Julian Kegel, fourth generation owner and operator of Kegel’s Inn, 5901 W. National Ave., came home from Los Angeles this weekend with an unexpected prize: a trophy for “Best Potato Salad."
The trophy – which is now displayed proudly at the bar at Kegel’s Inn – came after a live broadcast of the CBS daytime show “The Talk” during which Kegel went head-to-head against Walt Kunimitsu from W&M BBQ & Burger in Ohahu, Hawaii during their Food Face Off, a friendly competition which aims to support locally owned restaurants as they make their way through the ongoing pandemic.
Both Kegel’s Inn and W&M BBQ & Burger are long-standing establishments which have been operated by multiple generations of family members. And the show provided a great opportunity for both venues to tell their stories.
The two potato salads couldn’t be more different. Kunimitsu’s recipe is a Hawaiian-style potato salad featuring macaroni, peas and fresh crab. Meanwhile, the Kegel’s Inn German potato salad recipe – which dates back nearly 98 years – requires three days of patience to produce the most flavorful hot German potato salad, flavored with hot bacon and vinegar dressing.
And, while both potato salad recipes received accolades from both the producers and hosts of the show, only one potato salad (Kegel’s) would win the day.
Did you miss it? Watch the clip!
ð It's a side-dish-showdown ðÂÂÂ
Milwaukee potato sald- @KegelsInn
vs.
Oahu macaroni salad- #WMBurger #FoodFaceOff pic.twitter.com/cngHSiK5Kd — The Talk (@TheTalkCBS) May 27, 2022
Despite the stiff competition, Kegel says that both he and Kunimitsu bonded over the experience, becoming fast friends before leaving the show to return to their respective restaurants.
Want a taste?
Want to try out Kegel’s Inn’s award winning potato salad for yourself?
For a limited time, the longtime German restaurant is currently offering guests the opportunity to purchase the time-tested family recipe for their stellar potato salad online. Just head to the Kegel’s Inn website and click on UNLOCK the recipe. Right now, you can also get an 80% discount on the recipe by using the code THEBESTGPS at checkout.
Of course, it’s also possible that you’d love to try their delicious recipe for potato salad, but you don’t have any desire to go through the work of making it yourself.
If that’s the case, you can also purchase pre-made potato salad by the quart. It’s available for purchase for $17 (per quart) at the Kegel’s Inn take-out window. But you can also order it online for pick-up OR ship it anywhere in the U.S.
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.
