."
For a full list of menu items at all three venues, visit theironhorsehotel.com.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
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 every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "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 planning for TV and radio spots, 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.
