On Sunday, April 30, Odd Duck will host a retrospective celebration in honor of its fifth anniversary.
The menu will feature throw-back menu items and favorites from chef and owner Ross Bachhuber and former chef de cuisines Shay Linkus of The Vanguard, Lisa Kirkpatrick and Paul Zerkel of Goodkind and Dan Jacobs of Dandan – all of whom spent time in the Odd Duck kitchen before branching off to open their own restaurants. Cocktail favorites from original Odd Duck menus will also be served.
"Right now we have way too many ideas for things we want to bring back," said Bachhuber in a press release about the event. "It’s been a crazy trip down memory lane just looking at all our old menus."
No reservations will be accepted for the evening; however, you can put your name on a waiting list, enjoy a drink at a nearby bar, and you’ll get a phone call when seats are available. The bar will open at 3 p.m. for drinks and bar snacks with dinner service starting at 5 p.m. Proceeds from the event benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee
"This is going to be insanely fun," said co-owner Melissa Buchholz. "It’s a thank you to the people of this incredible city who have supported us, a celebration of everyone who has worked here and helped us, a nostalgic look back at where the Milwaukee dining scene was five years ago and where it is now, and a chance for all of us to work together like we did in the beginning."
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.
