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 HoppenGreater Good—Doug Case, Bill Radtke, & Kevin Shinn (LIVE)
The chefs and creators behind Ooh De Lally and Ybor don't see their food concepts as ways to simply feed people, but also to help them. These concepts provide…
Restaurant HoppenKeen Zheng—Umami; Snowy Sundaes
After training for 15 years at one of New York's best sushi restaurants, Keen brought his talents to Bellevue in 2017, and the sushi scene here changed…
Restaurant HoppenDan & Lisa Emsick—Paddy McGown's
Paddy McGown's is not your average bar. With family history in the Omaha restaurant scene and a desire to go to the next level, Paddy McGown's is serving food…
Restaurant HoppenChis Blazeski - Boho Supper Club
A small oasis exists in downtown Omaha, where a seasoned chef brings flavors from all over the world together in a thoughtfully composed 4-course dinner each…
Restaurant HoppenAnthony Hitchcock & Tony Gentile—Flagship Restaurant Group
What started as a single sushi restaurant (Blue) in Omaha has expanded to 13 concepts and 46 locations across 13 states, and Flagship's growth isn't slowing…
Restaurant HoppenDave Utterback—Yoshitomo; Koji; Sakura Bana (LIVE)
One of the nation's best sushi chefs, Dave talks about his uncommon path to becoming a sushi chef, how his style of mashing sushi styles together has created…
Restaurant HoppenWayne Dinges - Smokin Barrel BBQ
When Wayne opened his food truck in 2014, he helped usher in a new era of Omaha to BBQ, introducing legit brisket and simplistic methods that introduced…
Restaurant HoppenBeth Stratton—Omaha Gourmet Reuben
What if I told you Omaha's best Reuben sandwiches was one you order online and cook yourself after it's delivered to your front door? It may sound wild, but…
Restaurant HoppenJason Sirois & Brandon Kalfut - The Committee Chophouse
These talented chefs blend modern techniques and ingredients with classic steakhouse dishes to create a whole new steakhouse experience. We discussed…
Restaurant HoppenSagar Gurung & Dom Gurciullo—Cattle Call
"The neighbor that throws weird parties with great food and drink." That's how the owners describe Cattle Call, the new downtown Omaha bar that's also…
Restaurant HoppenBen Maides & Nestor Rebolledo - Clio & Flagship Restaurant Group
Few new restaurants have hit the ground with as much positive buzz as Clio, Omaha’s first restaurant dedicated to Mediterranean food. But that wasn’t by…
Restaurant HoppenBrie White - Breeze Bakery
What started as a holiday passion project during COVID has transformed into a full-time job and wonderful business for Bri, who thrills the masses with her…
Restaurant HoppenJeff Luby—Wilson & Washburn
Wilson & Washburn is a bar first and foremost, but traditional bar food, this is not. Owner Jeff Luby explains the elevated twists W&W puts on bar food, how a…
Restaurant HoppenDavid Schmitz & Joey Alonso—Werner Park chefs (LIVE)
There’s nothing more American than eating a hot dog or a brat while rooting on your favorite team on a summer day. But today, ballpark eats are far more…
Restaurant HoppenJustin Halbert—Herbe Sainte
Herbe Sainte was never supposed to be a restaurant. It was intended to be a New Orleans cocktail bar with a few bites. So how has it grown into Omaha's most…
Restaurant HoppenEvan Keelan & Brady Hess—Lazy Buffalo BBQ
After years of working in other bars and restaurants around Omaha, Brady and Evan finally got to open their concept in April 2024—and it was going to be BBQ…
Restaurant HoppenMichelle Alfaro—Sauced by Alfaro
Being a restaurant owner and chef is all about adaptability, and we use Sauced's story to highlight chefs' ability to pivot. From learning how to adjust the…
Restaurant HoppenOmaha Baking Extravaganza (LIVE)
Katina Talley (Sweet Magnolias Bake Shop), Stacey Leick (Buttered Marshmallow), and Kathy Silvey (A Catered Affair) discuss the complex realities of operating…
Restaurant HoppenTim Nicholson—The Boiler Room (LIVE)
This year, Tim Nicholson became just the second Omaha chef to be named a finalist for a James Beard Award. The genius chef behind The Boiler Room details those…
Restaurant HoppenSam Laughlin—Tiny's Pizza Joint
After working in a variety of restaurants around Omaha, Sam finally got a chance to open his own place, and Tiny's Pizza Joint is slinging some of the best…
