Supper clubs are a beloved Wisconsin tradition, and since the recent airing of “Top Chef,” owners have seen an uptick in sales and are feeling nostalgic about it. Craig Spaulding is the new owner of Kavanaugh's Esquire Club on Madison's north side, and he took on the role about six weeks ago after years working in the food industry.
MADISON (WKOW) — Supper clubs are a beloved tradition in Wisconsin, and since a recent episode of Top Chef, owners have seen an increase in business and a yearning for nostalgia.
Craig Spaulding is the new owner of the Kavanaugh Esquire Club on Madison's north side, a role he took about six weeks ago after years of working in the food industry.
“I've always been involved in the food and beverage industry in Madison's downtown area in one way or another,” Spaulding said, “I've worked at a few other places downtown, the Avenue Bar, which is no longer there, I helped open Pasqual's on East Washington Avenue, and most recently, I worked at the AC Hotel for seven years.”
Spalding said he was excited to become the club's owner, saying he had worked hard for the club his whole life and wanted to continue the traditions and legacy here.
Kabanose was featured briefly on an episode of Top Chef, and Spaulding said that has led to business booming with both regulars and first-time customers.
“My social media platforms started to take off and I started getting calls and emails,” he says. “It's created a whole new appreciation for supper clubs. We're the last supper club in Madison, you know, within the city limits of Madison that's still open.”
Rob Gard of Destination Madison saw a similar reaction to the episode, with social media pages exploding.
“The social media post about Top Chef's activities in Madison has been viewed over 330,000 times, which is a big accomplishment for us. It just goes to show that there is a big appetite for food in Madison, so to speak,” Gard said.
He added that the episode put the spotlight on the city's supper club experiences and provided more detail on the different courses people can enjoy.
“It's a fine dining experience, and it's what's possible when you really want to elevate and enjoy the tradition of a supper club,” he said.
Again, Spaulding wants to keep the tradition going, especially for customers who have been coming to the restaurant for 60 or 70 years.
“Their parents had their engagement party, their wedding reception, their baptism, their anniversary and their birthday, all here,” Spaulding said.
Not only do we get to watch people grow at the Supper Club, we get to watch the traditions grow too.
“The Kavanaugh family has been here for almost 80 years, so I just want to respect that and support it and let it continue to grow,” he said.
