Nathan Berg grew up in Chippewa Falls, WI, and developed an interest in cooking at an early age. Berg began washing dishes as a teenager and slowly worked his way through the ranks in kitchens around the US without any formal culinary training. In 2002, he spent a formulative season at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, WI, where he cooked for staff and students in addition to spending time working in their 200 acres of organic gardens. Additionally, he worked with “cooperative instructors” including a local apple orchardist, a beekeeper and an urban draft-horse farmer.

Upon completion of his internship at Michael Fields, Berg became a member of the kitchen staff at the acclaimed Harvest in Madison, WI. In 2005, he returned to his hometown of Chippewa Falls and opened Native Bay Restaurant & Lounge on beautiful Lake Wissota. Native Bay focuses on local and sustainable ingredients, featuring continually changing menus that reflect the seasons. He sources his ingredients from nearly 100 regional producers. While the techniques behind his cuisine are based upon culinary traditions from all over the world, his menus feature an original style that can only be described as Upper Midwestern, with heavy emphasis on organic produce, freshwater fish, grass-fed meats, artisan cheeses and wild, native selections.

Dinner at Native Bay is certainly fine dining but Chef Berg also creates economical lunch, brunch and lounge menus in an effort to prove that fresh, local, organic food made from scratch needn’t always be expensive or fussy.

In 2006, Berg was selected as one of 1,000 chefs from around the world to attend Terra Madre, the premier biannual event held by Slow Food, an international organization dedicated to preserving food traditions and culinary biodiversity. In 2007, he also founded Slow Food Chippewa, a local convivium of Slow Food International that offers education and participation in ecogastronomy.