Breathing New Life Into History: How ZESCO Transformed Seven Acre Dairy Co.

Restoring a historic property is never a simple task — especially when it’s being transformed into a full-service hospitality destination with an upscale restaurant, café, boutique hotel, and event spaces. But for ZESCO Foodservice, projects like these are where our design services, kitchen design expertise, and design project management truly shine.

Recently, our project management and CAD teams partnered with Seven Acre Dairy Co., a thoughtfully restored cheese factory situated along the Sugar River in Paoli, Wisconsin. Surrounded by seven acres of manicured gardens, this revitalized destination blends boutique hospitality with elevated farmstead cuisine — and ZESCO played a key role in bringing its culinary vision to life.

The Project Team Behind the Transformation

Delivering a successful foodservice design in a complex, historic structure requires strong collaboration. The Seven Acre Dairy Co. project brought together an exceptional group of professionals:

The combined expertise of these teams ensured the project moved smoothly from concept to completion.

A Culinary Destination Rooted in Place

Seven Acre Dairy Co. welcomes guests with an exceptional blend of hospitality and culinary craft:

• The Kitchen — an elevated restaurant celebrating local farms and artisans
• The Dairy Café — a casual, comforting spot for breakfast, lunch, pastries, and locally roasted coffee
• Soft-serve crafted in-house using milk from Fischerdale Holsteins
• Boutique hotel rooms and event spaces designed with rustic charm and contemporary elegance

With multiple service styles under one roof, the operational layout needed to be efficient, intuitive, and adaptable — a perfect match for ZESCO’s kitchen design capabilities.

Designing for History: ZESCO’s Approach

Historic renovations present unique challenges, and ZESCO’s design project management team approached this build with precision and care.

“Navigating the intricate terrain of foodservice design within a historic renovation was an opportunity to breathe new life into the past. Each hurdle we faced was a chance to blend the rich heritage of the site with the demands of modern culinary excellence. From preserving architectural nuances to seamlessly integrating state-of-the-art kitchen facilities, every decision was a delicate balance between honoring the past and embracing the future.”
— Drew Johnson, Lead Project Manager, ZESCO Foodservice

Working within the constraints of original architecture, ZESCO ensured:

• Modern workflow efficiency within a historic envelope
• Preservation of the building’s character while meeting commercial kitchen code
• Strategic placement of BOH equipment to maximize functionality
• Seamless integration of restaurant, café, and production needs
• CAD-driven precision to avoid costly construction conflicts

This project exemplifies how ZESCO’s design services, kitchen design, and project management come together to elevate facilities of any age or size.

A Showcase of What Thoughtful Foodservice Design Can Achieve

Seven Acre Dairy Co. stands as a testament to how the right design partnership can transform a historic property into a vibrant, modern culinary retreat. At ZESCO, we are proud to contribute our expertise and collaborate with visionary owners, chefs, architects, and builders.

If your restaurant, café, or hospitality project — historic or new construction — requires expert kitchen design, CAD planning, equipment sourcing, or design project management, ZESCO is ready to guide you from concept through completion. Learn more and schedule a consultation at our design page.