Graze Restaurant

Ownership

Chef Tory Miller opened Graze in 2010 and is an Executive Chef and co-owner, with Dianne Christensen as co-proprietor since 2007. Both appear to be Madison-based operators rather than absentee owners or corporate entities.

Local Sourcing

Graze sources about 80% of its food locally, and with a few exceptions — like fish, oysters, lemons, and limes — everything is Wisconsin-grown. The restaurant demonstrates deep commitment to regional suppliers.

Community Involvement

Sources show Graze is a downtown Capitol Square institution with strong local reputation and recognition, but specific evidence of nonprofit sponsorships or school partnerships was not found in available sources. The restaurant clearly serves the local community but deeper community investments are unclear.

Local Workforce

Quality service and execution are emphasized by leadership, with consistent hospitality expectations across operations. However, specific wage information, employee tenure data, or employee reviews regarding labor practices were not found in search results.

Revenue Retention

As an independent locally-owned restaurant, most revenue remains in Madison rather than flowing to corporate shareholders. The restaurant is a favorite among local farmers and displays vendor information on its website, indicating local economic circulation, though precise revenue retention percentages are not publicly documented.

Local Presence

Strong local signals throughout: named owner/chef (Tory Miller with James Beard Award), co-owner Dianne Christensen with biography, explicit Wisconsin/Korean heritage mention, references to specific local farms/producers and regional sourcing, single Madison location, local community involvement (CHOW farm-to-school initiative, Sherman Middle School), and personality-driven copy celebrating local food culture. Zero corporate signals present.