Front of House & Hospitality All-Stars

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 the restaurant experience for each individual guest, how he's helped keep a beloved, classic Omaha restaurant modern and current without alienating original customers, what an advanced sommelier wine exam entails, and so much more. If you want to understand what goes into a restaurant experience beyond the food (we talk plenty of food, too!), this is a must-listen episode. Learn more about V. Mertz:https://www.vmertz.com/ This is a Hurrdat ONE Production. Hurrdat ONE is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat ONE Network by going to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!  Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Intro & Teaser 00:00:57 – Welcome to the Show, Matt! 00:03:57 – “Reading the Guests” 00:11:15 – V. Mertz, Then & Now 00:17:45 – Restaurant Collaboration 00:23:49 – Turnover Learning Curve 00:23:49 – Wine Exams 00:31:57 – Kitchen & Front of House Communication 00:44:15 – General Manager at 21 00:50:24 – Tips to Become a Better Diner 00:53:51 – Wrap-Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 like Tessa come in, as her company, Sprinkk, not only helps brands bring their candy dreams to life, but has also started producing its own gummy products. The knowledge she drops in this conversation will blow your mind; you'll never look at candy the same way again! 🌐 Learn more about Sprink:https://www.sprinkk.com/ This is a Hurrdat ONE Production. Hurrdat ONE is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat ONE Network by going to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!  Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Intro & Teaser 00:00:58 – Candy Science! 00:08:02 – Two Sides to Sprink 00:15:56 – Success Stories in Candy 00:23:49 – Sprink’s Show & Tell 00:31:56 – Find the Product! 00:36:51 – Working at Hershey 00:39:37 – Coming Back to Omaha 00:47:20 – Husker Gummies & the Future 00:51:53 – Wrap-Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Omaha. Everything from the soups to the noodles and oils is made in house, and Omaha can't get enough of this new restaurant! Ken & Aki describe what those first few weeks in Omaha were like and what makes them so passionate about spreading legit ramen in America. Learn more about Mi So La Do:https://www.facebook.com/p/Misolado-61584155314599/ This is a Hurrdat ONE Production. Hurrdat ONE is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat ONE Network by going to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!  Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Intro & Teaser 00:01:07 – Welcome to the Show 00:05:54 – Homemade Everything & Stellar Hospitality 00:13:38 – A Menu Focused on Flavor 00:22:26 – Pop-Ups & Special Events 00:30:11 – Coming to America 00:44:16 – Coming to Omaha 00:51:28 – The Future of Crafted Ramen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, hospitality, and mentoring that few can match. We talked about cooking competitions and how they shaped Witney's career, how a dish comes together at V. Mertz's, how Witney found her culinary voice, and so much more! 📍 V. Mertz Downtown Omahahttps://www.vmertz.com/ This is a Hurrdat ONE Production. Hurrdat ONE is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat ONE Network by going to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠!  Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Intro & Teaser 00:00:57 – Welcome to the Show, Witney! 00:08:51 – Special Dishes 00:13:47 – What Does a Sous Chef Do? 00:23:15 – Culinary Arts Championships 00:35:30 – Dandelion Project 00:44:42 – The Supper Club Dinner 00:49:54 – Final Questions & Wrap-Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 all, and they joined me to discuss the pain points when they got into the industry, how they helped guests get out of their comfort zones, and how Omaha's restaurants have evolved.  References Paul Kulik – https://www.libuyan.com Jenny Coco – https://www.lindenhouseomaha.com Glenn Wheeler – https://www.spencerssteaks.com James Beard Foundation – https://www.jamesbeard.org Metro Community College – https://www.mccneb.edu This is a Hurrdat ONE Production. Hurrdat ONE is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat ONE Network by going to ⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE Website⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠!  Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Intro & Teaser 00:01:47 – Let’s Meet the Chefs! 00:05:04 – Last 15 Years of Omaha’s Food Scene 00:12:47 – Bringing Chefs to Omaha 00:34:27 – James Beard Nominees 00:41:43 – Omaha’s National Recognition 00:51:45 – Leadership in Restaurants 00:57:27 – The Future of Omaha Dining Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 & Simone encourage guests to pay whatever they can or volunteer at the cafe. We talked through the whole journey and how the Webers created this unique concept, how music is intertwined with the cafe's DNA, and the relationships and community that have formed inside its walls. 