Meet Mike Nevil, chef at Chalet Landhaus
A native of New Glarus with humble beginnings as a teenage dishwasher at New Glarus Hotel, Nevil learned from Chef Hans Lenzlinger. After moving up from dishwasher to "buffet boy," he soon was in the kitchen "doing a little cooking here and there," and eventually obtained a degree in culinary arts from Madison Area Technical College. He honed his cooking skills in Switzerland, spending four winter seasons at the ski resort Gaden in Unterwasser, preparing "everything from cheese toast to wiener schnitzel to raclette" for tourists and locals.
From making fondue to serve more than two thousand people at Wisconsin State Fair to grilling for the family in his own backyard, Nevil enjoys it all. If given the opportunity to go back in time and choose any career, he said he'd be a chef all over again.
"I like to take something traditional and turn it around a little bit," said Nevil, who likes to watch celebrity chefs but finds that the showmanship of television trumps taste. He prefers to focus on the food.
Nevil is a longtime volunteer for the New Glarus Fire Department, sharing his cooking skills in coordinating the annual Kalberwurst Dinner fundraiser. He also volunteers for chamber events and festivals. He and his wife Shawna manage the Chalet Landhaus, where Mike has served as executive chef for more than 12 years.
Nevil's Swiss roots are from his mother, Donna Gmur. The Nevil name - originally Neville - originates from an Irish clan in County Limerick. "Grandpa got tired of adding the L and the E, so he just shortened it," Nevil said.
Chef Mike Nevil will bring his culinary talents to the table for an evening featuring cuisine with regional influences from Switzerland mingled with local touches from Green County. Nevil draws from his experiences in both Switzerland and New Glarus in presenting five courses, along the way offering parallels between Old World and New.
Dinner begins with Lucerne Sweet Onion Quiche - a light cheese quiche using Gruyere from Emmi Roth USA, Monroe, served with Spring Greens Vinaigrette. Toggenburg Carrot Soup follows, with touches of ginger, curry, and herbs to create a flavorful blend. Gemischter Salat is a traditional Swiss salad. But these mixed salads, arranged pinwheel style, will take on a distinctive flavor when drizzled with Belgian Red Dressing. Nevil creates the dressing using Wisconsin Belgian Red - brewed with Wisconsin wheat and Door County cherries at New Glarus Brewing Company.
The main course of Fleischvogel, pork cutlet stuffed with veal batter and fresh herbs, also takes on a local spin with a smoked bacon wrap using bacon cured at Hoesly's Meats, New Glarus. Traditional side dishes of braised red cabbage and spaetzli will be served.
Switzerland is famous for chocolate. For dessert, Chef Nevil turns to his baker friend, and fellow chef, Kurt Kline to create Swiss Schokolade Cheesecake that will be accented with roasted hazelnuts and topped with Maya Horchata Whipped Cream, using liqueur from Minhas Micro Distillery, Monroe.
Individual tickets are $75 ($45 tax deductible) and tables of eight are $500 ($340 tax deductible). For reservations, call 608-325-5700 by Friday, April 25. For more information, visit monroeartscenter.com.