About Ron Faiola
Ron Faiola has been called "Wisconsin's legacy filmmaker," and a "supper club guru."His best selling book series, Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old Fashioned Experience, and Wisconsin Supper Clubs: Another Round, helped ignite supper club fever in the Badger State. In June of 2022, he was awarded a Gold Medal from the Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MiPA) for his third book, The Wisconsin Supper Clubs Story: An Illustrated History, With Relish.
His fourth book, Wisconsin Supper Clubs - Second Edition, is an expanded and updated version of his first release. It will be released in November, 2023.
Faiola's critically acclaimed documentary films have appeared on PBS stations nationwide and he has earned mentions in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He has done countless interviews with various media personalities including WGN's Rick Kogan, Milk Street's Christopher Kimball and travel expert Rudy Maxa.
Faiola (under the stage name of Ron Ford) was the drummer and former founding member of the Milwaukee punk rock band Couch Flambeau. He resides in a "Greendale Original" in the historic Village of Greendale, Wisconsin.
He has also appeared on many media outlets, including Wisconsin Foodie (2014) and Discover Wisconsin (2018), and more recently was featured on WFRV-TV Green Bay reporter Michele McCormack's popular series, The Dish on Wisconsin Supper Clubs. He has also made dozens of presentations around the state on the history of supper clubs and his books.
His website, WisconsinSupperClubs.com has the definitive and updated list of over 250 supper clubs around the state.
Wisconsin Supper Clubs Facebook Page. Accept no substitutes!
Ron Faiola's creative and business endeavors include:
Wisconsin Supper Clubs - Second Edition
Expanded and Updated (November 21, 2023)
In Wisconsin Supper Clubs - Second Edition, Expanded and Updated, Faiola revisits many of the clubs across the Dairy State that starred in his first edition, recording their struggles and triumphs in the years following widespread pandemic shutdowns. New to this edition are fifteen extra clubs that have entered the scene in the past decade, striving to be a part of this custom that is hugely popular with Wisconsin locals and regularly frequented by all midwestern foodies in the know.
The Wisconsin Supper Clubs Story
An Illustrated History With Relish (November 2021)
In The Wisconsin Supper Clubs Story: An Illustrated History, with Relish, the third in his popular series, Ron Faiola invites readers to pull up a chair as he regales us with more than a century of history behind this beloved dining tradition, guiding readers from London to Hollywood, to New York City, and finally, to his own home state.
The journey begins with the world's very first supper clubs, which emerged in London in the mid-1800s. The phenomenon was adopted by New York's restaurant and saloon owners in the late 1800s, and soon spread to suburban and rural areas. Across the United States, supper clubs enhanced culinary and dining traditions, and greatly influenced the evolution of live entertainment such as cabaret, comedy, and jazz, and dance crazes such as "The Charleston," "Turkey Trot," and the eyebrow-raising "Wiggle Wiggle."
Faiola unfolds the history of Wisconsin's supper clubs with stories of its most iconic establishments, such as Ray Radigan's, Hoffman House, and Fazio's on Fifth. He reveals the remarkable durability of the supper club tradition as it withstood WWI, the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, Prohibition, the Great Depression, WWII, as well as the mid-twentieth century advent of fast food franchises and casual dining chains. Through their innovation and determination, supper club owners and their staff have managed not only to survive, but to maintain generations-spanning restaurants that remain prominent features of their communities to this day.
Bursting with full-color photographs, newspaper clippings, and first-hand interviews, The Wisconsin Supper Clubs Story: An Illustrated History, with Relish offers a hearty buffet of the history of Wisconsin's most iconic supper clubs and the folks who keep the cocktails poured, the relish trays fresh, and ensure there's always an open seat at the table.
We're Here for a Fish Fry!
Documentary Film (October 2017)
"We're Here for a Fish Fry!" takes a new look at the Wisconsin Friday fish fry tradition from the peak season of Lent to summer lakefront dining. Cod, perch, bluegill, haddock and smelt are the star attractions in the film, along with a trip on a commercial fishing boat in the bay of Green Bay, a fish fry pizza, and all-you-can-eat buffets.
Produced and directed by Ron Faiola, the film was broadcast on Milwaukee PBS and WTTW Chicago for several years. A free trailer for the film is on Vimeo.
DVDs are available at FishFryMovie.com and Amazon.com.
Wisconsin Supper Clubs: Another Round
Book (May 2016)
"Wisconsin Supper Clubs: Another Round", a sequel to author/photographer Ron's wildly popular first book on the topic, Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old Fashioned Experience, gives readers a peek inside 50 additional clubs from across the Badger State.
Through Ron's work on the Wisconsin Supper Clubs books and documentary, he has earned the reputation as Wisconsin's original and preeminent supper club scholar.
Traveling around the state, Faiola documents some of the most exceptional and long-lived restaurants that embrace the decades-old supper club tradition. These are family-owned establishments that believe in old-fashioned hospitality, slow-paced dining, and good scratch cooking.
