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
March 26, 2026 • 58 mins
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!
🌐 Lear...
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March 19, 2026 • 59 mins
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.
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March 12, 2026 • 59 mins
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 i...
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March 5, 2026 • 68 mins
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...
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February 26, 2026 • 66 mins
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.
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February 19, 2026 • 63 mins
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/peopl...
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February 17, 2026 • 67 mins
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'...
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February 12, 2026 • 66 mins
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...
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February 5, 2026 • 67 mins
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 ...
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January 29, 2026 • 65 mins
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...
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January 22, 2026 • 64 mins
Andrew & Cheyanne aren’t just building a business together; they’re continuing the legacy of a lost friend and making some incredible and food along the way. The couple discusses running a restaurant concept together, the art of sandwich construction, the allure of bread baking, and what the future holds for this budding business.
🔗 Visit All In Thyme:https://all-in-thyme.com/
This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrda...
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January 15, 2026 • 64 mins
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-rang...
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January 8, 2026 • 65 mins
Bronco’s has served some of Omaha’s favorite fast food since 1959. So how did it become so beloved originally? What has allowed it to thrive when other iconic restaurants have closed? And how did Blake Barnes, the General Manager and grandson of founder Billy Barnes, get up to speed as he took over the family business? We discuss all that and much more!
Order Today:
Broncos Hamburgershttps://broncoburgers.com/
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January 1, 2026 • 68 mins
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-bo...
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December 25, 2025 • 61 mins
When Carlos decided to make tamales for his own wedding a few years ago, he had no idea he was starting down the road to a thriving restaurant. Those tamales led to a tamale delivery business, which blew up so quickly that it blossomed into a brick and mortar restaurant that is consistently packed with diners excited to try this couple's "authentic-ish" takes on tamales, tacos, tortas, and more. Hear the story of Masa Luna's rapid ...
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December 18, 2025 • 68 mins
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 g...
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December 11, 2025 • 64 mins
So much of a restaurant experience is defined before a bite of food is served, as the atmosphere, vibe, and design of a restaurant set the tone for the guest. Omaha veteran restaurateurs Carlos Mendez (Au Courant; Dolomiti), Tom Allisma (Flagship Restaurant Group), and Sagar Gurung (Kathmandu Momo Station; Cattle Call) discuss the ins and outs and restaurant design and architecture and the way restaurants can set themselves up for ...
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December 4, 2025 • 67 mins
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 Squ...
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November 27, 2025 • 64 mins
Le Quartier has become Omaha and Lincoln's go-to spot for bread and pastries, but the path that led these brothers to open their bakery nearly 20 years ago is one neither saw coming. Hear how a random interest in baking, an apartment in Montreal, and a baguette-attached resume led to a bread supplier that many Omahans (and Omaha restaurants) couldn't live without.
Check Out Le Quartier Today!
Le Quartier – https://lequartierbaki...
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November 20, 2025 • 48 mins
Tomato-free pasta sauce?! This Omaha couple never knew they'd need such a thing until they developed a heartburn-inducing sensitivity to tomatoes. Rather than swear off pizza and pasta forever, they created a carrot-based sauce and launched Carinara, a product that is taking the Midwest by storm. We discuss where the idea came from, what the R&D process was like, how they got Hy-Vee to buy in, and the future of this exploding compa...
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