📍 Table Grace Cafe Downtown Omaha | Pay-What-You-Can Dining Website: tablegracecafe.com This is a Hurrdat ONE Production. Hurrdat ONE is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat ONE Network by going to ⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE Website⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE YouTube Channel⁠⁠!  Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Intro & Teaser 00:01:15 – What Is Table Grace’s Mission? 00:09:45 – Community Impact 00:21:04 – The Gospel Brunch 00:25:20 – The Menu 00:35:22 – The Leap of Faith 00:44:05 – Table Grace’s Legacy 00:49:07 – Table Grace, the Musical 01:01:01 – Wrap-Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 + Market. Owner Jeff Gorat joined the show to talk about the art of building sandwiches, how his upbringing at Omaha's famous Gorat's Steakhouse influences him now, and how he sources great local products for the market. J. Gorat’s Deli & Markethttps://www.facebook.com/people/JGorats-Deli-Market/61580831277359/ This is a Hurrdat ONE Production. Hurrdat ONE is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat ONE Network by going to ⁠Hurrdat ONE Website⁠ or visit ⁠Hurrdat ONE YouTube Channel⁠!  Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Intro & Teaser 00:00:59 – Welcome to the Show! 00:06:26 – The Sandwich Demand 00:18:53 – Sourcing for the Market 00:24:03 – The Menu 00:44:36 – Culinary Influences 00:54:05 – Final Questions & Wrap-up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 created two delicious consumer packaged goods, and is a regular as both a competitor and a judge on Food Network... and he came on the podcast to discuss it all! I've been a massive fan of Joe for years, and the mustachioed pasta savant gave me one of the best food conversations I've ever had. You can't miss this episode! Find Joe Sasto: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chef.joe.sasto/ Website: https://www.joesasto.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/chefjoesasto Joe’s Brands: Tantos! – https://www.eattantos.com/ Ripi – https://ripifoods.com/ This is a Hurrdat ONE Production. Hurrdat ONE is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat ONE Network by going to ⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE Website⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠!  Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Intro & Teaser 00:00:58 – Welcome to the Show, Joe! 00:03:15 – Ranch as a Dipper 00:06:43 – Evolution of the Term “Chef” 00:15:23 – Overcoming Doubts 00:17:29 – Being a Celebrity Chef 00:23:44 – Joe Sasto’s Culinary POV 00:29:35 – “Breaking the Rules” 00:39:55 – Joe’s Early Career 00:46:40 – Current Pursuits 00:48:53 – Tantos! 00:56:44 – Final Questions & Wrap-Up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 makes you feel, and that's what Matthew Brown (V. Mertz), Melissa Barnett (Semo Pasta + Wine), and Ron Mettler (Dante) discussed with me on this panel. We talked about ways to go above and beyond to delight guests, the magic of delivering above expectations, whether the customer is "always right", and so much more! This was one of the most eye-opening conversations I've had on the podcast. As much as I love food, talking about the experience was truly special and helped me understand restaurants on a whole new level. Featured Restaurants: V. Mertz – https://www.vmertz.com/ Semo Pasta + Wine – https://www.semofremont.com/ Dante – https://www.danteomaha.com/ This is a Hurrdat ONE Production. Hurrdat ONE is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat ONE Network by going to Hurrdat ONE Website or visit Hurrdat ONE YouTube Channel!  Timestamps: 00:00:00 Intro & Teaser 00:01:01 Hospitality Makes the Biggest Impression 00:03:50 Hospitality vs. Service 00:13:35 Is Hospitality Selfish? 00:21:01 Guest Expectations 00:28:59 The “Wow” Factor 00:39:14 Is the Customer Always Right? 00:55:13 Evolution of Food Service Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 locations that beautifully blends seafood and Mexican cuisines and offers creative touches on sushi and ramen. To understand how her life changed so dramatically, you need to hear her story! We discussed how Ismara sources fresh seafood for an Omaha restaurant, the critical comments from a culinary school instructor that changed her life, and her journey from humble beginnings to a thriving restaurant sensation. Isla Del Mar Restaurant – https://isladelmarrestaurante.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 00:01:05 – Blending Mexican & Seafood Together 00:11:08 – Creative Menu Options 00:19:49 – Sourcing Seafood & Maintaining Tradition 00:29:30 – Cooking Origins 00:42:45 – Community Response 00:54:52 – An Inviting Environment 00:56:48 – Final Questions & Wrap-up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices