Shows / Restaurant Hoppen
Restaurant Hoppen
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.
Episodes
Restaurant HoppenMeat-ing the Demands of Omaha's Best Restaurants w/ Jon Nelson (Jon's Naturals)
Jon's Naturals is the connector between local beef and pork producers and restaurants, helping chefs get their creative hands on a cleaner, more delicious…
Restaurant HoppenThe Secrets Behind Omaha's Longest-Standing Restaurants (Bronco's, Barrett's, & La Casa Pizzaria)
Bronco's Hamburgers, Barrett's Barleycorn Pub & Grill, and La Casa Pizzaria have all thrilled Omaha guests for decades. What's the secret to their families'…
Restaurant HoppenCreating Community Through Coffee & Custard w/ Cup & Cone
Bennington wouldn't be the same without Cup & Cone, the custard/coffee shop that has become a community hub since it opened in 2023. But getting the shop up…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Creating a Brand New Food & Rescuing a Business w/ Nichole Taff & Vincent Rissell (OCookieOs)
Nichole created a brilliant gluten-free cookie/donut mash-up in 2020, but the business was on the brink of collapsing earlier this year. Now it's thriving…
- Restaurant Hoppen
TV Cooking Competitions and the Culture of Food Media w/ Christian Alquiza (First We Feast)
After nearly 20 years in restaurant kitchens, Christian has transitioned to life as a media and social media chef. We discuss what the term "chef" means in…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Uprooting One's Life for the Love of Baking w/ Damie Elder-Hiscock
Fariner Bakery is a magical space, a cafe with a gravitational pull that makes you want to stay for hours. That's because of the love people like Damie put…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Bringing Jamaican Cuisine and Culture to Omaha with Shava Jackson (Jerk Makin Shack)
Shava Jackson left her home of Jamaica to attend medical school with no thoughts of entering the hospitality industry, but her food truck has become one of the…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Top Chef Takeaways and the Power of Food Memories w/ Anthony Jones
As the Executive Chef at Marcus Samuelsson's Washington DC restaurant and a contestant on the most recent Top Chef season, Anthony Jones is one of America's…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Where Omaha's Food Comes From—LIVE Panel w/ Local Producers
We hear about how important it is to shop and eat locally produce meats and vegetables, but do we really know why? Three local producers—Tiff Clifton (Long…
Restaurant HoppenDefining Hospitality & Following Restaurant Trends w/ Daniel Bello (Koji)
Daniel worked in some of America's most well-known restaurants in San Francisco and now brings those unique experiences and what he learned to Koji. We talk…
Restaurant HoppenAchieving Mom's Dream with Ma' Mona—Manuel & Juan Gonzalez
Margartia Gonzalez's food has always thrilled her family; so much so that it became a goal to open a food truck since they came to the United States from…
Restaurant HoppenDumpling, Hawaiian food, & Sharing Aloha Culture w/ Jian "Peter" Pan
He was born in China and grew up in Hawaii, so Peter has a great desire to bring those cuisines to Omaha. But it was actually his wife and their shared love of…
Restaurant HoppenDigging into Indigenous Cuisine w/ Cassie & Quentin Hinman (Tradisish; Against the Current)
For all the great food Omaha has, indigenous and Native American cuisine wasn't really available... until this food truck/pop-up arose! Cassie Hinman started…
Restaurant HoppenComfort & Nostalgia in Hand Pie Form w/ Kate Anderson (Carter & Rye)
Kate has seen customers tear up while eating her hand pies, and the warm, nostalgic feelings tied with that buttery, flaky crust are indeed powerful. Stuffed…
Restaurant HoppenInside the Life of a Restaurant Owner w/ Katina Talley, Ben Maides, & Paul Urban
We hear consistently that life as a restaurant owner is so hard... but as diners, we can't fully understand what that reality is really like. On this panel…
Restaurant HoppenPizza Culture and Craft w/ Dylan Espinoza (Very Important Pizza)
Pizza culture embedded itself in Dylan's DNA around 2009, and he always dreamed of opening a pizzeria. That dream finally came to fruition in 2006 with Very…
Restaurant HoppenAdrienne Cheatham & Joe Flamm Bring Restaurant Life to the People w/ Chef's Cut Podcast
Top Chef alums and restaurant veterans Joe and Adrienne started a podcast to bring the conversations inside kitchens to the world, and the Chef's Cut has blown…
