May 3, 2025 • 11 mins
Dee and Will Johnson are the passionate and first franchise owners of VEGANBURG Hesperia, part of the VEGANBURG chain that originates in Singapore. Located in the High Desert, their restaurant serves up 100% vegan burgers, house-made patties, specialty fries, and innovative plant-based comfort food. All sustainably crafted and GMO-free. As proud “Planet Warriors,” Dee and Will are on a mission to show how delicious, fun, and satisfying vegan dining can be for everyone.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
D and Will Johnson from veganberg in out there Insparia
and we welcome them to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Hey folks, heyhow how the going.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Hey, I got it going very well.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
So.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Uh. It takes, as you know, doing what you do.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
It's hard to do what you do and uh, you know,
with YELP and all these things, and to look at
the fact that you guys are so beloved online and
off must be a great point of pride for you.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yes, that is very true. First and foremost, thank you
Andrew for giving us the opportunity, you know, for this interview.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah, the love is shown very much so through vi A, YELP,
thee A, Google, our personal customers, family support obviously. Uh,
you know, Andrew, thank you for the you know, for
this interview. I had no idea that he even felt
so so highly favored of us. So we just thank
(01:05):
you guys so much.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
Well, just so everybody knows. Before Neil continues the interview,
this I never I rarely put an endorsement behind places
and for for southern California, people that go between Vegas
and LA that are clean and healthy eaters. This is
this is a place that people stop to to they
they have to stop here to eat because this is
this is probably one of the best non meat places
(01:28):
I've ever been in my life to eat that they're
they're in the high desert. So I'll let Neil continue
the interview.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
No, you jump in any time, Andrew, I think, and
it's he's being honest. He you know, he's had access
to me for a long time and it's not like
he comes in every day saying how about these people?
Speaker 3 (01:46):
How about these people? How about these people?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
So a special act for him to say this place
is special.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
I've not been.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
But I'm looking through the menu and doing a little
mind tasting right now as we often do on the program,
and these are spectacular combinations of flavors and textures just
by the ingredient list. Now the fact that they're plant
based as well makes it, you know, even more spectacular.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
So explain how long you've been around what you know?
Speaker 1 (02:17):
The mission statement is your focus is of vegan Berg.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
So we have been in business.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
We just celebrated our one year anniversary April fifteenth. We
are the first franchise owners of Veganberg. The original one
originates in Singapore, so we decided that we wanted to
move forth with this chain because, like you mentioned, the
fresh ingredients. We did have to localize of course, just
(02:49):
because of the different countries. But I wanted to give
back to our community because I've seen that by us
going to plant based this worked for my husband. So
I wanted to, you know, not just have you know, vegetarians,
not just to have vegans here. I wanted flexitarians to
also enjoy the meals that we do have prepared because
(03:11):
I feel that it's for everyone.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
So did either of you taste the vegan Berg in
Singapore or how did you hear about that?
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (03:24):
Yeah, we did.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
So I wanted to open up a restaurant, and I'm
not my history is not from the restaurant industry, but
I do cook very often. So as I was trying
to get established with opening up a restaurant, I did
come across Veganberg and per my research, there was a
location out in San Francisco, and we decided to drive
(03:49):
up to San Francisco. US in the family and my
kids are meat eaters, and so I said, you know,
let's get them to try the food and we're not
going to tell them, of course, that it's vegan. And
they fell in love with the food. So we decided
to reach out to the franchise and we wanted to
open up here. But before we did get started, my
(04:10):
husband Will and I we did fly out to Singapore
and just a wonderful man, Alexander Tan he is the
founder of Beigenberg. What an amazing man and he just
made us feel that much more stronger to decide to
bring this back to the US.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
That's amazing.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Right now we're talking to d and Will Johnson from
vegan Berg there in Hysperia. What a cool thing to
be able to bring something to the States. This only exists,
vegan Berg only exists in Singapore until you bring it here.
Was it franchised at all, even in Singapore?
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Yes, what they do have at the moment they have
one location in Singapore and then they opened up one
location in San Francisco.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Oh wow, So that's that's pretty exciting to be on
the crest of a wave like this.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
And you folks from Hysperia.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Yes we are. Yes, by the way of Los Angeles.
We moved out of Los Angeles to Hysperia and around
two thousand and five and we've been made it from
the high desert since then.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
You're smart people moving out of LA I mean it
really is. It really is lovely there.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
It's like you can feel you can feel the weight
of Los Angeles off your shoulders. My wife and I
have a place in Big Bear and we will sometimes
go via the via what we refer to as the
back way because it is.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
What's that.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yeah, we love the We love Big Bear.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Oh yeah, it's great. It's a stone's throw for you.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Do you guys ever use.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, you guys ever use the term that's hyperical.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
My wife hates that joke, that one. I love it.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
I have to put that in the I'm to put
that up in the restaurant.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Use that on the side.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Maybe it's spectacular that this uh smoking barbecue looks fantastic.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
That is one of our cop sellers. Yep, your name
is the ones that that sells them most. So our
smoky barbecue first, first, and foremost. Our patty is our housemates.
So we have two housemade patties, which one is a
crispy patty. It's a soy protein patty. We do the
crumb mix in house, and then our grill patty is
made out of Chautauqi mushrooms. Kel carrots, onion, cellar and seasoning,
(06:53):
so our customers do have the options between a grilled
and a crispy patty. And then some of our top
favorites are our smoky barbecue, which have that grilled patty
with some caramelized onions, vegan cheese, vegan bacon, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles,
and our vegan male. We do make all of our
(07:14):
sauces in house. Our shroomsburg as a mushroom sauce that
we do prepare fresh with some caramelized onions, lettuce. That's
our crispy patty. Those are like our main two. One
of my personal favorites is the Abval Beats, very fresh,
very clean and includes our grilled patty with lettuce, tomatoes,
(07:36):
red onions, beets, sprouts, avocado. It's really it pairs really good.