Restaurant HoppenPreston Vaughn & Sarah Czaplewski—Nocturnal Eats
The best part of a food truck is its adaptability, as a truck allows for an ever-changing menu, hours, location, etc. Nocturnal Eats, the food truck sensation…
Restaurant HoppenTimothy Bader—Volcanic Peppers
As the owner of a burgeoning hot sauce company, few in Omaha know peppers and spice like Timothy. But as our discussion unveils, Volcanic Peppers is about far…
Restaurant HoppenBurger Bash w/ Jack Heiman, Nick Joubert, & Luke Staver (LIVE)
There are few things more quintessentially American than burgers, so why not bring in 3 of Omaha's burger experts to talk about them? Chefs from Nomadic…
Restaurant HoppenAlex Harrington—Untamed Kitchen
Is it possible for a meal out to be both healthy and delicious? That was the question Alex Harrington set out to answer, and Untamed Kitchen delivers on both…
Restaurant HoppenBill Radtke & Kevin Shinn - Ybor
Bill Radtke has two great passions: Cuban sandwiches and helping formerly incarcerated individuals rediscover their value and get back into society. With the…
Restaurant HoppenNick Strawhecker & Seth Lacy—Dante (LIVE)
The restaurant industry is really rough, and making it 3-5 years is an achievement. And then there's Dante, entering year 15 in business with no signs of…
Restaurant HoppenBrenda Cazares—La Sierra
There's a lot of great Mexican food, but nothing like La Sierra. This restaurant brings a taste of Durango and its unique gorditas and burritos to Omaha, all…
Restaurant HoppenTim Steinbach & Doug Case—Ooh de Lally
Ooh de Lally would be an excellent restaurant if all it did was serve excellent food. But on top of thrilling diners with delicious plates, this Dundee…
Restaurant HoppenNick Hyde—Hyde's Slydes Burgers & Fries
Nick has had the concept of and the passion for his own burger joint since high school, but some detours took him out of the restaurant industry. But once he…
Restaurant HoppenWill & Rachel Birge, Matt Widger—Mealbox (LIVE)
What if I told you that you could get restaurant-quality meals delivered to your doorstep, ready after only a few minutes in the microwave? Crazy as it sounds…
Restaurant HoppenJoel Lavelle & Andrew Clow—Proof and Proof 192
What goes into the creation of a high-end whiskey bar? What's the R&D process to make craft cocktails? And how do bartenders express themselves through the…
Restaurant HoppenCarlos & Palmyra Mendez—Rotisserie Urban Bistro
Though they grew up in different countries on different continents, rotisserie chicken was an important food to both Carlos and Palmyra growing up. And after a…
Restaurant HoppenArthur Lalikian - Omaha Kebabs
Arthur had almost no restaurant experience before moving to Omaha and opening his restaurant in 2021, but he just had to share his Armenian food and culture…
Restaurant HoppenCarlos Mendez, Tim Maides, & Roberto Garcia—Dolomiti (LIVE)
Omaha can't get enough of the newest addition to Omaha's pizza scene. This unique Neapolitan/New York combo dough is bringing customers like few restaurants…
Restaurant HoppenJose Aviles—Aviles Latin Market
Tired of having to drive to South Omaha to get great Latin food and groceries, this long-time of the restaurant industry opened his own place! Hear Jose's…
Restaurant HoppenJack Heiman—Nomadic Jack's
Jack Heiman has always had a knack for making great burgers, but he never planned on making a food concept out of it. But friends pushed him to do pop-ups. And…
Restaurant HoppenMatt Taylor—MJT Hospitality
New or struggling restaurants may need some help getting off the ground, and that's where consultants like Matt come in. We discuss the role of a restaurant…
Restaurant HoppenDDD Recap with Dirty Birds, Kitchen Table, & Izzy's Pizza Bus (LIVE)
What's it like to be on the Food Network and meet Guy Fieri? Just how intense and chaotic is the filming process? The owners of these three restaurants were…
Restaurant HoppenJon & Bonnie Taylor—Sand Point
This mother/son duo has incredible memories of spending summers in the New England area, so they decided to bring that cuisine to Omaha. Starting with a food…
Restaurant HoppenJoel Hassanali & Ashley Young—Sugared Ledge
Joel Hassanali is a lifelong savory chef, but when the Young family opened Salted Edge, they also wanted a bakery. So Joel gave himself a donut crash course…
