About
Il Cervo—Italian for ‘The Deer’ and pronounced “il CHAIR-vo”—serves modern Italian food and drink, sharing a spectacular view of the city skyline and world-class hospitality. We welcome everyone to enjoy a night in the Deer District: The Trade Hotel guests, Fiserv sports and entertainment fans, and Milwaukee at large.
View MenusOur Trade
Embracing our trade, we cook with our hands: roll and cut every noodle, soak and stretch fresh mozzarella, ferment and toss sour dough pizza. Our seafood and meats are carefully sourced, prepared with respect, and cooked to perfection. You'll find our beer and wine list meticulously curated with local standards and worldly bottles; our cocktails creative yet classic.
The Players
As an enterprise of local companies and larger ventures, Il Cervo projects a formula for world class food, beverage, and hospitality. The Madison-based Food Fight Restaurant Group operates the entire top floor restaurant with incredible attention to detail and years of industry experience. The NCG Hospitality group owns and operates The Trade Hotel property as a member of the Autograph Collection® by Marriott.
ERIK HANSEN
Executive Chef
Captivated by the efficiency and camaraderie of the kitchen, Executive Chef Erik Hansen entered the industry at age 14, washing dishes on the north side of Milwaukee. He ascended from bus boy to prep to line cook, to catering intimate 8-course dinners and parties of 9,000.
Chef Erik apprenticed through the Milwaukee Area Technical College, which led to an Agrotourismo opportunity near Florence, Italy. There, he befriended teachers and landed in kitchens and chocolate shops across Italy, Germany, France, and Switzerland. Drawn to Japanese culture as well, he connects global influences with hyper-regional cuisines, inspired by the Silk Road and travelers like Robert Frost and Chef Anthony Bourdain.
Settled back in Milwaukee and raising a family, Chef Erik has cooked for many local restaurants, including Wolf Peach, Supper, and Distill. He’s outside in the garden or camping as much as time allows. Chef Erik intends to reshape the dialogue around food from within, sourcing ingredients as responsibly as possible, and educating through hospitality.