Chef Chris Running loves a challenge. Good thing he’s found a line of work that presents them around every corner — or, more literally, on every floor.
In his 12 years working in hotel kitchens for Marcus Hotels & Resorts, he catered 133 weddings in one season, turned around one restaurant with a paltry menu and staffing issues, modernized a banquet menu and relaunched an executive lounge food program.
Often characterized as more of a building amenity than a destination for locals and visitors, hotel dining no longer plays a big role in defining a city’s local food scene, but it certainly had its heyday. Following Prohibition and the start of the big band era, downtown Madison hotels offered elegant, glamorous and even decadent experiences…