From Taco Bell to 10,000 Meals: Austin Vedder’s Fresh Chef Rise

On this episode of Munching Around Milwaukee, host Charlie sits down with chef Austin Vetter, founder of Fresh Chef Meal Prep and the newly opened Fresh Chef Cafe in West Allis. Austin discusses his weekly rotating menu, gluten-free options, and popular dishes like chicken marsala, loaded potato chili bowls, and cacio e pepe. Austin explains how Fresh Chef works—no subscription, order weekly through an e-commerce platform, and delivery within a 75-mile radius—and shares how the business scaled from a few dozen meals a month to roughly 10,000 meals at peak. He also talks about the cafe’s weekday hours, retail pesto made with 100 Acre basil, and the team behind the operation. Charlie and Austin touch on his personal journey from early kitchen jobs to working with local chefs and building Fresh Chef while balancing a busy family life. The episode highlights Austin’s focus on quality, consistency, and bringing restaurant-style meals to busy Milwaukee households. You can watch the YouTube video here - https://youtu.be/FdwaOQPxZLU  This Podcast is part of the “Milwaukee Podcast Network”. “Munching Around Milwaukee” is an Interview show with local Milwaukee chefs, restaurateurs, foodies, and food influencers. We talk about the Milwaukee food scene and what makes it so special. We talk while munching on some of the best food Milwaukee has to offer. Join us each week as we Munch Around Milwaukee.