Restaurant HoppenLearning in Omaha's Elite Kitchens w/ Collin Werner (Au Courant)
Collin Werner might only be 27, but don't let his age fool you. He's already worked in some of the most well-regarded kitchens in Omaha, now advancing to…
Restaurant HoppenThe Impossible Life of a Restaurateur w/ Paul Kulik (Le Bouillon)
Understanding and reacting to guest expectations. Reacting to and engaging with shifting staff expectations. Crafting experiences different from those found at…
Restaurant HoppenFood as Medicine and Loving on Local with Tony Ellsworth (Ellsworth Crossing)
Tony and Amber Ellsworth are farmers, store owners, and give Omahans so many ways to support local. Their store, Ellsworth Crossing, features meat, vegetables…
Restaurant HoppenCibo Vino Late Career Pivots for Don Doty & Wendy Becker
Don Doty and Wendy Becker were both comfortable in their culinary positions, but memories of a trip to Rome inspired Don to make a bold move—open a new…
Restaurant HoppenOmaha's Up-and-Coming Culinary Star Abe Vidaurre (Cattle Call)
Abe began the Executive Chef at Cattle Call at age 22, but don't think this youngster is over his head. He's creating a wide variety of amazing culinary…
Restaurant HoppenCulinary School Truths with Brian O'Malley
There are a lot of debates about the state of culinary school in America, and as Metro CC's Dean of Hospitality & Horticulture, Brian O'Malley has heard them…
Restaurant HoppenBreaking Down Omaha's Sandwich Scene (LIVE)
3 chefs from beloved Omaha sandwich restaurants joined me to discuss why sandwiches are so universally loved. Paul Urban (Block 16), Chloe Tran-Thompson (The…
Restaurant HoppenHospitality Academy w/ Matt Brown (V. Mertz)
If Omaha had a hospitality Mount Rushmore, Matt Brown's face would be chiseled onto it. The GM of V. Mertz joined me to discuss how he and his team customize…
Restaurant HoppenOmaha's Candy Extraordinaire: Tessa Porter (Sprinkk)
Candy may seem simple, but nailing the textures and flavors of your favorite gummies and chews is actually a deeply scientific process. That's where people…
Restaurant HoppenA New Level of Ramen in Omaha w/ Ken & Aki Ota (Crafted Ramen Mi So La Do)
Ken Ota has a goal of bringing traditional Japanese ramen to America and, after years of teaching ramen school and consulting, he's opened his own shop in…
Restaurant HoppenWitney Stanley—Sous Chef at V. Mertz
Just a few years out of culinary school and already the sous chef at one of Omaha's most beloved fine dining restaurants, Witney has a passion for cooking…
Restaurant HoppenOmaha OG Chefs Discuss the Evolution of Omaha's Dining Scene
Omaha's culinary landscape has changed drastically in the last 15-20 years. Jenny Coco, Glenn Wheeler, and Paul Kulik have managed Omaha restaurants through it…
Restaurant HoppenMatt & Simone Weber—Table Grace Cafe
Table Grace Cafe doesn't exist solely to feed people; it exists to empower them and nourish their souls. That's why there are no prices on the menu. Matt &…
Restaurant HoppenJeff Gorat—J. Gorat's Deli + Market
One of Omaha's newest sensations is part small market, part sandwich shop, and as the massive following indicates, Omaha can't get enough of J. Gorat's Deli +…
Restaurant HoppenJoe Sasto—Food Network star, culinary innovator, and creator of Ripi and Tantos
Joe has cooked in three-star Michelin kitchens, competed on two seasons of Top Chef, is a social media star with nearly 500K followers on Instagram, has…
Restaurant HoppenFront of House & Hospitality All-Stars
So often we talk about restaurants in terms of food, but so much of your experience at a restaurant has nothing to do with what you eat. It's all about how a…
Restaurant HoppenIsmara Gonzalez—Isla Del Mar
Just a few years ago, Ismara Gonzalez was running a struggling health-conscious food company. Now she's the Chef/Owner of Isla Del Mar, a restaurant with three…
Restaurant HoppenErik "Ricco" Thomas—Johnny Ricco's Brooklyn Pizza
Ricco's life has taken him in all kinds of directions: he served in Iraq, started a catering company in New York, worked as a private chef on a yacht, spent…
Restaurant HoppenAndrew Novak & Cheyanne Loeffler - All In Thyme
Andrew & Cheyanne aren’t just building a business together; they’re continuing the legacy of a lost friend and making some incredible and food along the way…
Restaurant HoppenBrian Bendams—Funny Bone Comedy Club
What's it like to be the Executive Chef at a comedy club? It's a question most people don't know the answer too, which is why I loved having this conversation…
Restaurant HoppenBlake Barnes - Bronco’s Hamburgers
