MILWAUKEE (WITI) – Locavore, a casual dining restaurant featuring globally-inspired dishes prepared with local and sustainable foods sourced from the finest local purveyors, will open as part of Potawatomi’s new hotel later this year. An inviting menu will be coupled with the friendly, hospitable service the Midwest is known for.
“Locavore is committed to utilizing seasonal indigenous ingredients in every dish,” Potawatomi Food & Beverage Director Don Sally said. “I believe our guests will find Locavore and its local, sustainable menu options to be a natural fit to Potawatomi’s culinary offerings.”
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, the restaurant offers something to suit every taste at a moderate price.
Locavore’s menu will feature small and large plates with bold flavors, composed of local produce, sustainable proteins and lesser-known foods, such as tepary beans, paw paw, ground cherries and Shagbark syrup.
Menu items will change according to the seasons and daily harvests.
“An added benefit of this culinary concept is the positive ripple effect our purchasing will have on the local economy and small-scale vendors,” Sally added.
According to the National Restaurant Association, locally-sourced foods are one of the hottest trends in culinary circles.
“With this concept, we embrace the Native American values of the Potawatomi tribe and introduce modern approaches on some traditional cooking techniques and flavor profiles to Milwaukee,” he said.
Located on the first floor, Locavore will be open to the lively hotel lobby and highlighted by an expansive two-story window wall and a large welcoming bar that wraps into the action of the lobby.
The 4,400 square-foot restaurant will accommodate 165 guests in the dining room, which includes a private dining room and winding bar that seats an additional 20.
A nearly 4,000 square-foot state-of-the-art kitchen will service the restaurant and support room service for hotel guests.
Specialties of the high-energy bar will include hand-crafted cocktails highlighted by local ingredients, regional and small-batch beers and premium organic wines by the bottle and glass.
An innovative bar menu will feature small plates.
The sunny dining room will feel inviting with warm fabric booths and intimate tables set in reds, browns and greens and a private dining room set in the back of the restaurant.
The modern atmosphere will be accented with touches of natural elements, tying into the organic, sustainable aspects of the menu.
Potawatomi’s responsible business practices constantly evolve as the company strives to reduce its environmental footprint.
Locavore will join these efforts by using state-of-the art cooking equipment that save energy and water, recycling its cooking oil and using environmentally-friendly to-go containers.
The restaurant will employ about 60 employees, including a restaurant chef, cooks, servers, bartenders, hosts, bussers, dishwashers and managers.
“This is an exciting opportunity for culinarians of all levels,” said Sally. “We’re looking to build a team who is passionate about working with local and underutilized foods, and who are enthusiastic about sharing this experience with our guests.”
Potawatomi will host a job fair to hire for these positions as well as other hotel jobs, Monday, June 2, in the Casino’s Expo Center.
The job fair is open to the public and will be held from 3 – 7 p.m.
A second job fair will be held from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, June 14, in the Expo Center.
Executive Chef Peter Gebauer, WCMC, GMC, recipient of the WRA Salute to Excellence Award and NRA Operator Innovations Award finalist, has lead concept and menu development efforts for Locavore.
Follow Locavore and Potawatomi Hotel and Casino’s progress toward opening on social media at facebook.com/paysbig and twitter.com/paysbig.com or by following #NewHeights.
Set in the heart of Milwaukee, Potawatomi is Wisconsin’s premier entertainment destination, offering guests the best in gaming, dining and entertainment.
The property features six award-winning restaurants, including Dream Dance Steak, Wild Earth Cucina Italiana, RuYi, Fire Pit Sports Bar and Grill, The Buffet and Menomonee Valley Food Court.
Each restaurant, including the addition of Locavore has distinct and unique offerings.
Potawatomi offers a full-service catering operation with more than 60,000 square-feet of event space and an intimate 500-seat Northern Lights Theater.
The 381-room, 19-story hotel is currently under construction and will open in early fall 2014.