About Us
The Real Good Life meal delivery service is currently available to anyone in Milwaukee county and the suburbs. Our menu changes every week and every dish is available in one-, two-, four-, and six-serving portions. We've dropped both the minimum for delivery and the subscription requirement so you seriously get to use us just as you want. You'll enjoy meals that just need to be reheated in the microwave or oven that are served in sturdy packaging that can be recycled.
We technically started in September of 2016 when owner Maggie Skarich Joos worked out of a church kitchen to create delicious and nutritious family-friendly food for friends and neighbors around town. But in reality, this business started a long time ago.
See, we don't know about you, but we have some great memories around food. When all else might have been a little sideways, we can still turn to those memories of Saturday mornings making French Toast with dad or Thanksgivings spent assisting mom. You may remember that first taste of chocolate chip cookie dough when baking with grandma or the pride on his face the first time the man who is now your husband made you dinner.
To us, food equals comfort, home, a place of safety. Which is all well and good, but who has the time to prepare all that nonsense? That's where we come in.
Please take us up on the offer to deliver food straight to your door. You just head straight to the table. Spend time with your family, your spouse, or a good book or passion project.
Our Mission Statement
At TRGL, we believe that every meal serves the community, the home, and the whole self.
We are committed to delivering delicious, socially responsible, and wholesome food. We strive to be a positive force in the community with the investment of time, money, & products. We believe in creating a supportive work environment for our staff, with fair wages and benefits. Our goal is to provide convenient, nutritious, and tasty meals that save our customers time and reduce stress.
Our Vision and Values
Vision
A tasty meal and full hearts at every table within reach.
Values
We support each other.
We commit to real good food.
We value everyone’s time.
Working at The Real Good Life
We have a team of employees based in Milwaukee, WI cranking out the goodness for you. Additionally, we are always looking for new folks to add to the group and new partners to work with. If you think you'd be a good fit, check out the job postings or please introduce yourself!
Doing Good While Eating Well
We won’t rest until there are tasty meals and full hearts at every table in southeastern Wisconsin. To that end, 2% of sales have gone to the Hunger Task Force from day one. Additionally, we offer complimentary Customer of the Week bags to friends in our community that need a helping hand. If we still find ourselves with extra food, that is donated to the local Ronald McDonald House or Kathy’s House.
Finally, we give our money, time, and platform to other nonprofit organizations that could benefit from our support. These organizations include Milwaukee area public and charter schools, Teens Grow Greens, Girls on the Run, and Groundwork Milwaukee.
Who's Running the Show
We have bunches of great people working at TRGL! (Want to be one of them? Check out our Job Postings page.) Here are the leaders of the circus.
Maggie Skarich Joos
After several years of figuring out what she wanted to be when she grows up, Maggie realized she kept circling around one topic – food. Maggie went to college at the University of South Carolina (Go Cocks!) to get a hospitality management degree to open a restaurant. Turns out the hours stink. After a few years testing the waters as an entrepreneur in other industries, Maggie thinks she’s finally found her home. Her favorite dinner would be a homemade pepperoni pizza made in a cast-iron skillet, fresh bread with roasted garlic to spread, and a French silk pie. Yes, the whole pie.
To Maggie, the real good life is ugly and beautiful, hard and perfect. It’s stressful and it’s amazing. It’s not all great. It’s not all bad. It’s good. It’s real. It’s real good.
Ryan Buenning - Director of Operations
As the Director of Operations at The Real Good Life Ryan takes great joy in solving problems of all shapes and sizes. He wields a passionate mindset for growth that looks to find the best in people. Since arriving in 2019, TRGL has added 30+ employees, while nearly quadrupling production. And yes, he is in fact the "Ryan" of Ryan's Tikka Masala and Ryan's Award-winning chili.
In the kitchen he looks first to understand. Whether its #showerthoughts, talking politics, religion, family, no rock will be left unturned.
At home he loves on his three children, wife and brood of chickens. You'll catch him gardening, cooking, biking or generally doing anything outdoors.
There is one thing for certain when dealing with him, Ryan will make sure you find your Real Good Life whether you like it or not.
Sean Pickarts - Executive Chef
Sean grew up with Midwest sensibilities and sports on the TV. After high school, he attempted a few things and wound up taking a liking to food. Sean went to MATC for class cooking school training, but it was at a 4 diamond rated restaurant that fortunately called his name; and where his cooking roots began. Fast forward through working for many great Milwaukee establishments, such as the Milwaukee Bucks, Potawatomi, and Nourri, before he landed at TRGL.
Sean believes, "TRGL is a strong group of caring people, who enjoy supporting families with wholesome, full-flavored foods." His favorite dinner is a roast on the grill or smoker; with plenty of wine, vegetables, and pickles with friends and family.
Sara Brugman - Community Relations Manager
After working in sales for over 12 years, Sara knew she wanted more.
She wanted to make a difference and work for a company with heart and soul. But Sara also wanted to make sure she wasn’t sacrificing time with her family. She went back to her roots: people and food.
Sara found her passion at Michigan State in Hospitality Business. She dreamed of event planning, throwing big parties, and perfect weddings. But after a brief stint at a country club after college, she realized she never saw her friends, family, or had time to explore her new home town. After marrying her husband and sending him back to school to pursue his passion of teaching, Sara realized how important purpose is in a career.