How Does Restaurant Design Affect Both the Guest and Chef Experience?
So much of a restaurant experience is defined before a bite of food is served, as the atmosphere, vibe, and design of a restaurant set the tone for the guest. Omaha veteran restaurateurs Carlos Mendez (Au Courant; Dolomiti), Tom Allisma (Flagship Restaurant Group), and Sagar Gurung (Kathmandu Momo Station; Cattle Call) discuss the ins and outs and restaurant design and architecture and the way restaurants can set themselves up for success.
Episode References
Kathmandu – https://www.kathmandurestaurant.com
Momo Station – https://www.momostationomaha.com
Saffron Urban Indian Kitchen – https://www.saffronurban.com
Cattle Call – https://www.cattlecallomaha.com
Bluejays Sushi – https://www.bluejayssushi.com
Roja – https://www.rojaomaha.com
Blatt – https://www.blattbeer.com
Ghost Donkey – https://www.ghostdonkey.com
Flagship Commons – https://www.flagshipcommons.com
Plank – https://www.plankomaha.com
Champagne Lanes – https://www.champagnelanes.com
Memoir – https://www.memoiromaha.com
Cleo – https://www.cleorestaurant.com
Dolomiti Pizzeria – https://www.dolomitepizzeria.com
Ruby Rotisserie Urban Bistro – https://www.rubyurbanbistro.com
España – https://www.espanaomaha.com
Hunger Block – https://www.hungerblock.com
V. Mertz – https://www.vmertz.com
Boiler Room – https://www.boilerroomomaha.com
This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or Hurrdat Media YouTube channel!
Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro & Teaser
00:04:26 - Restaurant Design Affecting Guest Experiences
00:16:34 - Focal Points & Pros/Cons of Open Kitchen Concepts
00:32:09 - Layout Design & Restaurant Balance
00:42:57 - Lighting
00:59:01 - Wrap-up
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Elizabeth & Jack Pooley—Square Donut
When Elizabeth decided to open a donut shop in Omaha, she had no idea the trials and hardships to come. But she and her son Jack fought through tremendous hardship both in and outside the business to create a donut shop that few—if any—in Omaha can rival. We talked about the science behind what makes these donuts unique, why Square Donut places such a high priority on hospitality, and how the rough road has helped form not only Square Donut, but who Elizabeth and Jack are as people and family.
Bite into Square Donut Today!
https://www.squaredonutomaha.com/
This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or Hurrdat Media YouTube channel!
Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro & Teaser
00:01:20 - 5 Years of Squared Donuts!
00:13:13 - The Donut Making Process
00:21:00 - What Sets Square Donut Apart from the Rest?
00:29:28 - D2Donuts (The Precursor)
00:36:50 - How to Make a Successful Business
00:43:02 - First Year Open
00:55:08 - A Rewarding Creation & Wrap-up
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John & Seth Quiring—Le Quartier
Le Quartier has become Omaha and Lincoln's go-to spot for bread and pastries, but the path that led these brothers to open their bakery nearly 20 years ago is one neither saw coming. Hear how a random interest in baking, an apartment in Montreal, and a baguette-attached resume led to a bread supplier that many Omahans (and Omaha restaurants) couldn't live without.
Check Out Le Quartier Today!
Le Quartier – https://lequartierbakingco.com/
This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or Hurrdat Media YouTube channel!
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Intro & Teaser
00:02:12 - What is Le Quartier?
00:06:08 - The Collective Shift
00:15:15 - Learning to Teach with Four Locations
00:21:00 - Sibling Synchronicity
00:37:32 - “Listening to the Dough”
00:46:40 - Working with Restaurants (Establishing & Maintaining Relationships)
00:49:07 - The Bank Robbery
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jacque & Jake Burklund—Carinara
Tomato-free pasta sauce?! This Omaha couple never knew they'd need such a thing until they developed a heartburn-inducing sensitivity to tomatoes. Rather than swear off pizza and pasta forever, they created a carrot-based sauce and launched Carinara, a product that is taking the Midwest by storm. We discuss where the idea came from, what the R&D process was like, how they got Hy-Vee to buy in, and the future of this exploding company.
Order Carinara Pasta Sauce: https://carinara.com
This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or Hurrdat Media YouTube channel!
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Intro & Teaser
00:01:22 - What is Carinara?
00:04:39 - The Problem with Nightshades
00:10:48 - Other Favorite Recipes
00:17:18 - A Clean, Healthy Product
00:25:28 - Tweaking Recipes Until They Work
00:33:39 - Getting into Stores & a New Sauce!
00:38:56 - Dynamic in the Kitchen & Final Thoughts
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Angie Padgett & Tamra Johnson—Good Evans
You know that good feeling you get at certain restaurants, where it just seems everyone is operating like a family? It's rare because it's a hard culture to cultivate, but it's intentional and you feel it at Good Evans, one of Nebraska's fastest growing breakfast spots. Angie Padgett (Executive Chef) and Tamra Johnston (Chief Marketing Officer) joined me to talk about how Good Evans cultivates that familial feeling, put together a menu that's comfortable for IG-loving teenagers as well as grandparents, and crafted a culture that has allowed it to expand to five locations (including two in Omaha) in less than a decade.
Taste the Difference that from Scratch Makes:
Good Evans – https://goodevans.com
This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or Hurrdat Media YouTube channel!
Chapters:
00:00:00 - Intro & Teaser
00:01:02 - Guests’ Backstories
00:02:18 - What is Good Evans?
00:18:00 - Creating Flavor
00:22:01 - Good Evans’ History
00:34:02 - Pros & Cons of a Breakfast Joint & The Responsibilities
00:40:02 - Specialty Menu
00:46:47 - Final Questions & Wrap-up
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Dan Hoppen breaks down the Nebraska cuisine scene one bite at a time. He talks to local chefs, media members, and just interesting people about what's going on in the Cornhusker State when it comes to food, where people need to eat, and how food relates to Nebraska sports.