Milwaukee Food & City Tours

 

People who enjoy dining with some local culture can do both through structured tours. Theresa Nemetz introduced us to her business, Milwaukee Food & City Tours, during our meeting on Sept. 28.

 

Food and culture tours are not new. Nemetz estimates there are some 500 tour options in about 32 cities. Several Milwaukee firms offer tours of breweries or other businesses. Nemetz credits her great-grandparents, both Italian immigrants, for inspiring her to showcase Milwaukee's rich ethnic neighborhoods.

 

The seed was planted while visiting New York City one day. After spotting a tour group, husband Wade commented, "You should do that in Milwaukee."

 

What was supposed to be just a hobby is now nearly 10 years old. "It's a hobby gone wild," Nemetz says. Wade has since left his regular job and is a partner in the business.

 

Milwaukee Food & City Tours offers a wide variety of walking and bus tours. They are also open to booking a custom tour. While many of the businesses and neighborhoods visited are in Milwaukee, tours have taken customers outside of the metro area.

 

Cooking shows are driving the public's interest in food preparation. "People want to go and meet the little old guy who makes sausages," Nemetz says. But not all tours involve food. One, popular with shutterbugs, takes patrons to interesting and historic buildings in Milwaukee.

 

Some of the trends in culinary tours that Nemetz has observed include:

 

- Allergies: Popular with young people as well as seniors. Those with sensitivities want to know what their dining options are.

 

- Foodie: Adventurous eaters interested in exploring new neighborhoods as well.

 

- Generational changes: How changes in the ethnic makeup of a neighborhood are reflected in its cuisine.

 

- Succession planning: Visiting long-standing family businesses that must adapt when children don't want to take over. "How do you bring an old restaurant to the forefront to make it relevant?" she asks.

 

Another trend is the shortened lead time for meetings and conferences. Restaurants, caterers and other vendors must become more flexible, as businesses strive to hold events on short notice.