Eat & Drink / Chat Industry Profile: George Gaspar and Sari Schiff of The Bacon Co. BY JEANETTE HURT PHOTOS BY DAVID SZYMANSKI Where did you get this idea from? Schiff: In Toronto, I was in the St. Lawrence Market, and they have butchers there. It’s sort of like our public market, and they cut these bacon sandwiches. I was there with my hus-band, and I said, “Oh, this is really good, but I think I can do this better.” I was in a business meeting with George, and I said, “What do you think about this?” Gaspar: I said, “Absolutely.” It was perfect timing. I was looking to do something in the food and beverage industry. She has a pretty extensive culinary background, and the two of us started tooling around in the kitchen in research and development mode, and that’s how we got where we are today. Schiff: We tried two or three different cures, and we found one that works. It gives (the bacon) an amazing flavor and a great crust, and it holds its flavor when we cut it. Gaspar: We looked at the whole process. We make all of our own mustard. We tried about 10 different types of bread and didn’t find what we were looking for, so we sat down with Brian Miller of Miller Baking Co. Schiff: He delivered it. It’s sort of a cross between a really substantial brioche and a Hawaiian roll, but it doesn’t have that failure in taste and texture (that the other rolls did). ntrepreneurs and business partners Sari Schiff and George Gaspar were working on an international health care initiative when Schiff started telling Gaspar about these succulent, melt-in-your-mouth bacon sandwiches that were unlike any she had ever tasted — and how she thought they could bring them to Milwaukee. Instead of laughing the idea off, Gaspar joined in her enthusiasm, and soon a new business was born: The Bacon Co. Since earlier this year, they’ve been hosting pop-up dinners and events, gaining a cult following in Milwaukee. Schiff, who is due to give birth to her fourth child any day now, and Gaspar sat down to talk about all things bacon. 52 M E Tell us a bit about your culinary background. Schiff: I went to chef school at The Art Institute (of) Fort Lauderdale after four years of college in Wisconsin. I cooked for different catering companies and restaurants. I don’t think of myself as a foodie; I consider myself a foodologist. I study what people eat and what foods become foods of note. I think the hottest meat out there is bacon, not pork, and I don’t think it’s going anywhere. | November 2017