Collaborative chef dinner to blend Korean and Ojibwe cuisine on Madeline Island

The food found in the area surrounding Bayfield typically centers on Lake Superior-caught fish and fresh produce, but on Aug. 26, a collaborative dinner between two seemingly disparate cultures will give locals and visitors a taste of an entirely new type of cuisine.

For one night, Korea de Rez, a pop-up dinner held at Indigenous restaurant Miijim on Madeline Island, will showcase a creative blend of traditional Korean and Ojibwe food over seven courses.

Kiuda MKE chef-owner Jenny Lee and Miijim chef-owner Bryce Stevenson will present the menu crafted with Korean dishes using mainly Indigenous ingredients sourced from Miijim’s kitchen.

The result is a collaboration that Lee believes is the first of its kind.

"I don’t think there's ever been a dinner combining Korean and Ojibwe food before,” she said in a statement. “The idea for this dinner just happened. Initially, I asked to stage at Miijim, to help peel garlic, but Bryce saw an opportunity to honor my journey by bringing my food to the Northwoods. What started as a casual visit evolved into this seven-course collaboration.”

The dinner will include dishes like ssam made with local fish with a smoky kelp rub and ramp kimchi; rabbit with aged napa cabbage kimchi and tea-infused potatoes; and a bibimbap rice bowl with elk marinated in soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic and ginger with local produce and gochujang.

Lee and Stevenson will present the courses throughout the three-hour dining experience, walking diners through each dish and its significance to both Korean and Ojibwe cultures.

"This dinner is important because it bridges two rich culinary traditions, showcasing their commonalities and celebrating their unique aspects," Stevenson said.

"We aim to show that two seemingly different cuisines can harmonize beautifully,” Lee added. “Each dish is crafted with mutual respect, reflecting the shared elements of our food systems. Ojibwe cuisine features wild rice, just as Korean cuisine does."

Stevenson was a James Beard Award semifinalist in the category of Emerging Chef this year, as well as a guest judge on “Top Chef: Wisconsin.” He began his cooking career in Milwaukee, eventually moving on to the Indigenous Food Lab in Minneapolis, then the Hotel Fauchere, a Relais & Châteaux property in Milford, Pennsylvania. He opened Miijim on Madeline Island last year .

Lee is known for her pop-up events and Korean cooking classes in the Milwaukee area. She previously worked for “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio at Colicchio & Sons in New York City and Justin Aprahamian at Milwaukee’s Sanford restaurant.

How to reserve seats for the Korea de Rez dinner

The Korea de Rez dinner takes place at 6 p.m. Aug. 24 at Miijim, 858 Main St., in La Pointe on Madeline Island.

The seven-course collaborative dinner is $125 per person with an option to add wine or nonalcoholic beverage pairings.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online on Resy ( shorturl.at/lXqUw ). Please include any dietary restrictions when making a reservation.

Miijim is within easy walking distance of the Madeline Island Ferry dock in La Pointe. Lodging options are available on both Madeline Island and in Bayfield, where the ferry leaves every half hour from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and every hour from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Collaborative chef dinner to blend Korean and Ojibwe cuisine on Madeline Island