A life-long love affair with food has led Chef Michael Solovey (Suh-luh-vee) around the globe in search of recipes, culinary technique, and fuel for his passion for amazing food. His mission is to help people create dishes that excite the palate, warm the heart, sustain the body, and inspire the soul. From humble beginnings cooking with his Grandmother and Mother, to graduating from the world renowned Le Cordon Bleu program, to opening 24 restaurants, cafes, and lounges as a chef consultant, including his own restaurant Bloc in Shanghai, he threads the needle of culinary science, food psychology, and entertainment.

As head of the culinary education departments at Sur La Table, Boelter SuperStore, and Appetito / Sage Harvest Cooking Schools, Chef Michael has taught over 2,500 cooking classes to over 16,000 students since 2012.

Chef Isaac Godin

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Chef Isaac has always had a passion for food.  He started out working as a line cook at a local restaurant at the age of 17 and then headed to New York to attend college at the nationally ranked RIT where he earned his degree in Art.   

Over the years, Chef Isaac has worked at many fine restaurants including award winning Italian/Mediterranean restaurant IL Mito in Wauwatosa, Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro French Dining in Milwaukee, and Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio Restaurant in San Francisco, just to name a few.  He was also a chef instructor at Sur la table for over 5 years.   

Today, Chef Isaac is the Franchise Operations Manager for Breadsmith, which specializes in handcrafted, European-style artisan breads. He assists franchisees throughout the United States with their daily operations.

Chef Patrick Sepe

Bringing his 20+ years of cooking experience, Chef Patrick Sepe has embraced an open mind and style while in the kitchen. He’s familiar in many different techniques and cuisines, but at the same time you may find him staying true to his Italian roots. He has worked around the country at culinary shows, several different restaurants, and alongside some renowned chefs. He’s excited to be incorporating that knowledge into his cooking classes!

Chef Erin Forsythe

Chef Erin loves to share her passion for food, food history, and food science with others.  She has taught at Sur La Table and is currently a full-time culinary instructor at Gateway Technical College.

While earning her Culinary Management degree from WCTC, she had the opportunity to work at The Immigrant Room, The American Club’s 5-Diamond restaurant, as well as work with nationally recognized chefs during the Food and Wine Festival.  She also worked at Dream Dance Steak at Potawatomi, where she discovered that Fine Dining is where her culinary heart is happiest.

Chef Brendan Fleming

Chef Brendan began cooking in a professional kitchen at 16 years of age. He graduated from Culinary School in 2007 and has gone on to lead professional culinary teams in a variety of fine dining settings. An experienced cook and chef, he has logged thousands of hours over the years working to understand the fundamentals of cooking and entertaining. He began teaching cooking classes in 2011 and loves to engage students in their own love of food and table. His experience at Sur La Table—one of America’s largest cooking schools—has provided him with excellent teaching skills and a passion for helping you become a pro in your own kitchen.

Chef Alex Ballard

Chef Alex began his professional culinary career at the age of 18 at a well-established upscale French and American continental restaurant working under a Cordon bleu chef (Chef Roi) where in less than a year he ascended to the level of sauté chef. He was trained in the art of Chinese cuisine at a well-known Chinese restaurant Minn’s Tea House. He then became a sous chef at Minn’s Cuisine, a French and Continental restaurant, that featured several of their best Chinese dishes.

He moved to Milwaukee in the 1980s and continued his culinary career.  Over the years, Chef Alex has worked at many Milwaukee area dining establishments including:  The English Room in the Pfister Hotel, The Fleur de Lis formerly in Cudahy Tower, The Pasta Tree, Egan’s on Water, Thai Joe’s, Beans and Barley, and Colectivo Coffee Roasters/Alterra Coffee.

Chef Alex has dined in almost every state in the union, giving him a great perspective on Continental cuisine, although he is most focused these days on international cuisine. He is extremely passionate about food and is happy to be able to be able to share that passion with Sage Harvest.

Chef Harry Cherkinian

Chef Harry began his love for cooking when he started working in professional kitchens at the age of 15.  Over the years he has continued to work in the hospitality industry.  He also oversees volunteer kitchens, provides catering services, and teaches cooking classes.  As an instructor, Chef Harry is student driven and strives to make cooking fun and easy to understand.  He specializes in a number of cooking methods, including his native Armenian cuisine.  If you are out and about in Milwaukee’s Third Ward and looking for a bite to eat, you can find Chef Harry in the kitchen at Onesto Italian restaurant.