Our mission at Braise is to reconnect people with their food. There is no better way than to spend time on the farms where it was grown and learn from those who grew it.
Braise hosts multiple outdoor events throughout the year centered around the food and activities we love. Join us for a snow shoe in the winter, mushroom hunt in the spring, farm dinners in the summer, and a bike ride & cookout in the fall!
This years hunt will take place on Sat May 19th.
Join Chef/Owner David Swanson of Braise and Chef Thomas White of Mama's Distributing as they take you out on the hunt for the elusive morel in the Kettle Moraine area. After a few hours of collecting mushrooms, we head to a tented area and enjoy a meal prepared with our treasures! Depending on the size of the bounty you may even be able to take some home!
Garlic Fest is our annual Walker's Point street festival celebrating all things garlic. Various restaurants around Walker's Point dish up their favorite garlic cuisine. There are drinks from local distillers, brewers, and you don't want to miss the Braise Green Garlic Bloody Marys! Listen in on live music, jam with our DJ, or play some games. Crafts by local artisans are also for sale.
Held throughout the Summer and Fall
Chef Dave Swanson first started Braise as a traveling culinary school in 2004 by holding classes and dinners directly at our farm partners. We continue this tradition by hosting dinners directly in the farm fields throughout the summer and fall.
Enjoy the fresh bounty of small Wisconsin farms while taking in the beautiful scenery. When guests arrive they receive a small appetizer and cocktail to enjoy while strolling the grounds and talking with the farmers. All farm dinners are 3 course family style with wine pairings. Farm dinners have a maximum of 30 guests.
Held every August
Steve & Marie Deibele of Golden Bear Farm host Braise, along with 3 of Milwaukee's top chefs, to prepare a 4-course meal on the hillside of their farm in Kiel, WI. Take a tour of the farm, stroll the grounds with a cocktail, and meet the pigs before dinner. Each course features a section of pig, even dessert! Each course is paired with local micro-brews.
Held every September
Tour de Farms is an annual fundraiser held for the RSA. Over 200 cyclists, ranging from beginners to avid riders, gather every year at Jeff Leen Farm for a day of scenic bike riding, locally sourced food and refreshing drinks. We begin the morning by fueling up with homemade goodies from Braise, sports drinks, water and coffee. Our route then takes us winding through 25 miles of country roads, stopping at Willoway, Wellspring and Rare Earth farms along the way for tours, lunch and refreshments. The ride finishes with a pig roast and cookout with beer and wine. Enjoy live music, a silent auction, awards and games.
Held every February
Every winter we bundle up, strap on our snow shoes and brave the cold out at Jeff Leen Farm in Random Lake, WI. We spend the afternoon snow shoeing on trails around the farm, then return to the barn for a meal prepared over an open fire by Chef Dave Swanson and his staff. The cider, cocoa, wine and beer are flowing to warm you up!
Check back later in the year for 2019 Snow Shoe date!
Being a farm to table restaurant is about much more than putting food on a plate; it is a commitment to larger principles of sustainability and supporting the local economy. During the months of May, June & July we are excited to host 3 different chefs from around the Midwest who are committed to making their local food system a priority on their menus.
Join us for a 3 course Sunday supper prepared by each of these accomplished chefs and learn about their commitment to sustainability in their region of the Midwest. After dinner there will be a moderated discussion with our visiting chef and the chefs of Braise to share ideas and talk about making our local food systems more viable and prosperous.
2016: Marshal Paulsen of Birchwood Cafe-MN , Matt Chambas of Wickman House-WI, & Stu Hummel of Epiphany Farms-IL
2017: Chefs Jennifer Blakeslee & Eric Patterson of The Cook's House-MI, Chef Luke Zahm of Driftless Cafe-WI, & Dan Fox of Heritage Tavern-WI.
