The Iron Horse Hotel has welcomed a new executive chef to the fold.
Bradford Shovlin is a graduate of Western Michigan University and the Culinary Institute of America. He has spent time in the kitchens of North Pond and Crofton on Wells in Chicago, and was recently executive chef of two successful start-ups in Seattle and Chicago. During his tenure at Crofton on Wells, the restaurant earned a Michelin star.
And on Thursday, May 15, Shovlin will partner with culinary director Suzy Crofton to present a five-course wine dinner that highlights the best of Wisconsin’s seasonal culinary offerings.
The dinner, which will be held Thursday, May 15, at 7 p.m. at Smyth, 500 W. Florida St., will feature locally sourced ingredients paired with the exceptional wines of Oregon’s Johan Vineyards.
Courses include cucumber and Vidalia onion soup; beets served with pumpernickel, dill and quark; Wisconsin Ivory Char with potatoes, olives and garlic chives; rabbit served with morels, fava beans, asparagus and ramps; and a dessert featuring strawberries, rhubarb, saba syrup and fresh chevre.
Tickets are $85 per person and can be purchased online at smythwinedinner.eventbrite.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.