Restaurant HoppenAbby Jordan & Becky App—eCreamery Ice Cream
In 2006, two people with little to no professional food experience set out to do something completely new: not only open an ice cream shop, but ship it all…
Restaurant HoppenWyatt Kosalka & Luke Staver—Block 16
What's it like to work at Block 16, one of Omaha's most beloved restaurants? Why not ask its first ever sous chefs?! Wyatt and Luke pull back the curtain about…
Restaurant HoppenBest of Omaha Restaurants; 2023 Edition
As the calendar turns to 2024, I look back and hand out awards for my best meals of 2023 to celebrate the restaurants that served them and help you plan out…
Restaurant HoppenJen Miller & Kevin Dohrmann—Miller Dohrmann Farm
Since retiring from corporate jobs, this couple started an Omaha farm that's now sourcing the best of the best Omaha restaurants. Au Courant, Block 16, The…
Restaurant HoppenAshish & Kim Sathyan—Kinaara (LIVE)
The owners of Omaha's most popular Indian restaurant discuss getting diners to branch out from familiar dishes to try plates from Kerala (India), where Ashish…
Restaurant HoppenRyan Barry—Willie Dogs
Someday, Ryan's goal is to have his signature hot dog, the Willie Dog, as not only a must-try Omaha food, but also mentioned among America's iconic dogs like…
Restaurant HoppenMo Abdallah & Faysal Fahmy—Gyro Kings
Omaha has some great gyro spots, but nothing like the New York street gyros that Mo grew up eating. That style, combined with the Egyptian twists he and Faysal…
Restaurant HoppenLIVE Brunch podcast—Chase Thomsen, Meghan McLarney, & Christian Brabec
We all love breakfast and brunch, right? So why not get the people who do it better than anyone in Omaha and pick their brains about this beloved meal. The…
Restaurant HoppenJoel Hassanali & Tierra Hope—Salted Edge
Salted Edge provides an experience few other restaurants in Omaha can, and it has this duo to thank for that. We discuss the restaurant's origins, how dishes…
Restaurant HoppenEric Gabrynowicz—Tupelo Honey
Tupelo Honey has been a beloved landmark restaurant in Asheville, NC, since 2000, and now Eric, a 4-time James Beard Award Semifinalist, is bringing it to the…
Restaurant HoppenAmber Sanne—The Baking Flamingos
Sweet & savory, trendy & traditional, this bakery can supply whatever baked goods you in crave! But while it's running on all cylinders now, The Baking…
Restaurant HoppenAndrew Novak—The Mercato (Certified Piedmontese)
After a career of working in kitchens, Andrew is taking on a different part of the food world as he runs Omaha's location of The Mercato. We discuss how this…
Restaurant HoppenDavid Mark Young—Golden Sheaf Bourbon
We dive into the world of whiskey with the man who resurrected an Omaha whiskey brand that lay dormant for over 100 years. David has brought Golden Sheaf…
Restaurant HoppenJess & Paul Urban—Block 16 (LIVE)
The Urbans intended on opening a fine dining restaurant or a European bistro. What they got was a sandwich shop, and despite a series of trials and setbacks…
Restaurant HoppenClare Watson Bartolomei, Colin Dorwart, Corina Figueroa—Fig
With new development and the Kiewit Luminarium, the Riverfront in downtown Omaha is undergoing a transformation. At the heart of it is Fig., a sister…
Restaurant HoppenLinda Lichtenwalter & Chris Larkin—The Pie Fairy
Whether sweet or savory, this couple is more than happy to meet all your pie needs. This pie delivery service is redefining what pies can be, delivering both…
Restaurant HoppenJohn Huftless—Dinker's Bar & Grill
An Omaha staple since 1965, Dinker's has long been beloved for its burgers and low-key atmosphere. Kitchen manager John Huftless discusses the awesome history…
Restaurant HoppenBlane Hunter, Scott Fogle, and Craig Ryon—LIVE BBQ Bash
Three of the most talented BBQ cooks in Omaha bring their minds together to dish on all things 'que. These masters of meat discuss social media feuds…
Restaurant HoppenJean George - Lyle’s Pizzeria
A few years ago, Jean never would’ve imagined she’d be operating a pizzeria. But then she found a love for dough and bread, an opportunity arose, and the chef…
Restaurant HoppenAndrew Wassinger - Sandhills Elixir
Let’s talk zero-proof cocktails! The co-founder of Sandhills Elixir discusses the movement toward NA spirits and how his company has ridden the wave. We also…