06/16/2026
Dear Zesti Friends,
Over the years, I have been blessed enough to answer your questions about food, restaurants, hospitality, and business. Today, I wanted to share something personal and, perhaps, offer a different perspective on what success really means.
After twelve incredible years serving the Hartland and Lake Country communities, Zesti will close its doors on Sunday, June 28th.
This decision was not made because we stopped believing in what we had created together, This Decision was made because the lease is coming to its natural conclusion, and the new landlord group has chosen a direction that aligns with their long-term vision for the site and surrounding area. That reality presented me with an important choice.
Do I force Zesti into a rushed relocation simply to preserve the past?
Or do I honor what Zesti has meant to so many people, protect what we built together, and allow the next chapter to unfold with a meant to be intention?
As entrepreneurs, operators, and leaders, we often fall into the trap of believing that longevity alone defines success.
I disagree.
Success is not simply keeping the lights on.
Success is knowing what to build, when to grow, when to adapt, and sometimes, when to let go.
The restaurant industry teaches this lesson every day. Communities evolve. Guests evolve. Markets evolve. Opportunities evolve & the best operators don't spend their lives protecting yesterday. They spend their lives building tomorrow.
For me, tomorrow is already here.
I have made the decision to focus my energy, my resources, and most importantly, my incredible team on what is meant to be & that is the continued growth of Il Mito Café in Delafield. Many of the talented individuals who helped make Zesti what it is today will continue that journey alongside me.
The relationships remain.
The hospitality remains.
The commitment to excellence remains.
The address changes, but the mission does not.
When I look at a map of Lake Country, I don't see separate destinations. I see one community connected by relationships, memories, and shared experiences. The path forward has not taken me far from where this story was written. In many ways, it feels as though the next chapter has been waiting just down the road.
For years, I have spoken about food as more than nourishment.
Food creates connection.
Food creates community.
Food creates opportunity.
That philosophy will continue to guide everything I do moving forward through my restaurants, speaking engagements, consulting work, culinary travel experiences, and the Flavor Soldiers initiative.
This next chapter isn't about closing a restaurant.
It's about creating a larger platform to share what I've learned over a lifetime in hospitality.
If there's one lesson I've taken from this experience, it's this:
Don't become so attached to what you've built that you miss what you can become.
I am profoundly grateful to every guest, every employee, every vendor, every community partner, and every friend who helped make Zesti what it became. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your celebrations, your family traditions, your business lunches, your first dates, and your ordinary Tuesday evenings that somehow became extraordinary.
Twelve years is not an ending.
Twelve years is a legacy.
And now, it's time to build the next one.
With gratitude,
Chef Michael Feker
