Northern Michigan University boasts U.P.'s top chef in Nathan Mileski

When Nathan Mileski first stepped onto the campus of Northern Michigan University as a student, he had no idea he would one day work for the Marquette-based institution.

Nor did he have an inkling he would one day be named the best chef in the Upper Peninsula not once, or twice, but three times.

Earlier this year, Mileski, now a corporate executive chef, was named the Chef of the Year by the Upper Peninsula Champter of the American Culinary Federation. He is no stranger to the award by any means, having won it also in 1997 and again in 2002.

"It's quite the honor to win this award," says Mileski, 37, who was nominated for the top prize along with Eric Juchemich and Chadd Wellman--both former protégés of Mileski's. "Even it being the third time, I think this time is even more special to me than the previous two just because of where I'm at in my career--this time it's being at the same level as the guys (who) trained me and supported me throughout the past 15 years."

Last year's winner, Tom Wahlstrom, hosted the event where Mileski was awarded the honor. The award is given to the most highly-skilled chef in the Upper Peninsula who is also involved in the communities in which they live as well as active in promoting the American Culinary Federation.

Mileski doesn't have the task of running a restaurant like many of the top chef winners--instead, he oversees multiple dining operations at Northern Michigan University, ranging from Japanese-based Temaki & Tea to several coffee locations, a commissary kitchen, bakery and two residential student dining facilities. Most recently, he launched Northern's newest dining location--Melted. The concept, which he created and started in just a six-week span, has become one of the top destinations for campus diners. In fact, Melted's first-day sales were three-times that of the first day held by the last concept dining location the university unveiled.

"We looked at current industry trends and this concept is out there right now being served out of food trucks," says Mileski. "We also looked at grilled cheese sales across campus at our other locations and decided that there was a demand for it. By creating one central destination for grilled cheese, we can give our guests the ease of finding their grilled cheese location served a la carte. Also, with a menu full cheesy, gooey, comfort food, you can't go wrong."

Melted currently has limited hours of operation, running from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. during the week and the location still sees up to 200 guests per day.

Success is something Mileski has become pretty familiar with. Not only has he earned the U.P. Chef of the Year honors, he's pulled in several other regional and national cooking awards, including the top spot in the prestigious National Association of College and University Food Services 2009 Culinary Challenge. This year, Mileski, along with NMU chefs Mary Gervasi, Kathy Gischia and Nathan Jennings, took home the gold medal at the 17th Annual American Culinary Federation competition. It was one of two gold and two silver medals Mileski has won at such competitions since 2008.

It's hard to believe Mileski almost never donned his chef uniform. When he first came to Northern Michigan University as a student, he studied in the hospitality management program. It was there his professors saw promise in his skills and interest and urged him to enroll in culinary school. He listened and went on to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America in New York.  

Before coming to NMU just around four years ago, Mileski worked in Minneapolis, before coming back to the U.P. to work at a brewery and restaurant near Newberry and then five years as the executive chef at the Drummond Island Resort and Conference Center.

His true passion for cooking, however, didn't start at a college or while working in a restaurant. Instead, Mileski learned the value of a good recipe from his family as his father, uncles and grandfather were all accomplished over the kitchen stove. He went from there to being a busboy in a Marquette-area establishment before progressing through the ranks, into college and to where he is now--the best chef in the Upper Peninsula.

Sam Eggleston is the managing editor of U.P. Second Wave and a full-time freelance writer. He was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula and attended Northern Michigan University. He has enjoyed some of Chef Mileski's dishes and can say, with certainty, that the chef's grilled cheese is much, much better than those he used to get at the Wildcat Grill. Eggleston can be reached via email.