In Tandem

“In Tandem” is the latest short documentary by the Emmy-nominated team 1 Girl Revolution + BEHOLD, featuring the inspiring story of Caitlin Cullen and her restaurant in Milwaukee, The Tandem. 

The Tandem is a restaurant in Lindsay Heights, Milwaukee, a struggling community with an unemployment rate of over 50%. Five times the national average. Once a thriving community and a stop on the Underground Railroad is now a struggling neighborhood after decades of economic strife. But The Tandem is a social project that is changing that – through their work and the family that they’ve created.

The Tandem is a neighborhood restaurant that offers on the job training for people who are marginalized, young people who have never had a job before, and anyone who simply needs an opportunity. The Tandem does not discriminate against race, sex, criminal record, or any other factor. But, what The Tandem does goes far beyond employment and serving food. The Tandem is a family that no matter who you are, where you’re from, what you’ve done, what you’ve been through, or what you need – The Tandem has love and a place for you. They’ll give you a hot meal, a drink after work, an opportunity for work, and a support network. 

In March 2020, when the Covid pandemic hit, The Tandem – like all other restaurants – shut down. The restaurant stopped selling food to paying customers and started solely feeding people in need. All of the soup kitchens in the area were closed because they are mostly run by retired, elderly people – who were at high risk for Covid. So, Caitlin and The Tandem family stepped in and started giving away meals to those in need. Other restaurants jumped on board, people started donating to support what they were doing, the World Central Kitchen supported their efforts, and then the city of Milwaukee gave them a $350,000 grant to keep the initiative going. The Tandem ended up distributing over 115,000 meals to those in need. 

“In Tandem” is the encapsulation of The Tandem story. 1 Girl Revolution + BEHOLD filmed at the bustling restaurant at its height in 2019 and then went back to film during the pandemic to highlight the life-giving work of The Tandem during the Covid pandemic. This is story of Caitlin Cullen + The Tandem. 

Special thanks to:

Caitlin Cullen, Shaniaa Hutchins, Anne Daley, every member of the Tandem family, every person who has supported the mission of The Tandem through the years, the World Central Kitchen, José Andrés, the city of Milwaukee, Rob Kaczmark, Jason Knade, Gigi Aquilina, and the BEHOLD team.

We would also like to thank the 1 Girl Revolution community for supporting our continued efforts to bring projects like this to fruition. 

Every woman has a story. Every woman has a voice. Every woman has the power to change the world through their lives. Every woman is a 1 Girl Revolution!

For more from Caitlin and to hear more about her story and the story of The Tandem, listen to episode #150 of The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast featuring Caitlin Cullen: https://youtu.be/_2rcfExqUxE 

The 1 Girl Revolution podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, and everywhere you listen to podcasts. Subscribe to The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast today!