Experience some of Italy's best pasta at Semolina MKE

Written By Jason Gierl

MILWAUKEE — Petra Orlowski’s passion for pasta led her to open Semolina MKE. This love for pasta started with her Italian grandmother's Sunday dinners, where the entire family gathered and made pasta. Petra says that “pasta is a way of life for us.” A picture of Petra’s grandmother hangs in the front of her Bay View store, and Petra feels as though she is watching over her.

Petra is one of the many people who decided to use the downtime of the pandemic to pursue their passions. “There are so many beautiful pastas throughout Italy, and different regions have different specialties, and I took it upon myself to learn how to make them, to share them with people who’ve never seen them or eaten them,” said Petra.

Jason Gierl

With over 20 years of experience in art direction, branding, advertising design, project management, web development, and team leadership, Jason brings a creative and strategic touch to every project.


As Art Director/Head of Design for Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater Group, he helped promote thousands of national touring acts, playing a key role in shaping the city’s arts and entertainment scene. Most recently, he led design efforts for the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), where he helped develop the branding—and played a part in securing billions in federal grants for venues hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jason continues his work with NIVA to this day.


From designing stunning marquees for historic theaters to crafting brand identities for beloved local businesses and creating eye-catching promo art for national tours, Jason’s work blends creativity with impact.

Jason lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his two small(ish) humans, beautiful wife Heather, and their two dogs Willow (Smith) and (John)Reis. He enjoys a tasty beverage, exceptional food (especially Bavarian Potato salad) and is a music enthusiast.

…and as always, Go Brewers!

https://staticeye.com
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Handmade pasta & Italian provisions await at Semolina, which opens Oct. 22
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Drawing on Sicilian heritage, Semolina MKE owner makes pasta and teaches classes in Bay View