Blue Heron Sqwauk April 2014 | Page 26

Chef Michael:

Advocate for a Pure City with Pure Food

--Reagan & Ruby Salon

915 E Brady St,

Milwaukee, WI 53202

--Closet Classics

1000 E North Ave

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Oriental Theatre

2230 N Farwell Ave,

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

53202

First opened in 1927, this theatre offers screenings of newly-released films in a gorgeous building. The Milwaukee Oriental is also known for having the longest-running live showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show in the world.

Photo Source: Brian Jacobson

Photo Source: Scott Paulus

Michael Feker has been a restaurateur for approximately 26 years. As well as being the owner, manager, and chef of boh successful locations of his restaurant, Il Mito, (one in Wauwatosa, and one in East Milwaukee), Feker also makes regular television appearances, works with several organizations to promote healthy eating and urban farming, is a member of the MATC and WCTC boards of education, and is, of course, a fellow Milwaukeean with a great love for the city and all it has to offer.

Born in what is now Iran, Feker has made a long physical journey to his current position.

“I finished schooling in Switzerland”, Feker explained. “And then went to University of Southern California, to be a dentist. My hatred for dentistry pushed me towards food, and that’s how I found cooking. And I’ve never looked back. I opened three restaurants in L.A., after apprenticing and learning from many chefs. My first restaurant was around the Hollywood studios, so I had a lot of the Hollywood crowd in there all the time, and I was only twenty-six years old…I hung in there, but, while here [Milwaukee] for business, I met my wife. Or now-wife, Marisela. And business brought me here, but love kept me here, so that’s how I came to Milwaukee, and stayed.”

Marisela was not the only thing that pulled Feker to start a new business in Milwaukee. Milwaukee is well-recognized as one of the more friendly Metropolitan areas, as can be seen by both myriad national studies, and a simple visit.

Il Mito Enoteca

1028 E. Juneau Ave

Milwaukee, WI, 53202

Located across the street from Juneau Park, on Lake Michigan’s waterfront, Il Mito East opened only a year ago, and yet has had huge success. Il Mito East is one of restaurateur Michael Fecker’s two local locations, and offers healthy, international flavors in an intimate setting.

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