'Taste of the Draft' features top picks from Wisconsin supper clubs

GREEN BAY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Tennessee Titans will be on the clock when the NFL Draft opens here Thursday, but on the eve of the draft, the top picks Wednesday were salmon, prime rib, spinach dip and Racine Kringle.

The nearly week-long football party around the draft ramped up with the Taste of the Draft event. Some of the biggest names in football and cooking filled two floors at Schreiber Foods, about three miles from Lambeau Field.

Celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern had a featured station next to Milwaukee's own Paul Bartolotta, who previously had a star turn on the recent season of 'Top Chef' based in Wisconsin.

The event was a spin-off of the Taste of the NFL, a staple of Super Bowl week. The theme of this event was Wisconsin supper clubs, and 20 supper clubs each had stations set up offering samples of a popular dish they offer.

"Well, what's more Wisconsin than a Wisconsin supper club and cheese curds and all these great things?!" Bartolotta exclaimed.

One of the supper clubs with a setup was Moonlight Tavern in Port Washington. Co-owner Ashley Heun said she saw a post on social media about the event and figured it'd be a chance for some exposure after buying the restaurant 13 months ago.

"I was like, 'Let's apply.' What's the worst that could happen? They say no," she said. "I feel like it legitimizes us 'cause we are a younger supper club, I mean, in a room full of other longer term supper clubs."

Moonlight offered parmesan-crusted salmon. Others offered supper club staples like prime rib and chicken cordon bleu. Packers President Mark Murphy said his favorite was a burger slider stuffed with cheese curds and bacon jam.

Travis Anderson, executive chef at Timmer's Resort in West Bend, opted for an appetizer. He decided there was a need for a dip, especially a spinach dip that offered some local flavor.

"Artichoke and spinach dip, and it's full of cream cheese, artichokes, white cheddar," he said. "It's very good. Oh, you gotta have cheese, we're in Wisconsin."

For a football tie-in, there were Packers alumni at every supper club station. The Green and Gold legends includes James Lofton, Antonio Freeman, Mason Crosby and Ahman Green. Another hall of famer, LeRoy Butler, regaled people at the Racine Kringle station, noting the almond variety was his favorite.

"That's the good thing about Kringles; there's no judgement," Butler explained. "You in a safe space. We don't judge what flavor's the best."

The event raised money for national organization GenYouth, which is dedicated to combating student hunger. The proceeds from ticket and drink sales for Wednesday's event will be divided among 90 Wisconsin schools.

Similar to the Republican National Convention, organizers believed the draft and its accompanying events can go a long way in making Wisconsin a destination for businesses and conventions that hadn't previously considered the Badger State.

"We're really pleased to have something that will have not only an immediate economic impact," Murphy said. "But I think in terms of long-term positive impact in terms of the legacy of Green Bay, I think this will be pretty significant."