Karen Bell needs a change of pace.
The five-time James Beard Award nominee and chef-owner at Bavette La Boucherie, 217 N. Broadway, has spent more than 12 years building her business from a small butcher shop to the thriving finer-dining restaurant it is today in Milwaukee’s Third Ward.
But all that work in the restaurant means less time spent at home with her daughter, who will turn five later this summer and is headed to school this fall.
To prioritize time with her family, Bell will change operations at Bavette, ending dinner service on Aug. 2 and shifting to lunch only seven days a week.
“It has always been my goal to have balance, to be home more with my daughter,” Bell said. “I don’t want to have regrets of not being present, and I’m trying to be more proactive in my life instead of having my life be dictated.”
The decision wasn’t easy. It aligned with some staffing shortages after in-house cooks had moved, changed careers and headed to different restaurants. To help cover those absences, Bell was hustling back in the kitchen working 12-hour shifts.
“I always knew this day could potentially come and it would force me to make tough decisions,” Bell said. “Over the last month or so, I wasn’t really able to fill those cook positions; it became a little too much.”
Beginning Aug. 3, Bavette will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., serving its standard lunch menu. A weekday happy hour will be added from 2 to 4 p.m., with house wines, cocktails, beer, snacks, charcuterie and more offered at discounted prices.
Bell isn’t counting out dinner service entirely. She’s open to hosting private events, wine dinners or a monthly dinner series.
She knows it would make more financial sense to keep the restaurant open for dinner only, but her family priorities come first. Thankfully, the shift to lunch will allow Bavette’s staff to keep their full hours while providing Bell more time spent at home.
“I needed to make it work on my own terms,” she said. “This was the immediate change I needed, but I am also ready to exit … at the right time and under the right circumstances.”
Bell is open to selling Bavette La Boucherie
Those circumstances would mean finding an independent restaurant owner who would be open to keeping the business running as-is, at least in the beginning.
Bavette has never been busier, and Bell hopes that the built-in clientele and prime location are enticing for an up-and-coming chef. She still has two-and-a-half years left on the lease on Broadway, with a sprawling open kitchen and retail space at the front of the restaurant.
“It’d be great for a chef looking to make an investment in opening their first place,” Bell said. “It’s a profitable restaurant business, which is such an unknown variable to someone just starting out. I think it would offer peace of mind to someone that they could turn a profit in those first few years.”
But for now, Bell is hopeful for Bavette’s future as a daytime operation.
“We’ve pivoted a lot through the life of Bavette,” Bell said. “That’s one of my strong suits — my adaptability and willingness to pivot, to make it work. I’m hoping this is what will work right now. If not, we will pivot again.”
More information: Through Aug. 2, Bavette is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Starting Aug. 3, the restaurant will be open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, with happy hour deals from 2 to 4 p.m. Reservations are available online at bavettelaboucherie.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Big changes are coming to Bavette La Boucherie, including the end of dinner service
Reporting by Rachel Bernhard, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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