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.

  1. 1D AGO

    Adrienne Cheatham & Joe Flamm Bring Restaurant Life to the People w/ Chef's Cut Podcast

    Top Chef alums and restaurant veterans Joe and Adrienne started a podcast to bring the conversations inside kitchens to the world, and the Chef's Cut has blown up! Check out my conversation with these beloved chefs as we discuss the podcast's origins, what the term "chef" means today, Top Chef memories, and whether Padma Laksmi or Tom Collichio would be a better podcast guest! 🌐 Check out Chef’s Cut Podcast:https://chefscutpodcast.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-chefs-cut/id1820686169 https://www.youtube.com/@ChefsCutPod 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: Top Chef Legends Join the Show 00:01:00 – The Most Brutal Top Chef Challenge Ever 😂 00:03:30 – What It’s Really Like Being on Top Chef 00:05:00 – What Does “Chef” Even Mean Today? 00:08:30 – Why the Word Chef Has Changed Over Time 00:10:00 – How Their Friendship Started (Top Chef Season 15) 00:12:30 – Why They Became Close Friends 00:15:00 – The Origin of the Chef’s Cut Podcast 00:18:30 – Why Their Podcast Resonates With Chefs & Fans 00:20:30 – Talking About the Hard Stuff in Restaurants 00:23:30 – How the Podcast Has Evolved Over Time 00:25:00 – Favorite Guests & Lessons Learned 00:30:00 – Padma vs Tom Colicchio (Who Would You Choose?) 00:35:00 – Food Network Shows & Competition Strategy 00:38:30 – Why They Don’t Chase TV Fame 00:40:00 – Restaurants vs Media (What Matters More?) 00:42:00 – Becoming a “Chef Personality” 00:45:00 – Why Representation in Kitchens Matters 00:48:00 – Behind the Scenes of Starting a Podcast 00:50:00 – What Guests Don’t Understand About Restaurants 00:53:30 – The Right Way to Treat Restaurant Staff 00:55:00 – Why Chefs Love the Industry (Final Thoughts) #RestaurantHoppen #TopChef #ChefLife #FoodPodcast #Hospitality Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 5m
  2. 5D AGO

    Learning in Omaha's Elite Kitchens w/ Collin Werner (Au Courant)

    Collin Werner might only be 27, but don't let his age fool you. He's already worked in some of the most well-regarded kitchens in Omaha, now advancing to become the Chef de Cuisine at Au Courant. We run through Collin's career, assess the lessons he learned at different stops, discuss the value of culinary school, and more! This episode is a deep dive into creativity, discipline, and what it really takes to succeed in a modern kitchen. 🌐 Learn more about Au Courant:https://www.aucourantrestaurant.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 – Meet Chef Collin Werner (Au Courant) 00:00:57 – What Makes Au Courant Unique (New Menu Every Week) 00:02:30 – How the Team Creates Dishes Together 00:03:30 – What a Chef de Cuisine Actually Does 00:04:30 – Learning from Chef Ben Maides 00:05:00 – Inside the Weekly Tasting Menu Process 00:07:00 – Why Menu Structure Matters in Fine Dining 00:08:30 – A Dish He’s Most Proud Of 00:09:30 – Why Fine Dining Is Addicting 00:10:00 – How Hospitality Changes Your Perspective 00:11:30 – Staying Organized in a High-Pressure Kitchen 00:13:00 – Mentors Who Shaped His Career 00:14:00 – Should Chefs Read Reviews? 00:15:00 – How He Fell in Love with Cooking 00:16:30 – When Cooking Became a Career Path 00:17:30 – Starting Culinary School at Metro 00:18:30 – Culinary School vs Restaurant Experience 00:20:00 – From Dishwasher to Sous Chef 00:21:30 – What a “Stage” (Kitchen Tryout) Is Like 00:23:00 – Taking the Leap to V. Mertz 00:24:30 – “Comfortability Kills” Explained 00:25:30 – Why Au Courant Never Gets Comfortable 00:27:00 – Balancing Creativity with Weekly Menus 00:28:30 – Transitioning to Clean Slate (Work-Life Balance) 00:30:00 – Returning to Fine Dining (Au Courant) 00:31:30 – Becoming Chef de Cuisine at 27 00:33:00 – Managing People vs Cooking Food 00:34:30 – Cooking with Local Farms (On-Site Experience) 00:36:00 – Culinary Competitions & Staying Calm 00:37:30 – Always Saying Yes to New Opportunities 00:38:30 – Future Goals: Michelin-Star Kitchens 00:39:30 – What Guests Don’t Understand About Restaurants 00:40:30 – Why He Loves the Industry #RestaurantHoppen #ChefLife #OmahaEats #FineDining #CulinaryCreativity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min
  3. MAY 14

