/ Business of the Month / VCEDC 2023 Business of the Year Award
Business of the Month: December 2023
VCEDC 2023 Business of the Year Award
Private Chef Luke Selected as the VCEDC Business of the Year
Eagle River, WI., December 8, 2023…. The Vilas County Economic Development Corporation (VCEDC) is delighted to announce Private Chef Luke as its 2023 Business of the Year. The announcement was made at the VCEDC Annual Meeting on Friday, December 8th. Chef Luke was selected among eleven Business of the Month recipients this past year. He was named the August Business of the Month.
“We’ve featured eleven outstanding businesses this past year, and they all bear witness to the opportunity to achieve success in Wisconsin’s Northwoods – so choosing ‘the one’ Business of the Year is always challenging,” said Jim Tuckwell, VCEDC Board Chairman. “However, when you look back at 2023, one business stood out to us. Chef Luke Olejniczak is an inspiration to what one entrepreneur can accomplish in a very short time. The fact that he is creating jobs, and recently purchased his own state-of-the-art mobile kitchen is a testament to his success.”
Chef Luke, a Vilas County native, in August stated: “The idea of creating food memories is a driving force in my life and a true obsession. I began by preparing meals at a local hunt club for weary hunters coming in from the cold at the end of the day, and it quickly grew into my private chef service. I started this service because I truly enjoy being part of my guest’s special meal and the ‘background music’ to their special occasion.
Chef Luke is known for his steakhouse inspired plating’s. Whether it is prime rib, a premium filet, or even a beautiful piece of salmon. He also enjoys preparing wild game and barbecue.
Chef Luke expressed his deep appreciation to receive the VCEDC Business of the Year award.
“I feel very encouraged by the validation of this award, it is truly an honor to be recognized, especially with so many great businesses in the area. This road started out very humbly and has since blossomed into a wonderful journey full of blessings. It is wonderful to be rewarded in public for the practices and long days. I am grateful for this blessing and grateful for the VCEDC.”
In addition to announcing the Business of the Year Award, the VCEDC Annual Meeting included a keynote address from Craig Dickman, Managing Director, Titletown Tech entitled, “Bridging Innovation: Titletown Tech to Vilas County” and, an update on VCEDC key initiatives including Business Support, and Broadband.
The past VCEDC Business of the Year Award recipients are:
2022 Trout Lake Station
2021 Camp Manitowish
2020 Great Wisconsin Steak Company
