nosh

eats

| drinks | sweets

Chocolate
Cheese

&

Provisions Culinary Outfitters
takes patrons on a journey.

ALLISON JACOBS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Z

ABOVE: Zach Berg
and William Werner.

ach Berg and William Werner bonded
over their love of food at age 10. The two
met while residing in Levinson Village at
Tamarack Camps and reconnected in the halls of
West Bloomfield High School. Since then, their
discussions about food seem to never end.
While the two spent years apart during col-
lege, Berg and Werner kept in touch. After Berg
completed his training at the Culinary Institute of
America in Napa, Calif., he spent years in restau-
rant kitchens.
His affinity for cheese began when he took a
job running the cheese department of Bi-Rite
Market in San Francisco. Berg was later intro-
duced to Ari Weinzweig of Zingerman’s, who
encouraged him to return home. In 2008, he final-
ly landed a job he loved — educating Zingerman’s
patrons about cheese.

Meanwhile, Werner majored in geology at the
University of Michigan and became an environ-
mental consultant in San Francisco. As soon as
he clocked out of his day job, he delved into the
San Francisco restaurant scene and experiment-
ed with cooking. In the back of his mind, Werner
was lusting after a job in the food industry.
After spending time on the West Coast, Werner
ventured back to Michigan and decided to stay
for good. After successfully catering his own wed-
ding with Berg’s help, he was stunned by the posi-
tive feedback from guests.
“Ultimately, I thought if I can make that hap-
pen, I’m in the wrong field,” Werner said. He then
dove right in as manager of Gayle’s Chocolates in
Royal Oak and asked Berg to join him in the sum-
mer of 2016.
Berg and Werner were accustomed to talking

continued on page 30

jn

February 1 • 2018

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