Chef Nathan Berg

Chef Nathan Berg began his culinary career as a dishwasher back in his teen years. He worked his way up through the ranks without any formal culinary training. In 2002, he spent a formative season at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wis., where he cooked for staff and students in addition to spending time in their 200 acres of organic gardens and working with a local apple orchardist and beekeeper.

Upon completion of his internship at Michael Fields, he became a member of the kitchen staff at the acclaimed Harvest restaurant in Madison, Wis. In 2005, he returned to his hometown of Chippewa Falls, Wis., to open Native Bay Restaurant & Lounge on beautiful Lake Wissota.

At Native Bay, Chef Berg focuses on all things local; offering ever-changing seasonal menus with products from nearly 100 regional suppliers. While the techniques behind his cuisine are based mostly upon culinary traditions from all over the world, his menus feature an original style that can only be described as Midwestern, with heavy emphasis on organic produce, freshwater fish, grass-fed meats, artisan cheeses and wild, native selections. Dinner at Native Bay would best be described as fine dining, but Chef Berg also creates economical lunch, brunch and lounge menus in an effort to prove fresh, local, organic food made from scratch need not always be expensive.

Chef Berg is also the founder/leader of Slow Food Chippewa.