"Wisconsin Supper Clubs: Another Round" is a new, intimate look at this unique American tradition, one that invites supper club enthusiasts and newcomers alike to enjoy a second helping of everything that made Wisconsin Supper Clubs such a hit.
Available at local independent bookstores, Barnes & Noble, Sendik's grocery stores and online at Amazon.com
Updates and comments on both books and supper club related news are available on Facebook at Wisconsin Supper Clubs page.
For more information and a list of over 250 supper clubs, visit the WisconsinSupperClubs.com.
Tilt-A-Whirls, Cowbells and Beer
Documentary Film (July 2015)
This entertaining and festive documentary takes you on a summertime trip to several Milwaukee-area church festivals featuring the rides, music, food and drinks at local parishes including Divine Mercy, St. Matthias, St. Roman and the 55th and final festival at St. Veronica. Music by Milwaukee polka legend Jeff Winard, produced and directed by Ron Faiola.
A free trailer for the film is on Vimeo.
DVDs are available at ChurchFestivalMovie.com and Amazon.com.
Wisconsin Supper Clubs
An Old Fashioned Experience - Book (April 2013)
Wisconsin Supper Clubs is a resource for and about supper clubs throughout Wisconsin that includes beautiful photographs of the unique supper club interiors, proprietors, and customers, as well as fascinating archival materials.
The "supper club experience" is a tradition embodied by many long-standing restaurants scattered throughout the small towns of Wisconsin. It is based around a bygone idea that going out to dinner is an experience that lasts an entire evening. The clubs emphasizing food made from scratch, slow-paced dining, and family-run businesses. Combine this with stately dark-panel decor, complimentary relish trays, and the best brandy Old Fashioned sweet you'll ever have, and you have barely scratched the surface of the Wisconsin supper club's appeal.
Author Ron Faiola is the critically acclaimed director and producer of the documentary by the same name. Supper clubs are hugely popular with Wisconsin locals and regularly frequented by all Midwestern foodies "in the know." With Wisconsin Supper Clubs as a guide, these establishments are primed to be choice summer road trip destinations for anyone looking for low-cost vacations this summer. After the successful debut of Faiola's documentary, this book is sure to be a hit throughout the region and beyond.
Available at local independent bookstores, Barnes & Noble, Sendik's grocery stores and online at Amazon.com.
Updates and comments on both books and supper club related news are available on Facebook at Wisconsin Supper Clubs page.
For more information and a list of over 250 supper clubs, visit the WisconsinSupperClubs.com.
Wisconsin Supper Clubs
An Old Fashioned Experience - Documentary Film (March 2011)
The original supper club documentary!
Produced and directed by Ron Faiola, the film features 14 Wisconsin supper clubs including Ishnala, HobNob, Tornado, Schwarz's and Dreamland. The film shows why supper clubs are such a big part of Wisconsin's food culture and the full experience of supper club dining: a brandy old fashioned sweet at the bar, relish trays at the table, huge portions of steaks, seafood and game, and the friendly, loyal customers who have been dining at their favorite places for so many years.
See the Wisconsin Supper Clubs trailer here: Vimeo.
This documentary was a big hit on PBS stations nationwide. Its overwhelming success led to the popular book series by Agate Publishing. The DVD of the movie has been remastered and it includes Faiola's Fish Fry Night Milwaukee movie! 2 films for the price of one!
The DVD is available at SupperClubBook.com and Amazon.com.
Fish Fry Night Milwaukee
Documentary Film (October 2009)
Produced and directed by Ron Faiola, this film premiered at the Times Cinema on October 11, 2009 and since then it has been broadcast on Milwaukee Public Television (MPTV) and Wisconsin Public Television (WPT). A trailer for Fish Fry Night Milwaukee is on Vimeo.
The film is available on DVD, along with the Wisconsin Supper Clubs documentary at SupperClubBook.com and Amazon.com.
Experience
BUSINESS/CREATIVEPush Button Gadget Inc. Ron Faiola's video production empire since 1994.
In 2012, Ron Faiola produced the Sold Out Lest We Forget Concert at Turner Hall, reuniting many bands including Milwaukee punk veterans Die Kreuzen, Sacred Order, and members of the XCleavers.
In 2022, Faiola again produced the Tenth Anniversary Lest We Forget Reunion at Turner Hall, featuring a stellar line up of 17 bands from Milwaukee's punk and new wave scene.
Ron Faiola's WisconsinSupperClubs.com has the definitive and updated list of over 250 supper clubs around the state.
MILWAUKEE MUSIC HISTORY
Ron is the former drummer and co-founder of Couch Flambeau (Couch Potatoes) and was a DJ for more than 10 years at WMSE 91.7 FM.
Milwaukee Rock Posters.com is Ron Faiola's collection of Milwaukee music history in posters, photos, video, music and memories. Be sure to check out over 200 hours of Wisconsin music on the Milwaukee Rock Posters Radio podcasts, produced by Faiola. Presented by WMSE DJs Paul Host and Tim Noble, they also feature many special guests, including Ron.