    The Impossible Life of a Restaurateur w/ Paul Kulik (Le Bouillon)

    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

    1h 7m
  4. MAY 7

    Food as Medicine and Loving on Local with Tony Ellsworth (Ellsworth Crossing)

    Tony and Amber Ellsworth are farmers, store owners, and give Omahans so many ways to support local. Their store, Ellsworth Crossing, features meat, vegetables, and more from more than 100 farmers and ranches, giving Omahans easy access to great products. This isn't just great for the taste of the food, but also for the health benefits it has for customers. Tony goes into detail on all that and the origins of the store in our great discussion! This is more than a food episode—it’s about where your food comes from, who you’re supporting, and how it impacts your life. 🌐 Learn more about Ellsworth Crossing:https://ellsworthcrossing.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: The Local Food Market Changing Omaha 00:00:57 – Meet Tony Ellsworth (Ellsworth Crossing) 00:02:30 – What Is Ellsworth Crossing? (100+ Farmers Under One Roof) 00:06:45 – From Personal Health Journey to Business Mission 00:11:30 – What “Farm-to-Fork” Actually Means (And Why It’s Misused) 00:16:20 – Why Meeting Your Farmer Matters 00:21:45 – How They Vet Every Product (No Buzzwords Allowed) 00:27:10 – Helping Small Farmers Survive & Thrive 00:32:40 – Buying Whole Animals (And Why It Changes Everything) 00:38:30 – The Functional Medicine Wake-Up Call 00:45:15 – How Clean Eating Transformed Tony’s Health 00:52:00 – Grocery Bills vs Medical Bills (Eye-Opening Perspective) 00:58:30 – Why Food Quality Matters More Than Price #RestaurantHoppen #SupportLocal #FarmToFork #OmahaEats #CleanEating Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 3m
  5. APR 30

    Cibo Vino Late Career Pivots for Don Doty & Wendy Becker

    Don Doty and Wendy Becker were both comfortable in their culinary positions, but memories of a trip to Rome inspired Don to make a bold move—open a new restaurant late in his career. The gamble paid off as Cibo Vino is thriving and supplying downtown Omaha with a welcoming, down-home Italian experience. 🌐 Learn more about Cibo Vino:https://www.cibovinoomaha.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: The Italian Restaurant Omaha Needed 00:00:57 – The Rome Meal That Inspired Cibo Vino 00:04:30 – Why Simplicity Creates the Best Italian Food 00:08:45 – No Shortcuts: House-Made Pasta, Bread & Sauces 00:13:30 – Why Consistency Is the Key to Restaurant Success 00:18:20 – 25-Year Friendship → Business Partnership 00:23:00 – Opening a Restaurant During Uncertainty 00:27:30 – Front vs Back of House (And Why It Usually Clashes) 00:32:45 – How They Built a Positive Restaurant Culture 00:38:40 – Leading a Team Without Toxic Kitchen Culture 00:44:30 – Why Italian Food? Passion + Simplicity 00:48:00 – The Story Behind the Name “Cibo Vino” 00:52:10 – The Focaccia Everyone Talks About 00:56:30 – Family Involvement & Building a Legacy 01:02:15 – Why Teamwork Beats Hierarchy in the Kitchen 01:07:30 – Starter Pastas Explained (A Better Dining Experience) 01:13:45 – Best Non-Pasta Dishes You Need to Try 01:19:30 – Fresh vs Dry Pasta (When Each Is Better) 01:25:10 – How Chefs Pair Pasta with Sauces 01:31:00 – From Corporate Career to Self-Taught Chef 01:38:30 – Opening Day Chaos (And What They Learned) 01:45:00 – How to Handle Stress in a Busy Restaurant 01:51:30 – How Cibo Vino Has Grown Since Opening 01:57:00 – What Guests Don’t Understand About Restaurants 02:02:00 – Why They Love the Restaurant Industry Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 3m
  6. APR 23

