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 HoppenBrooke Nicole Williams and Adolfo Gutierrez—Block 16 (02/11/21)
Two of Block 16's finest line cooks describe how the restaurant comes up with its jaw-dropping specials, how they feel empowered by Block 16 to enhance their…
Restaurant HoppenKendra Hudson, Central Nebraska Buffalo (02/04/21)
Why is bison blowing up? Kendra chats about the meat's growing popularity and its amazing benefits, the struggles and blessings of starting a new business…
Restaurant HoppenDan Watts, Culinary Consultant for Sysco (01/28/21)
He's worked at several of Omaha's best restaurants. He's been featured on the Food Network. He's a BBQ savant. And he brought bourbon to the show! Dan brings…
Restaurant HoppenKevin Shinn, Chef at bread&cup (01/21/21)
How does someone with no experience in the restaurant industry created one of Lincoln's most beloved establishments at age 41? And why, when business faltered…
Restaurant HoppenCupcake Island owners Melany Dean & Crystal Ryczko (01/14/21)
These sisters finally achieved a lifelong dream when they purchased Cupcake Island in 2018, but they had no idea the emotional joy it would bring them. Learn…
Restaurant HoppenKane Adkisson—kano (1/07/21)
The creator of Omaha's most well-known fine-dining pop-up discusses how he created the concept, the unique family traditions that shaped his love for cooking…
Restaurant HoppenDan Reid, Double Zero Pizzeria (12/30/20)
Let's talk pizza! Dan Reid talks about opening his new pizza joint, Double Zero Pizza, and what he learned from the successes and failures of his previous…
Restaurant HoppenDrew Statz, Dante (12/23/20)
Let's talk about brunch! The new executive chef at Dante discusses how Dante's team created a successful brunch menu in one week and what makes brunch service…
Restaurant HoppenMentoring in the Kitchen, with Glenn Wheeler and Danny Flores (12/17/20)
Glenn Wheeler, the executive chef at Spencer's for Steaks and Chops, and Danny Flores, Glenn's former cook and now sous chef at The Boiler Room, discuss the…
Restaurant HoppenConcession Stand Makeover with Roncalli's Dan Vacek & Alex McCoy (12/10/20)
Concession stand food is typically an afterthought at most high schools, a humble collection of stale popcorn and gray hamburgers. But that's not the case at…
Restaurant HoppenJohn Rea— Via Farina (12/3)
The executive chef at Via Farina discusses the painstaking process of creating standout Neapolitan pizza, how he and his team took a crash course in Italian…
Restaurant HoppenJake Newton and Amanda Sheeler—V. Mertz (11/25/20)
The executive chef and sous chef talk about how healthy kitchens give all cooks a voice, the power and responsibility of the diner, the pros and cons of…
Restaurant HoppenMatt Moser—Stirnella; Butterfish (11/19/20)
The executive chef of Stirnella and Butterfish talks about the heyday of The Market House, what it's like to conceptualize and open a restaurant, how to split…
Restaurant HoppenNick Strawhecker—Dante (11/12/20)
It's not often you get to chat Italian food with one of the best chefs in Omaha. Nick and I discuss the glory of wood-fire ovens, Neapolitan-style pizza, our…
Restaurant HoppenJake Newton—V. Mertz (11/5/20)
The executive chef at one of Omaha’s best restaurants discusses how V. Mertz’s creative dishes are conceptualized and created, , how the Omaha restaurant scene…
Restaurant HoppenAu Courant Staff Summit (10/29/20)
Three members of the Au Courant staff discuss how the restaurant's weekly menu is planned, why food media doesn't always paint an accurate picture of…
Restaurant HoppenDan Whalen & Moses Moseley—Kitchen Table (10/22/20)
Two chefs from Kitchen Table talk about the importance of having a "family" atmosphere in the kitchen, the difficulty and beauty of scratch-making food, the…
Restaurant HoppenKristina Lee—Nice Rollz (10/15/20)
Breakfast Egg Rolls. Spicy Bulgogi Burgers. Gochujang Sloppy Joes. When COVID hit in March 2020 and Kristina Lee's travel-heavy job was put on hiatus, she…
Restaurant HoppenDario Schicke—Dario's Brasserie; Avoli (10/08/20)
This was one for the ages! One of the legends of the Omaha culinary community, Dario discusses the long, winding road that brought him to Omaha, initially…
Restaurant HoppenAnthony Caniglia—Au Courant (10/01/20)
The chef de cuisine at Au Courant discusses his new role, how he worked his way up the ladder, the origin story behind Chovy's egg, and what makes Au Courant a…
Restaurant HoppenNick Poulos—Feta's Greek Restaurant (09/24/20)
The owner of Feta's discusses what makes a great gyro, the brilliance of Greek cuisine, growing up in a kitchen, and more! Subscribe, rate, and review my…
Restaurant HoppenNick Bartholomew—Dandelion Pop-Up (09/17/20)
Dandelion Pop-Up has changed the Omaha food scene by connecting chefs and diners and creating a unique experience you won't find anywhere else in the city…
Restaurant HoppenMike & Kellie Osler—Oasis Falafel of Omaha (09/10/20)
Let's talk falafel! The owners of Oasis Falafel join the show to talk about what makes this unique food item so delicious, the origin story of opening the…
Restaurant HoppenKevin Novak & Matt Moser—From Farm to Table (09/03/20)
Kevin (the owner of Flavor Country Farms) and Matt (the executive chef at Stirnella and Butterfish) discuss the relationship between their long-standing…
Restaurant HoppenJon Stastny and Joe Piatt—Wonton Jon's (08/27/20)
What a difference a few months can make! Jon Stastny makes a return appearance to talk about the evolution of his food truck, Wonton Jon's. Also joining is Joe…
Restaurant HoppenTim Maides (09/20/20)
Chef, soap producer, world traveler, reality TV guest... is there anything Tim Maides doesn't do? We chat about what it's like to work a Dandelion pop-up…
Restaurant HoppenMatt Frampton—Urban Slicer Pizza (08/13/20)
Local pizza master Matt Frampton talks all things 'za, including graduating from a world-famous pizza school in California, developing his line of Urban Slicer…
Restaurant HoppenStacy Winters and Heather Lake—Omaha Food Lovers (08/05/20)
Happy birthday OFL! On the 1-year anniversary of the Facebook group's beginning, its co-creators talk about the inspiration behind starting the group, why it…
Restaurant HoppenDawn & Adam Witchell—NG City Cafe (07/30/20)
Welcome to Boomin' Newman! The owners of City Cafe in Newman Grove, Neb., discuss how made the decision to move from Omaha and purchase the classic cafe…
Restaurant HoppenAshish Sathyan and Kim Harris—Kinaara (07/23/20)
The co-owners of Kinaara discuss the wonders—and common misconceptions—of Indian cuisine, the struggles of opening a restaurant and how it made them stronger…
Restaurant HoppenPiero Cotrina—WD Cravings (07/16/20)
With eye-popping desserts, crazy breakfast sandwiches, and handmade pasta, WD Cravings is one of Omaha's most unique restaurants. Chef/owner Piero describes…
Restaurant HoppenRyan Cooper—Smoke Sheet Newsletter (07/09/20)
Few people are as passionate about BBQ as Ryan Cooper. The co-founder of the Smoke Sheet Newsletter discuss where that love for 'que comes from, his experience…
Restaurant HoppenBob Haney—Heavenly Waffles (07/02/20)
Healthy, delicious waffles? Those three words weren't used together before Bob Haney created Heavenly Waffles. He joined the pod to discuss why his product is…
Restaurant HoppenNina Sodji—Okra African Grill (06/18/20)
Togo native and chef/owner Nina Sodji discusses how she introduced Omaha to African cuisines, how she rebounded from dark points in her career, what it's like…
Restaurant HoppenEats This Week: Rice Noodle Thai, Nice Rollz, Dairy Chef
Join Sarah and Dan as they discuss some of Omaha's best Thai food, their first dine-in experience in 3 months (spoiler alert: it was incredible), and the…
Restaurant HoppenCurtis Norton—Round the Bend Steakhouse (06/11/20)
RTB's executive chef discusses the restaurant's unique way (hint: bull testicles) of bringing people together to celebrate, his odd and inspiring path to the…
Restaurant HoppenEats This Week: Okra African Grill, Caribbean Delights
Looking to support black owned restaurants? We've got two excellent options for you. Dan and Sarah break down some standout African and Jamaican cuisine…
Restaurant HoppenKane and Collin Adkisson—Mootz Pizza (06/04/20)
What began as a brother experimenting cooking pizzas in his backyard has grown into a thriving business in a matter of weeks. But with the cooking chops in the…
Restaurant HoppenMarie Losole—Lo Sole Mio (05/28/20)
The co-owner of Lo Sole Mio discusses the difficult ins and outs of operating a classic sit-down restaurant during the pandemic and details how Lo Sole Mio…
Restaurant HoppenDean Leisman—Pitch Pizzeria (05/21/20)