Bronco’s has served some of Omaha’s favorite fast food since 1959. So how did it become so beloved originally? What has allowed it to thrive when other iconic…
Restaurant HoppenFood Network Competition TV w/ Clayton Chapman, Michelle Alfaro, & Larissa Codr
Food competition TV shows are fun, but what are they like behind the scenes? Three Omaha chefs/bakers who've competed on Food Network dish on the…
Restaurant HoppenCarlos Cuevas & Gillian Cromwell-Cuevas—Masa Luna
When Carlos decided to make tamales for his own wedding a few years ago, he had no idea he was starting down the road to a thriving restaurant. Those tamales…
Restaurant HoppenDoug Case & LaRue Marcos—Ooh De Lally
Ooh De Lally is a restaurant serving great food, but its mission goes much deeper. It partners with Metro CC to help formerly incarcerated individuals get…
Restaurant HoppenHow 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…
Restaurant HoppenElizabeth & 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…
Restaurant HoppenJohn & 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…
Restaurant HoppenJacque & 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…
Restaurant HoppenAngie 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…
Restaurant HoppenDeVaute Nunn—Haven Express
The Haven Express food truck comes from humble beginnings, but now DeVaute and his crew are feeding Bud Crawford and the Nebraska football team! The truck's…
Restaurant HoppenNate Flick—Godega
Bodegas were a part of Nate's daily life when he lived in New York, but after moving to Omaha, he wondered if the concept would work here, too. Three years and…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Joel Hassanli—Salted Edge & Pivot Prime (LIVE)
Joel has cooked various cuisines all over the world. He's worked for celebrity chefs and private sports teams. He's cooked dinner for Oprah and her family in…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Gerald Dimabuyu—The Fifth Taste by Chef Gerald
This new food truck is bringing the unique flavors of the Phillipines and Southeast Asia to Omaha. With a great respect for traditional dishes and an obsession…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Eli Vedral - Kookaburra Cookies
A college semester abroad in Sydney changed Eli’s life. Enthralled with the country’s creative fusion dishes, he decided to combine two of his favorite baked…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Katie Arant Chapman & Brian Langbehn—Coneflower Creamery (LIVE)
In 2016, Brian called Katie, then working as a pastry chef in California with an idea: come back to Omaha and let's open an ice cream shop. Little did either…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Haley Farrell—Cafe Postale
Few food/drink establishments in Omaha can match the vibe at Cafe Postale, which mixes the space's rich history with great coffee and modern elements to create…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Garrett Kasper—Arbor Day Farm
The restaurants and food at Arbor Day Farm (Nebraska City) were overdue for an upgrade, and leadership tabbed Chef Garrett Kasper to level up the cuisine. And…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Kristin Pyle—SET The Bar
Nothing about SET The Bar is like what you'd expect at a normal sports bar. From the focus on women's sports to the elevated takes on bar food coming out of…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Juan Sanchez & Andrea Macias—Cumbia
When this couple opened Cumbia in 2021, they brought two relatively unknown concepts to Omaha: Latin American food and tapas (small shared plates). But the…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Food Truck Panel w/ Javier Trujillo, Brian Sullivan, & Nick Hyde
There's just something special about getting food from a truck, but the food truck life isn't quite as easy as it seems. The owners of 3 of Omaha's most…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Michelle Alfaro—Sauced by Alfaro and Food Network star
Let's pull back the curtain on Food Network cooking competitions! Michelle Alfaro, the chef/owner behind her beloved restaurant, Sauced by Alfaro, got the…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Hannah Sheffield—Sprinkle Joy
Outside of a high school job, Hannah had no experience in the custard/ice cream business. But her nostalgia, entrepreneurial drive, and love of frozen treats…
- Restaurant Hoppen
Mia Matlock—Oso Good Kitchen & Panaderya
Mia Matlock always enjoyed baking, especially finding ways to inject her Pilipino heritage and ingredients into common desserts. But when COVID hit and she got…