The Norbert serving up the cheel for fundraiser
The fire that destroyed the cheel in Thiensville in November hit “really close to home” for Tony Koebel, owner of The Norbert in West Bend.
In 1993, Koebel’s parents’ business, Koebel’s True Value in Shorewood, “burnt to the ground.”
“I know what it was like to lose my parents’ livelihood and everything we grew up with,” he said.
The cheel — located in a historic building that was constructed in 1895 — was a total loss after the Nov. 8 fire.
Chef Barkha Daily, who owns the cheel with her husband, Jesse, estimated it would cost more than $1 million to rebuild the restaurant. She said they plan to have it ready to reopen by the end of 2021 or early 2022.
Helping the cheel
When Koebel heard about the blaze, he reached out to Marie Leafblad, a server at the cheel who he knew through volunteer work, to find a way to help.
“It’s exactly who Tony and The Norbert are,” Leafblad said. “They embody help, they embody compassion, and that’s exactly where their hearts are at.”
From Jan. 25-30, Koebel and The Norbert’s executive chef, Colin Reigle, will work with Daily to offer a handful of the cheel’s favorites at The Norbert, 115 S. Main St., West Bend. The Norbert will also have its own menu available.
Some of the cheel’s offerings that will pop up on the menu include momo, a version of the wild boar roganjosh, shan noodles and thali, along with a couple of craft cocktails.
Some will be served “traditional” and others will have a “Norbert spin,” Daily said.
There will be 60 seatings each night, broken up into two sessions. The seatings will be held at 5 and 7 p.m. A couple of the cheel’s staff members will be on hand to visit with guests.
Spots can be reserved at thecheel .com/shop/thecheelatthenorbert. A $25 deposit is required per person, which will be deducted from the total bill upon conclusion of service, Daily said.
The goal
“With everything that’s happening in the world right now, I just felt like this was the thing to do,” Koebel said.
Koebel’s goal is to raise $5,000 to $10,000 during that week for the cheel and its staff.
“That’s so generous of them,” Daily said. “I’m just floored and just humbled that people are stepping up and doing this for other people.”
“It’s knowing your community has your back, which I think is just crucial, especially now more than ever,” said Leafblad, who is now in management at the Dailys’ other Thiensville restaurant, Daily Taco.
“This all stemmed from my childhood,” Koebel said. “This stemmed from the support the Shorewood community gave to my parents and my family when the hardware store burned down, and all of my parents friends and relatives who stepped up and got us through that.”
‘My purpose’
“When I opened The Norbert, I really wanted it to be a community-supported restaurant, but also a restaurant that supported the community,” Koebel said.
Koebel opened The Norbert in 2014 after being “really inspired” by how Odd Duck in Bay View was constantly changing its cuisine, serving “world flavors” and small plates.
The Norbert is open from 4 to close Monday through Saturday. Dinner service usually runs until 9:30 or 10 p.m.
In 2007, Koebel opened The Poplar Inn, a steakhouse, in West Bend with his dad, Mike. They’re currently in the process of changing it into The Orville, which will be an American bistro with “an emphasis on Wisconsin dairy.”
“My purpose in life is to help, to feed and to serve,” Koebel said. “I think that’s part of the reason God put me in the restaurant business.”