MILWAUKEE — It's considered one of the best restaurants in the city of Milwaukee. Sanford, a James Beard winner, is adjusting to life during a pandemic.
"It was immediate really and it impacted us from day one," says owner and chef Justin Aprahamian. "On March 16th, when they called the stay at home order, we were up late and put together kind of a family meal style carry-out and we went live with it on March 17th."
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Justin, who started as a prep cook back in 2002, bought Sanford with his wife, Sarah, in 2012. They've decided to keep their dining room closed for now and turn their fine dining experience to takeout only, which they've never done before.
"Sanford food is not your typical carry-out food because it's not going to travel well," Aprahamian says. "So we kind of re-thought what Sanford could be and how it looks when you get at home and tastes. The integrity of that product was something that we really focused on."
Some big names have dined here. Justin's favorite is Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich, who's been here multiple times.
"He just wants to come in and enjoy it," Justin says. "They order a lot of food. They order and they hang out and it's great. You see why he's so good at what he does. He comes in with his team he takes care of his team and he wants everybody to have a good time. He's encouraging them, 'order a bunch of food, let's do this, be happy, let's do this!'"