BARTOLOTTA CHEFS
Executive Chef – Downtown Kitchen
Matt Baier is executive chef of Downtown Kitchen, an upscale food hall operated by The Bartolotta Restaurants and located within the U.S. Bank Center in downtown Milwaukee. A lifelong cook and student of the culinary arts, Chef Matt’s experience and leadership in the kitchen has taken him from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest, overseeing multiple operations and menu designs.
Chef Matt began his career at the Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville, Oregon, before relocating to Milwaukee in 2012, where he served for four years as executive chef of Dream Dance Steakhouse at Potawatomi Hotel and Casino. In 2016 Chef Baier joined The Bartolotta Restaurants as executive sous chef of The Kitch, a modern food hall serving employees on the Kohl’s corporate campus. He later became an executive chef with Sodexo, a provider of catering, facilities management, and personal home services for industries worldwide.
In 2022 Chef Matt returned to The Bartolotta Restaurants, where he leads the Downtown Kitchen culinary team while playing an active role in the development and mentorship of the organization’s emerging talents.
Chef Matt holds a degree from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Portland.
Executive Chef – Harbor House
Chef Michael Genre serves as the executive chef at Harbor House, a New England-style seafood restaurant set on the shores of Lake Michigan. A veteran culinary professional with a true love for working in the kitchen, Chef Michael began his career with The Bartolotta Restaurants in 2011 at The Rumpus Room. During his career he has also graced the kitchens of Bacchus – A Bartolotta Restaurant, served as executive sous chef at Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro, and also as chef de cuisine of Harbor House before being promoted to executive chef in 2022.
Chef Michael holds degrees in culinary arts and supervisory management from Milwaukee Area Technical College. His dedication to excellence has elevated him to his current position where he displays expertise in fine dining and seafood, leadership and management, menu development, and mentoring.
Chef Michael resides in Grafton, Wisconsin, with his wife Julie and their newborn son.
Executive Chef, The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant
Chef Jesse Kloskey serves as executive chef of The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant, a multilevel restaurant and catering venue from The Bartolotta Restaurants. A seasoned chef with more than two decades of leadership and culinary experience in kitchens throughout Wisconsin and Northern California, Chef Jesse oversees kitchen staff, menu development, quality control, budgeting, and culinary innovation, ensuring that all operations meet and exceed the standards of The Bartolotta Restaurants.
Chef Jesse previously served as the culinary director of the luxury The Chatwal Lodge in White Lake, New York, where he successfully established and opened the culinary program for the 11-room property, achieving acclaim from high-profile clientele. He has held key positions in Michelin-starred restaurants and farm-to-table establishments, and served in executive chef roles at Red Sushi and Rare Steakhouse in Madison, Wisconsin. He also held the role of culinary director and director of food and beverage for six IDM Management Group hotels, and has also overseen kitchens for Bon Appétit at Google’s Mountain View, California, campus and La Folie restaurant in San Francisco.
Chef Jesse is the founder of Earthly Origin Catering and Consulting, a role in which he provided personal chef and catering services to multiple clients and events while also consulting with several startups in the food and tech sectors.
Executive Chef – Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993
Juan Urbieta serves as executive chef and general manager of Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993, the flagship restaurant in The Bartolotta Restaurants portfolio. For more than 20 years, Chef Juan has been an integral part of The Bartolotta Restaurants and a key driver in the organization’s success, securing multiple awards for Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993, including DiRoNA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) honors, the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence (annually since 2003), and a 25 Best Italian Restaurants in America ranking by Thrillist, while also introducing his ever-popular Menu Dello Chef creations to guests and maintaining an exemplary level of quality that defines The Bartolotta Restaurants.
A native of Oaxaca, Mexico—largely considered the country's culinary mecca—and a Milwaukee resident since 1998, Chef Juan has grown accustomed to serving multiple roles within The Bartolotta Restaurants. In addition to his roles at Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993, he has served as chef for Pizzeria Piccola since 2003. Chef Juan began his career with the company as Sous Chef of Mr. B’s – A Bartolotta Steakhouse and Nonna Bartolotta’s.
In 1996 Chef Juan studied under The Bartolotta Restaurants cofounder and owner Chef Paul Bartolotta as a line cook at Chicago’s acclaimed Spiaggia restaurant. Recognizing the potential in his student, Chef Bartolotta sent Chef Juan to Imola’s San Domenico restaurant in Italy to study briefly under Chef Valentino Marcattilii, before bringing him back to Milwaukee in 1998 to work as sous chef at Nonna Bartolotta’s. Chef Juan’s career also includes positions at Charlie Trotter’s and Brasserie Jo in Chicago, and Bella Ristorante and Pizzaiuolo in Denver. A staple of Milwaukee’s culinary scene, Chef Juan has been featured in BizTimes Milwaukee, Milwaukee Magazine, and OnMilwaukee, among others.
