Welcome to Food/Drink Week at Milwaukee Record, brought to you by Milwaukee’s new favorite import, Bofferding. From May 31 through June 7, belly up and enjoy a fresh smattering of restaurant visits, beer articles, booze videos, and some good old fashioned adventure food journalism.

The way Milwaukee—and Wisconsin as a whole—prepares and appreciates food has evolved in countless ways over the last decade. Few (if any) people have had a closer, better, or higher resolution view of the state’s all-encompassing culinary growth and improvement than Arthur Ircink. As owner, executive producer, and director of Wisconsin Foodie, Ircink has been instrumental in documenting much of that dining development over the course of 10 seasons of his Emmy-winning TV series. Along the way, he became co-owner, publisher, and editor in chief of Edible Milwaukee, which gives his ardent food appreciation another platform to be displayed.

With an 11th season of Wisconsin Foodie on the way, a new issue of Edible Milwaukee set to be released this week, and local dining showing no signs of slowing down, Ircink has no shortage of work ahead of him. However, he took some time out of his schedule to welcome host Tyler Maas into his production office to have a beer and talk about just some of the astounding things going on in Milwaukee cuisine. Ircink talked about his foray into a life in food, how the term “foodie” has changed since starting the program, some standout local chefs and restaurants, where both Milwaukee and Wisconsin dining are headed, and his love of gas station Mexican food.

This episode is brought to you by Bofferding—Milwaukee’s new favorite import—and Surly Brewing, a Minnesota-based brewery and the official beer of On The Record. Music used in this episode comes courtesy of Piles (“Blue Glue”) and Paper Holland (“Milpool”). Subscribe to On The Record via iTunes or Stitcher (for free!).