Michael Feker is a renaissance man who spreads passion and his joy of healthy cooking and eating through his roles as chef, restaurateur, television personality, culinary schoolteacher, director and consultant, caterer, and cooking demonstration chef.
Michael is a 36-year veteran in the restaurant industry, who dreamed of being in the kitchen since he was a child. Born in Persia, he's had the benefit of experiencing food from around the world - beginning in Switzerland where he attended school as a child. He later headed to San Francisco's California Culinary Academy (CCA) and was trained in classical French style by one of the best chefs in the country, Roberto Gerometta.
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His first break came from Gerometta, who chose Michael to represent CCA aboard the Royal Viking Cruise Line for a four-month, around-the-world assignment. That experience gave him the chance to master his artistry.
California noticed Michael, offering him positions at some of the best Italian restaurants, including: Harry's Bar and Grill in San Francisco, and Chianti Cucina, Locanda Veneta and Sostanza in Los Angeles. He became Executive Chef at Sostanza and also worked temporarily as a corporate chef at the Nestle Corporation with Gerometta.
In 1990 Michael opened his own restaurant in Studio City, to showcase his style. His restaurant, IL MITO, was an overnight success on Ventura Boulevard, near Hollywood film studios. It was so popular he added a second restaurant to meet the demand of Hollywood stars and studio employees alike.
After meeting and marrying his wife, he brought his IL MITO brand to Milwaukee — her hometown — in 1997. Then in 2006, he opened his Wauwatosa location, which now has so many fans, nicknamed "the Fekeroodies." In 2008, he expanded that location to include CMF's School of Culinary Magic/Chef's Counter, where he hosts private cooking lessons, gourmet wine and beer tastings, private cooking demonstrations and corporate events.
In 2013, he brought IL MITO East to downtown Milwaukee, serving Italian and Mediterranean cuisine in a casual fine dining setting, with full gluten-free options and a globally-inspired Sunday Brunch , which included a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar. IL MITO East closed its doors in October of 2014 to make room for his newest venture.
In 2015, Michael opened Zesti in Hartland, Wisconsin. Based on his worldly travels and experiences, combined with Michael’s passion for food and culinary artistry, Zesti serves up global cuisine from South African to Chinese.
In addition to his restaurants, Michael also works as a culinary consultant to Wisconsin's largest healthcare provider, Aurora Health Care. He assists them in revamping and reviving their culinary techniques and practices to bring fresh and pure foods to both patients and staff. His cooking videos are also shown on their in-house television network for patients to view.
Michael lives in Milwaukee with his family.
