Restaurant Hoppen

Understanding and reacting to guest expectations. Reacting to and engaging with shifting staff expectations. Crafting experiences different from those found at chain restaurants. These are but a few of the obstacles restaurateurs juggle, and few are better to talk to them about than Paul Kulik, the James Beard-nominated chef at Le Bouillon and one of the most interesting men I've met. Paul and I have a fascinating smorgasbord of a conversation about how COVID changed food, the ideal restaurant review system, and so, so much more! 🌐 Learn more about Le Bouillon:https://www.lebouillonomaha.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 – One of Omaha’s Most Influential Restaurateurs 00:01:05 – How the Food Scene Has Changed Since 2020 00:03:30 – The “Anthony Bourdain Era” Explained 00:06:00 – Work-Life Balance vs Restaurant Reality 00:08:45 – Why Staffing Became So Difficult After COVID 00:10:05 – Why Restaurants Are NOT Profitable (Reality Check) 00:12:10 – Do Restaurants Even Matter? (Big Question) 00:14:30 – Hospitality vs Service (Game-Changing Concept) 00:17:30 – Why Some Restaurants Feel Special 00:20:10 – “Everything Is Falling Apart” Behind the Scenes 00:22:30 – Chain Restaurants vs Independent Restaurants 00:25:00 – Why Perfection Is Impossible in Restaurants 00:28:00 – What Makes a Restaurant Experience Memorable 00:30:00 – Why You Trust Some Restaurants Instantly 00:32:30 – When a Meal Disappoints (And Why It Still Matters) 00:35:10 – The Right vs Wrong Way to Handle Mistakes 00:37:45 – The Problem with Google Reviews & Yelp 00:40:10 – Why Reviews Don’t Work (And What Should Replace Them) 00:43:30 – What “Good Taste” Actually Means 00:46:00 – James Beard Recognition & Career Reflection 00:48:30 – The Philosophy Behind Le Bouillon 00:50:10 – Making Wine Accessible (Without the Snobbery) 00:53:10 – How to Have a Better Dining Experience 00:56:00 – Final Thoughts: Trust the Experience #RestaurantHoppen #LeBouillon #OmahaEats #FoodPodcast #Hospitality 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

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 time at Mario Batali's restaurant... so how on earth did he end up operating a pizza food truck in Omaha?! The story is wild, and you have to hear it! Ricco's has been blessing Omaha with legit NY-style slices since 2015, but big changes could be coming soon, and you don't want to miss anything this guy (or his truck) is involved with. Johnny Ricco’s Brooklyn Pizzahttps://johnnyriccos.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 00:01:23 - What is Johnny Ricco Pizza? 00:10:20 - You Gotta Try This Pizza! 00:19:47 - Erik’s Cooking History 00:27:52 - Feeding First Responders During 9/11 00:34:47 - Versatility in Cooking 00:42:19 - Erik’s Military Service 00:53:01 - Omaha’s Pizza Scene 00:57:32 - Wrap-up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 with Brian. We talked about how to "chef up" burgers and chicken tenders, the various requests famous comedians make, preparing for potential "Chopped" appearances, the value of cooking school, and the social toll working in restaurants takes on cooks' lives. It's a wide-ranging conversation that opened my eyes in several ways. 📍 Omaha Funny Bonehttps://omaha.funnybone.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! ⏱ Episode Chapters 00:00:00 - Intro & Teaser 00:00:42 - Welcome Brian! 00:09:01 - The New Location & Menu 00:21:13 - Elevating Standard Dishes 00:25:33 - Feeding the Stars 00:30:40 - Brian’s Cooking Origin 00:37:12 - No More Empty Pots 00:43:34 - Urban, Local Farming 00:53:14 - Final Questions & Wrap-up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 behind-the-scenes details that we don't see on camera for a fascinating conversation! Episode References Food Network — https://www.foodnetwork.com Supermarket Stakeout — https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/supermarket-stakeout Beat Bobby Flay — https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/beat-bobby-flay Christmas Cookie Challenge — https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/christmas-cookie-challenge Sauce While Alfaro — https://saucewhilealfaro.com Noble Hospitality — https://noblehospitality.com The Finicky Cookie — https://thefinickycookie.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 00:01:23 – The Food Network Party 00:08:51 – Show Prep & Getting Casted 00:17:14 – Themes & Improvisation 00:24:07 – Calming the Nerves 00:34:54 – Hold-Over Time Challenges 00:44:02 – Physical Challenges 00:55:05 – Advice for Future Competitors 00:58:29 – Final Question & Wrap-up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 jobs, skills, and training to get back in the work force. LaRue knows firsthand how difficult that life can be, and Chef Doug and the rest of the Ooh De Lally team treated him differently and embraced him. Hear LaRue's story and get an inside sense of how Ooh De Lally's program gives new life to its participants. Ooh De Lallyhttps://www.oohdelally.org/ 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 00:01:32 – What Makes Ooh De Lally Special? 00:11:58 – A Restaurant that Cares 00:20:07 – Personal Growth 00:26:27 – First Months of Training 00:35:11 – Friends & Family Night 00:45:50 – Dispelling Stereotypes 00:53:06 – The Redemption Feast 00:57:11 – Final Question & Wrap-up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 hardship both in and outside the business to create a donut shop that few—if any—in Omaha can rival. We talked about the science behind what makes these donuts unique, why Square Donut places such a high priority on hospitality, and how the rough road has helped form not only Square Donut, but who Elizabeth and Jack are as people and family. Bite into Square Donut Today! https://www.squaredonutomaha.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 00:01:20 - 5 Years of Squared Donuts! 00:13:13 - The Donut Making Process 00:21:00 - What Sets Square Donut Apart from the Rest? 00:29:28 - D2Donuts (The Precursor) 00:36:50 - How to Make a Successful Business 00:43:02 - First Year Open 00:55:08 - A Rewarding Creation & Wrap-up Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices