The Chef's Daughter meal delivery draws on family's 75-year restaurant history at Boder's

Feeding others has always been a part of Suzy Wagner’s life. Food is her love language, and her family’s legacy.

Her great-grandparents opened Boder’s on the River in Mequon. She learned to cook from her father, chef John Walch. The family’s weekends and holidays all revolved around the restaurant. Seeking more flexibility in her own life, she steered away from the restaurant industry. Yet she never lost her love of cooking for others.

Now, she has her own meal delivery and catering company, The Chef’s Daughter, 8103 W. Tower Ave. Meals are fully prepared and ready to heat, and she keeps a few of her family favorites known from Boder’s on her menu. The Chef’s Daughter’s delivery area extends from Milwaukee to Port Washington and Pewaukee. For menus, go to thechefsdaughter.net. 

What was your path to opening The Chef’s Daughter?

I grew up in a Milwaukee restaurant, Boder’s on the River. If they’re old enough to remember, it was on the Milwaukee River. It started with my great-grandparents, a fine dining restaurant, and it lasted around for 75 years.

I learned to cook with my dad. I watched my family work a lot, all weekends and holidays. I didn’t go into food service at first. I became a teacher. I went back into food service. I owned a cafe and espresso bar for eight years, then went into the dinner delivery service with a partner. I sold that to her almost two years ago, and I started The Chef’s Daughter.

What is The Chef’s Daughter?

I officially started in May 2022. I actually own the kitchen on Tower Ave. I own the building and rent to others as well. I have about 40 different businesses here, all food related (using the commercial kitchen).

I designed the business to be appropriate for people who want meals delivered to their home because they’re busy or they just don’t feel like cooking. The food comes directly to their home. They can order directly online. There are 12 weeks of menus plus seasonal menus, so you don’t get bored with the food. We also cater, parties as large as 150, business, weddings. We do the meal prep and delivery and the catering. The meal delivery food is completely cooked, so all you have to do is heat it up.

What was the first thing you had to include on The Chef’s Daughter menu?

Things that were favorites of Boder’s, so the scallops St Jacques, that's on the menu. We have both beef Wellington and the chicken Wellington, and those come oven ready. We also have things like the corn fritters which were a staple at Boder’s, the cherry and blueberry muffins, some desserts including the raspberry torte and the Bavarian cream torte. That’s where I started. These are all things I grew up cooking.

What is the appeal of doing a meal delivery service versus a restaurant? Did you have an interest in opening your own restaurant?

No. When I looked at food service, even in college and what should I do with my life? No, I don’t want to do that. Now there are so many options in the industry. I work five days a week during the day, no nights, no weekends …More and more you are seeing that work life balance has importance, particularly that flexibility.

What should people know about your meal delivery? How does pricing work?

Even cooking for a family of three or four, there are a lot of groceries you buy that never get used. … I get my orders in on Sunday, and I get exactly what I need. There is no waste on your end. It is actually very cost effective.

Our meals are $12.95 per person. If you’re a subscriber, you get a percent off, and even cheaper if you get the family sizes. We also have party sizes. That's why I deliver on Fridays, so that if you're having a gathering over the weekend all you have to do is heat it up and say it’s yours.

How do people order?

We deliver Tuesdays and Fridays. You have to order for the week by 9 a.m. the Sunday before. You can order up to four weeks in advance. Do it once a month and get everything you need.

How many meals are you serving in a week?

A few hundred a week, plus the catering.

Why do you enjoy cooking for others?

It is funny, my brother is in the food industry as well. My brother owns a bed and breakfast in Galena, Ill., called Hawk Valley …

Our tagline at The Chef’s Daughter is collaborative kitchen. I love to make people happy with food. … Recently one of our customers bought a gift certificate for a family who has a child with cancer. Cooking is comfort, and that is what I love. It is definitely the love language in our family.

What’s your Milwaukee meal, the thing you want to introduce to others?

It would definitely be the Boder's favorites, they’ve been around forever. For me, it all goes back to the desserts, like the schaum tortes. If you talk about schaum tortes people don't usually know what you’re talking about unless you’re from Milwaukee. Then there’s always the bratwurst. We do a kielbasa meal (for delivery) and that is a staple.

Your family’s history in the local food scene runs from restaurants to meal delivery and your commercial kitchen operation. What do you want people to know about Milwaukee’s food scene?

It is much more diverse than what you’d think. People look at Pandl’s or Mader’s, where my dad started cooking, and they think Milwaukee. Yes, but just about any type of food you have a craving for, you can get in Milwaukee.

What’s one ingredient that is always in your kitchen?

Butter. We were known for our brunch at Boder’s. Over the years I made I don’t even know how many million eggs. People would say these are so good, why? Well, mainly because there’s a pound of butter in the pan.

What has a lifetime of feeding others taught you about the way we eat?

People say they want healthier meals — which they do order — but the comfort food always sells best, the lasagna, the meatloaf, the coq au vin.

You recently partnered with Smithfield to develop and share recipes. Readers may remember Patrick Cudahy, now part of Smithfield. What made you want to work with them?

I’ve heard of Smithfield for decades, but once I took part in the project (She Brings The Heat featuring women chefs and recipes), I’d see it all over the place. You are shocked by the variety. I thought bacon, pork loin, of course. They do so much. There’s a beef barbacoa I use for tacos and on my menu. They also have osso buco, a pork shank that comes fully cooked. They have a lot of ready-made product that is really well done.

I created a recipe with them, and if you go to Smithfield, you will find that and others. Mine used the osso buco, and it was fun to be really creative.

Table Chat features interviews with Wisconsinites, or Wisconsin natives, who work in restaurants or support the restaurant industry; or visiting chefs. To suggest individuals to profile, email psullivan@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Chef's Daughter meal delivery in Milwaukee draws on Boder's restaurant