Author

Jesse Raub

Jesse Raub is a writer for Serious Eats and has pieces published in Vulture, Edible Madison, and other publications. He moved from Chicago to the SASY neighborhood of Madison in 2021 and enjoys assimilating to his new, lake-based lifestyle. You can find him walking his dog in Yahara Place Park or bowling at Dream Lanes, and if you’re polite and introduce yourself, he might offer to drop off a loaf of sourdough bread to your front door.

Jesse's Latest Articles

A photo of a white ceramic dinner plate that is filled with freshly prepared cat ear noodles. The dish includes small, flat pasta with chopped onions, chopped peppers, and sauce. Bordering the photo is a red and white checkered tablecloth illustration. In the lower left corner of this illustrated frame is a small chef with an oversized mustache standing on a spoon. The chef's speech bubble reads "Small Bites."
Small Bites: The cure for aesthetic convergence
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Small Bites
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June 20, 2025

Avoid homogenous dining experiences by seeking out unassuming hand-pulled noodle spots.

A photo of the Muskellounge and Sporting Club's wooden outdoor patio captures a few guests eating and drinking in the warm weather. An illustrated frame around it displays a red checkered tablecloth with different foods. In the lower left corner, a spoon holds a small chef with an oversized mustache. The chef's speech bubble reads "Small Bites."
Small Bites: Fine dining for the masses
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Small Bites
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May 23, 2025

Why casual dining concepts from high-end chefs are important.

A photo shows a small dog napping on an outdoor couch. The photo is framed with an illustration of a red plaid tablecloth with food items. In the lower-left corner, a small chef with an oversized moustache standing on a spoon says "Small Bites" in a speech bubble.
Small Bites: The high-value food theory of cooking
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Small Bites
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April 18, 2025

Consider the value of a little food hack, even in the wake of erratic tariff policies.

Photo of an assortment of wine bottles on a kitchen counter with a glass of wine, some bread and a knife rack in the background. The photo is framed with an illustration of a red plaid tablecloth with food items. In the lower-left corner, a small chef with an oversized moustache standing on a spoon says "Small Bites" in a speech bubble.
Small Bites: Summer in Madison is the time to explore wine
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Small Bites
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March 28, 2025

A simple guide to finding new bottles, enjoying old favorites, and staying grounded.

A photo shows several pieces of handmade pasta sitting atop a counter surface covered with coarse flour. A grooved wooden board is visible in the foreground. Basil leaves, lemons, and garlic are visible in the background. The photo is framed with an illustrated tablecloth with food items including pasta, cheese, a hamburger and more frame the photo. In the lower left corner, a small chef, with a comically large mustache, stands on a spoon and says, "Small Bites."
Small Bites: Fresh pasta meditations
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Small Bites
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February 28, 2025

Working through the horrors of modern life one cavatello at a time.

A winter photo atop a cliffside shows an expansive landscape of trees on the horizon. A flakey pastry and white mug with a hot beverage rest on a rock in the foreground. The photo is framed with an illustrated tablecloth with food items including pasta, cheese, a hamburger and more frame the photo. In the lower left corner, a small chef, with a comically large mustache, stands on a spoon and says, "Small Bites."
Small Bites: Infinite treats
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Small Bites
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January 24, 2025

Finding balance among the city's incredible bakeries.

Photo of cuts of meat in a display case. An illustrated tablecloth with food items including pasta, cheese, a hamburger and more frame the photo. In the lower left corner a drawn small chef in a spoon says “Small Bites.”
Small Bites: This holiday season, pay more for your meat
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Small Bites
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December 20, 2024

Good habits start small (bites).

A landscape photograph shows a lake with greenish water from atop a cliffside. A large cropping of trees appears on the opposite part of the lake. The sky is nearly a clear off-white color, and the general color palette of the image is muted on a late fall day.
What will be left, if anything?
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Microtones
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December 6, 2024

The true Midwestern world at unrest.

A photo shows ingredients for a Caesar salad arrayed on a wooden cutting board in a home kitchen, including a tin of anchovies, bunches of lettuce, a cheese rind, a lemon, a garlic bulb, a bottle of mustard, a bottle of mayonnaise, and a piece of bread. An illustrated frame around the photo depicts a checked tablecloth pattern with various items of food. In the bottom left corner, a small caricature chef stands on a spoon with the speech bubble, "Small Bites."
Small Bites: There’s always Caesar salad
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Small Bites
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November 15, 2024

Whatever the news, you still have to eat.

A photograph of the storefront of Butterbird restaurant on Regent Street in Madison at a medium shot. An illustrated frame around the photo depicts a checked tablecloth pattern with various items of food. In the bottom left corner, a small caricature chef stands on a spoon with the speech bubble, "Small Bites."
Small Bites: “Fall” into a spiraling cycle of indecision
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Small Bites
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October 25, 2024

A backup plan for those seeking reliable comfort amid ever-expanding food options.