The COO of Pitch discusses Pitch's origins, what makes the culture there different, how Pitch responded to COVID-19, and how its leadership came to the…
Restaurant HoppenLuke Mabie—Culprit Cafe (05/14/20)
The paths that lead people into the restaurant industry are always fascinating, and Luke has one of the craziest I've heard! Plus, the thinking behind…
Restaurant HoppenMichelle Kaiser—The Omaha Bakery (05/07/20)
The owner of The Omaha Bakery discusses her unusual beginning in restaurants, how she got into desserts, her appearance on the Food Network, and how the keto…
Restaurant HoppenSagar Gurung—Kathmandu Momo Station (04/30/20)
What's a momo? Once you try one, you'll never forget it. The restaurant's owner talks about what makes these dumplings so special, what it felt like to bring…
Restaurant HoppenLaura Risola, Keto-Friendly Baker (04/23/20)
Let's talk keto! The baker who created the line of keto-friendly desserts for The Omaha Bakery and Copps Pizza Company talks about the benefits of the diet…
Restaurant HoppenAutumn Pruitt—Hardy Coffee (04/16/20)
The owner of Hardy Coffee Co. joins the podcast to discuss her lifelong dream, the ethos that set Hardy apart from other coffee houses, and the ways businesses…
Restaurant HoppenPaul Kulik—Le Bouillon & Via Farina (04/09/20)
The award-winning chef discusses what moved him from a potential career in engineering physics to cooking, the importance of being open to trying new cuisines…
Restaurant HoppenJon Stastny—Wonton Jon's (04/02/20)
Jon discusses how he came up with the clever concept for his food truck, the live of a food truck owner, and how Coronavirus has forced him to quickly adapt…
Restaurant HoppenTim & Lisa Trudell (03/31/20)
The authors of Unique Eats and Eateries of Omaha joined the podcast to discuss their book, their favorite Omaha restaurant stories, and the history behind the…
Restaurant HoppenGlenn Wheeler—Spencer's for Steaks and Chops (03/26/20)
A member of the Omaha Restaurant Hall of Fame, Glenn Wheeler discusses how Omaha's restaurant community has changed over the past 25 years, cooking for a U.S…
Restaurant HoppenNick Strawhecker - Dante (03/21/20)
The brilliant chef at Dante discusses how Coronavirus is impacting the restaurant industry, how Dante has adjusted to the changes, the awesome response from…
Restaurant HoppenNick Bartholomew—Dandelion Pop-Up and Over Easy (03/19/20)
One of the pillars of the Omaha culinary scene, Nick stopped in to discuss how the restaurant community is reacting to the Coronavirus, the excitement he has…
Restaurant HoppenCoronavirus' Effect on Omaha Restaurants (03/16/20)
Everyone has been hit hard by the coronavirus, and Omaha restaurants are no exception. We need to support them in their time of need, even if we can't visit…
Restaurant HoppenCarlos Mendez—The Hunger Block (03/12/20)
Carlos Mendez peels back the curtain on the difficulties and joy of being in the restaurant industry, discusses what makes The Hunger Block a unique Omaha…
Restaurant HoppenBen Maides - Au Courant (03/05/20)
James Beard award semifinalist Ben Maides joined Dan to discuss the challenges of starting Au Courant, how he comes up with his incredible chefs tasting menus…
Restaurant HoppenFaturday Omaha (02/27/20)
Dan is joined by three friends who set aside lunch each Saturday to reconnect, take down massive meals at different Omaha restaurants, and record a podcast!…
Restaurant HoppenDan O'Brien—Acadian Grille (02/20/20)
The owner of Acadian Grille joined the pod to dispel misconceptions about Cajun cuisine, discuss what makes that style of cooking so magical, talk through the…
Restaurant HoppenDave Utterback—Yoshitomo (02/13/20)
The chef/owner of the incredible Yoshiotomo stops by to explain what makes Yoshitomo so much more than a normal sushi bar, why the Aburi Wagyu is a…
Restaurant HoppenAnthony Kueper—Dolce (02/06/20)
The chef and owner of Dolce, one of Omaha's best fine dining restaurants, breaks down how he creates tasting menus, how he's constantly tinkering and creating…
Restaurant HoppenDavid Losole - Virtuoso Pizzeria (01/30/20)
Nebraska's top Pizzaiolo joins the show to discuss why he's so passionate about pizza, what it's like to attend pizza school, the early days of working for his…
Restaurant HoppenKitchen Table (01/23/20)
Prepare your salivary glands, because this is a fun ride. Owners/chefs Jess and Colin Duggan of Kitchen Table join the show to break down their creative menu…