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 HoppenKris Lamlika & Nils Gjoca; Sofra Creperie
Crepes might just be the next big food fad waiting to take off in America. Thanks to Sofra Creperie, Omaha has gotten a taste, and it has this pair of Albanian…
Restaurant HoppenMike Barstow—Backlot Taphouse; Backlot Pizza & Kitchen
The popularity of Detroit-style pizza has exploded in recent years, and anyone who's been to Backlot Taphouse can attest as to why. Owner Mike Barstow breaks…
Restaurant HoppenLola's creators (Clare Watson Bartolomei, Stephen Bartolomei, & Corina Figueroa)
When Clare and Corina opened Lola's in 2019, they boldly attempted to create something no one else in Omaha dared to do: combine three restaurant/cafe concepts…
Restaurant HoppenElizabeth Pooley—Square Donut
Elizabeth Pooley had no restaurant ownership experience when she bit into her first square donut, but the experience was so spectacular she couldn't get it out…
Restaurant HoppenJohn Osna & Jason Sirois—The Committee Chophouse
In a city full of beloved steakhouses, The Committee Chophouse is employing new, unique tactics to stand out from the crowd. John (Director of Food and…
Restaurant HoppenMatt Halligan & Brian Koozer—Frank's Pizzeria
Frank's has become beloved for its authentic NY-style pies, and Matt (owner) and Brian (head pizza maker) are proud to carry on the tradition that Frank…
Restaurant HoppenKaren Barrett & Jack Barrett Jeffrey—Barrett's Barleycorn Pub & Grill
Barrett's was never intended to be a restaurant, but over the years it's become beloved for its phillys, Reubens, and famed pork tenderloin sandwiches. Hear…
Restaurant HoppenAagya Subedi—Kathmandu Momo Station
Three years ago, Aagya had no restaurant experience. Now she's started a pop-up, is the partner of a thriving restaurant, and introduced Omaha to a whole new…
Restaurant HoppenMatt & Scott Egermayer—Lighthouse Pizza & Fries
Lighthouse has carved out its niche in the crowded Omaha pizza scene with gigantic slices, crazy fry combos, a drive-thru, and the epic Sparky's slice. But…
Restaurant HoppenDiwesh Bhattarai—Saffron Urban Indian Kitchen
The Executive Chef and co-owner of one of Omaha's newest restaurants, Diwesh Bhattarai describes the risks and long road he had to take to make this…
Restaurant HoppenRaechel Van Buskirk—Deviled Egg Co.
What if I told you deviled eggs could taste like a Reuben, pulled pork sandwich, or even a sushi roll, and they'd be delicious? Deviled Egg Co. brings this…
Restaurant HoppenAbby McLeay—Zen Coffee Company
Zen Coffee Company's popularity exploded with the release of coffee flights, but this business was special before the social media sensation. Abby discusses…
Restaurant HoppenMichael Sanchez—Taco Co.; Mula; Maria's
The owner of three of Omaha's hottest taco joints, Michael knows a few things about Mexican food and running a restaurant. We discuss the evolution of his…
Restaurant HoppenMeghan McLarney—Gravy Train; Omaha Soup Company
You won't find many people who work harder or love food more than Meghan. Her elevated takes on biscuits and gravy routinely sell out at farmers markets and…
Restaurant HoppenNick Maestas—Muchachos
Take some of the best smoked brisket and chicken you'll find in the state and stuff it into burritos and tacos—sounds like a great idea, right? That's why…
Restaurant HoppenTyler Thiesen and Adam Mallory—Everett's
Built on a foundation of family, Everett's has quickly become one of Omaha's most buzzed about restaurants. Hear the story of how it came together and why the…
Restaurant HoppenDirty Birds Crew—Moses Moseley, Mike West, & Dan Whalen
Omaha's fried chicken sandwich king has big news! Dirty Birds will be opening a 2nd location in the historic Flatiron building, and the guys stopped by to talk…
Restaurant HoppenKate Anderson—Carter & Rye
Flaky, buttery, nostalgic goodness... what's not to love about hand pies?! And no one makes them better than Carter & Rye. Hear how Kate creates the…
Restaurant HoppenKarlo Cruz—Kalye
Omaha had no idea what it was missing with Filipino food until Karlo started his new pop-up, Kalye. Learn more about this cuisine (especially the lumpia!) and…
Restaurant HoppenTJ Holzapfel—The Rude Shrimp Co.
A trip to Hawaii led to a roadside shrimp stand which led to opening a food truck and then a full-service restaurant. The story behind The Rude Shrimp Co. is…
Restaurant HoppenKatina Talley—Sweet Magnolia's Bake Shop
Katina Talley moved out of a lucrative career to do what she loved: bake! Ever since she opened Sweet Magnolia's in 2016, Omahans have greatly benefited from…
Restaurant HoppenGary Hughes—Hospitality Director at the Open Door Mission
A former chef and kitchen manager, Gary nearly had his life destroyed by alcohol and addiction. But then he found the Open Door Mission, where he rediscovered…
Restaurant HoppenNick Bartholomew, owner of Over Easy, Dandelion Pop-Up, B&G Tasty Foods
This man is ubiquitous in the Omaha food scene, so we have a lot of topics to hit on! We talk the future of B&G, brunch at the Flatiron, pop-ups, and an…
Restaurant HoppenTravis Dunekacke—TD Niche Pork
Bacon. Ham. Ribs. Who doesn't love pork? The owner of one of Nebraska's most respected pork producers discusses how he turned a part-time side hustle into a…
Restaurant HoppenTroy & Katie Gaines—Chicago Dog 42
There's nothing quite like Chicago Dog 42 in Omaha, from its delicious, Windy City-inspired dishes to the wild story that led its owners to Omaha to open their…
Restaurant HoppenWine Pod! with Nicola Biscardo & Nick Strawhecker
Wanna learn how to pair food with wine? Or delve into the differences between old world and new world wines? Nicola (the owner of Nicola Biscardo Selections)…
Restaurant HoppenMichael Rhoades—culinary consultant at Sysco
We take a trip through Michael's winding career to learn about all aspects of the hospitality industry, including opening a restaurant, teaching at culinary…
Restaurant HoppenWilson Calixte—Le Voltaire
Le Voltaire's new owner is using food and service to tell history—both his and that of his native country, Haiti—in a unique and eye-opening ways. Hear…
Restaurant HoppenRené Guzmán—Little Ve's
When he couldn't find Latin vegan food anywhere in Omaha, René decided to make it himself. Hear the story about how Little Ve's evolved from René selling out…
Restaurant HoppenJoel Marsh—Owner of Noli's Pizzeria and Ansel's Pastrami and Bagels
Joel Marsh fell in love with NY-style pizza, pastrami, and bagels that the Omaha native had to recreate them for himself at home. Listen to him tell the story…
Restaurant HoppenAlfredo & Alexis Hernandez—El Alambre
What makes Mexican food authentic? Let's ask a native of Mexico City who's bringing amazing Mexican cuisine to Omaha! The owners of El Alambre talk about their…
Restaurant HoppenJon Stastny—Wonton Jon's
The owner of the Wonton Jon's food truck is raw and real. He honestly describes the joys and struggles that come from working in the restaurant industry and…
Restaurant HoppenChelsie Schroeder—The Bubbly Tart
In just a few years, The Bubbly Tart arose from an idea in Schroeder's mind to a brick-and-mortar establishment serving some of Omaha's best confections. Hear…
Restaurant HoppenTony Incontro—founder of Incontro Cured and head butcher and salumist at Casa Bovina
Few menu in America know more about the art of salumi and cured meats than Tony Incontro. His knowledge and passion for charcuterie and sausage are unmatched…
Restaurant HoppenAndrew Novak & Collin Kentopp - creators of All in Thyme & cooks at The Boiler Room
In a wide-ranging interview, two of The Boiler Room’s best cooks discuss the process of starting their own business, operating pop-ups, how rare it is to find…
Restaurant HoppenAshish & Kim Sathyan—Kinaara
The owners of Omaha's hot Indian restaurant discuss how to get diners to expand their boundaries and try new things, what makes Indian cuisine (and that of…
Restaurant HoppenCasa Bovina Crew: Jordan Reed, Zach Midgett, & Todd Abboud
Lincoln isn't viewed as a dining destination, but the team at Casa Bovina is working hard to change that. Chefs Zach and Todd bring their experience from…
Restaurant HoppenJohn Engler—Avoli
A lifelong restaurant veteran, John discusses what he's learned along the various stops in his career, including stints at V. Mertz, The Grey Plume, Baela…
Restaurant HoppenJeanne & Joe Pittack—Ted & Wally's
The co-owners of one of Omaha's most beloved ice cream parlors talk about why their ice cream is different than any in the city, how they come up with their…
Restaurant HoppenThou Chum & Brittani Button—Yeak Sauce
Yeak Sauce's Cambodian roots make it truly unlike any hot sauce I've ever tried. On this episode, its Omaha distributors talk about what makes the sauce so…
Restaurant HoppenLindy Pearson—V. Mertz
One of the most talented pastry chefs in the state, Lindy describes the different elements that go into making a great dessert, the path that led her to…
Restaurant HoppenTodd Simon—Omaha Steaks
The CEO and Chairman of Omaha Steaks stops by to talk about how the company has evolved into an international powerhouse, its greatest advantage over its…
Restaurant HoppenMatt Vrzal — Piezon's Pizzeria
No one has more stories than Matt, Piezon's owner, and he's always willing to share. Hear about the ways he mentors and grows employees, how the "Perfect on…
Restaurant HoppenJohn Davis—Le Bouillon
The chef de cuisine at Le Bouillon pulls back the curtain on kitchen life, the insane balance of protein cookery (just wait 'til you hear how he processes it)…
Restaurant HoppenTravis Liebig—Sunnyside on Center
Travis never worked in the restaurant industry before opening Sunnyside on Center in February, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming one of Omaha's top…
Restaurant HoppenRichard Mendoza—El Arepon
After moving to Omaha from Venezuela, Richard Mendoza finally took the leap and began serving traditional Venezuelan cuisine to his new home. Adoption didn't…
Restaurant HoppenDan Whalen, Moses Moseley, & Mike West—Dirty Birds (05/20/21)
Get the inside scoop on the fried chicken joint that's taking Omaha by storm. The owners discuss what makes their chicken special, the craziness of the first…
Restaurant HoppenJesús Iñiguez—Icniuhtli; Archetype Coffee (05/13/21)
Already one of Omaha's most talented coffee professional, Jesús now operates one an up-and-coming Mexican pop-up that has sold out in under an hour. And if…
Restaurant HoppenIsaiah Sheese—Archetype Coffee (05/06/21)
Turns out, there's a lot more that goes into making a great coffee shop than fantastic coffee. The owner of Archetype describes the process of opening…
Restaurant HoppenLee Franklin—A Taste of New Orleans (04/29/21)
When Lee Franklin moved to Omaha from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, he couldn't find the Cajun food he loved from back home, so he started making it…
Restaurant HoppenLindsey & Justin Raikes—Raikes Beef Co (04/22/21)
Raikes Farm had been around for more than a century, but Justin (the 5th generation in the business) and Lindsey knew it could evolve. Hear the story of how…
Restaurant HoppenRestaurant Roundtable: Ben Maides, Tim Maides, and Chovy (04/15/21)
Three of Omaha's most talented chefs convene to discuss and banter about industry topics, including the unique challenges most diners don't understand about…
Restaurant HoppenCollin Adkisson—Mootz (04/08/21)
The owner of the Mootz pizza truck discusses the importance of cooking the food he want to cook, how he's developed his new business over the past year, the…
Restaurant HoppenChristian Brabec—Good Lookin' (04/01/21)
The owner of one of Omaha's newest and hottest brunch joints explains why chose to open a restaurant (especially during a pandemic), what makes Good Lookin'…
Restaurant HoppenPatrick McCracken—Pacific Eating House (03/25/21)
After taking five years away from the restaurant industry, Patrick McCracken was recently named as the new executive chef at Pacific Eating House. We discuss…
Restaurant HoppenStacey Leick—Buttered Marshmallow (03/18/21)
When Stacey left her corporate job to pursue her passions of golfing and baking, she had no idea that her cake business would blow up like it has. But Omahans…
Restaurant HoppenTim Nicholson—The Boiler Room (03/11/2021)
One of Omaha's best chefs opens up on the pros and cons of The Boiler Room's one-of-a-kind open kitchen, the steep learning curve he faced when he first…
Restaurant HoppenJohn Benton—Champion's Run Country Club (03/04/2021)
In a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation, the executive chef at Champion's Run discusses the differences between a career as a restaurant chef and…
Restaurant HoppenJosh Foo, food photographer and co-founder of Right Here, Right Now (02/25/21)
Omaha's premier photographer discusses how he got out of chef life and into photography, working with celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay and Shirley Chung, and…
Restaurant HoppenBrian Langbehn & Katie Arant-Chapman—Coneflower Creamery (02/18/21)
Omaha's signature ice cream parlor didn't come to be by accident. Hear how the co-owners develop their unique flavors, the thought process behind their…