    Omaha's Up-and-Coming Culinary Star Abe Vidaurre (Cattle Call)

    Abe began the Executive Chef at Cattle Call at age 22, but don't think this youngster is over his head. He's creating a wide variety of amazing culinary experiences at this downtown Omaha restaurant, from exquisite fine dining plates to incredible desserts and one of the weirdest (and most delicious!) burgers in the city. This is one of Omaha's next star chefs, and he's ready for his introduction. Get to know him on this fascinating episode! 🌐 Learn more about Cattle Call:https://www.cattlecallomaha.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: Omaha’s Rising Chef at Just 23 00:00:57 – Meet Abe Vidaurre (Executive Chef at 23) 00:03:30 – What Makes Cattle Call So Unique? (4 Concepts in One) 00:07:45 – Why Momos Are the Heart of the Menu 00:11:30 – Share Plates & the Power of Dining Together 00:16:20 – Why the Menu Changes Constantly 00:20:10 – How Great Dishes Are Created (Inspiration Process) 00:25:40 – The Momo Burger Story 🍔 00:31:15 – Why Omaha Needs Better Late-Night Food 00:36:50 – Turning Ideas Into Real Menu Items 00:42:30 – Why a Chef’s Brain Never Turns Off 00:47:10 – Why Desserts Are a Hidden Strength 00:52:45 – “Do Less” Philosophy Explained 00:58:30 – Building the Perfect Ribeye Dish 01:05:10 – Learning from Omaha’s Best Restaurants 01:12:40 – Why Fine Dining Changed His Career 01:18:20 – Culinary School vs Restaurant Experience 01:23:30 – Becoming Executive Chef (The Leap) 01:29:10 – Leading a Team at a Young Age 01:35:00 – The Future of Cattle Call & Omaha Dining #RestaurantHoppen #OmahaEats #YoungChef #ChefLife #RestaurantCulture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 5m
  7. APR 16

    Culinary School Truths with Brian O'Malley

    There are a lot of debates about the state of culinary school in America, and as Metro CC's Dean of Hospitality & Horticulture,  Brian O'Malley has heard them all. In a wide-ranging conversation, we discuss the debate of attending culinary school versus learning solely in professional kitchens, the state of leadership in modern kitchens and avoiding toxicity, the importance of Metro's on-site restaurant, and so much more. References: Metro Community College – https://www.metro.edu Sage Student Bistro – https://www.metro.edu/sage-student-bistro ProStart Competition – https://www.prostart.americanculinaryfoundation.org 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: One of Omaha’s Most Influential Culinary Leaders 00:00:57 – Meet Brian O’Malley (Metro Community College) 00:03:57 – Culinary School vs Restaurant Experience (The Real Answer) 00:08:45 – Why “Learning How to Learn” Changes Everything 00:13:30 – How Chefs Actually Improve (The Scallop Example) 00:18:20 – Why Metro’s Culinary Program Stands Out 00:23:00 – Why Guests Matter More Than Grades in Restaurants 00:27:30 – Inside Sage Student Bistro (Student-Run Restaurant) 00:32:45 – Bridging the Gap: Classroom vs Real Kitchen Pressure 00:38:40 – Toxic Kitchen Culture & Leadership Problems 00:45:30 – What Makes a Great Chef (Hint: It’s Not Cooking) 00:50:00 – Building Better Kitchens Through Leadership 00:54:30 – What Every Culinary Graduate Should Know 01:00:00 – Final Thoughts: The Future of Restaurants Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 6m
4.8
out of 5
84 Ratings

About

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.

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