But a lot of people do come in for our
Carnia sader fries. Everybody is h is unbelieved by how
great they paste well.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
I mean, the food tech continues to grow. I mean
that I'm just a good food person and so I'm
like if it's if it's tasty, I'll eat it. I
don't care you know what it's made out of plant based. Fantastic.
I love doing that, and you reference this before. Nothing
better than having an omnivore or carnivore come in and
(08:15):
bite into something and just love it because it's delicious. Yeah,
you know the fact that it is you know the
fact that that it's plant based, that's just a bonus.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Yeah. Yeah. We also offer gloom free items as well,
because we do have a lot of gluten intolerant people,
so we do have patties, buns, and and and appetizers
for gloom free people.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Well, that's great, That is fantastic, and that makes you
know there are people out there with siliacs and the
like and having those options for them as well.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
I yeah's a great way to do it.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah, intolerant or dairy free, sure, that's that's it's great.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
It's great.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
So I tell you what, We got to get our
asses out to Hysperia and you know, do a show
out there because it's hard for you guys to bring food.
You know, we cover all of southern California, but we're
in burbank, so it's hard to be able to take
your food and travel here. So we got to come
out that way and talk to some of the folks
out there, because there's some wonderful food options of which
(09:25):
you are one, and I'll come check it out next
time we're pulling.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Off the fifteen.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
That sounds great.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Tell everybody where they can find you on social media
and your location.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Absolutely so.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
On Instagram we are Veganberg that's v e g A
N d u RG dot Hsparia we are. Our website
is Beigenberghysperia dot com. We're located off the fifteen Freeway
going north towards Vegas off Main Street and SPAA.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
That's excellent. Thanks so much for taking the time to
come on. I hope people check it out. I certainly will,
and thanks to Andrew Caravella for the recommendation here on
the show.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
D I'm stopping the.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Lunch on Monday, so well, I'm there all day, so
I hope to see I get to thank you personally.
Thank you. Are you doing the cooking or I am
I'm doing it all? I am doing it all. I
do the Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Yeah, we're there all.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Day though Monday, so Will just comes in and eats
and leaves.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Yeah, as you can see, d habit, I'm just like
I said, I'm just a glorified dishwasher. We got it.
She got the business, she's doing it. She's doing an
amazing job at it. And uh, like I said, I'm
just here to help her when she needs me.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Taste this.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Yeah, Okay, he's a good dish washer.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Hey, I'll tell you.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
That's the way I have to work every you know,
on a family business.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
It's all hands on deck, period.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I wish you both plate so much.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
D and Will Johnson vegan Berg Inhysperia, vegan Burg in Hesperia. Thanks, folks,
we'll talk again.
D and Will Johnson from veganberg in out there Insparia
and we welcome them to the show.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Hey folks, heyhow how the going.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Hey, I got it going very well.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
So.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Uh. It takes, as you know, doing what you do.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
It's hard to do what you do and uh, you know,
with YELP and all these things, and to look at
the fact that you guys are so beloved online and
off must be a great point of pride for you.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yes, that is very true. First and foremost, thank you
Andrew for giving us the opportunity, you know, for this interview.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah, the love is shown very much so through vi A, YELP,
thee A, Google, our personal customers, family support obviously. Uh,
you know, Andrew, thank you for the you know, for
this interview. I had no idea that he even felt
so so highly favored of us. So we just thank
(01:05):
you guys so much.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
Well, just so everybody knows. Before Neil continues the interview,
this I never I rarely put an endorsement behind places
and for for southern California, people that go between Vegas
and LA that are clean and healthy eaters. This is
this is a place that people stop to to they
they have to stop here to eat because this is
this is probably one of the best non meat places
(01:28):
I've ever been in my life to eat that they're
they're in the high desert. So I'll let Neil continue
the interview.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
No, you jump in any time, Andrew, I think, and
it's he's being honest. He you know, he's had access
to me for a long time and it's not like
he comes in every day saying how about these people?
Speaker 3 (01:46):
How about these people? How about these people?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
So a special act for him to say this place
is special.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
I've not been.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
But I'm looking through the menu and doing a little
mind tasting right now as we often do on the program,
and these are spectacular combinations of flavors and textures just
by the ingredient list. Now the fact that they're plant
based as well makes it, you know, even more spectacular.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
So explain how long you've been around what you know?
Speaker 1 (02:17):
The mission statement is your focus is of vegan Berg.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
So we have been in business.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
We just celebrated our one year anniversary April fifteenth. We
are the first franchise owners of Veganberg. The original one
originates in Singapore, so we decided that we wanted to
move forth with this chain because, like you mentioned, the
fresh ingredients. We did have to localize of course, just
(02:49):
because of the different countries. But I wanted to give
back to our community because I've seen that by us
going to plant based this worked for my husband. So
I wanted to, you know, not just have you know, vegetarians,
not just to have vegans here. I wanted flexitarians to
also enjoy the meals that we do have prepared because
(03:11):
I feel that it's for everyone.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
So did either of you taste the vegan Berg in
Singapore or how did you hear about that?
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (03:24):
Yeah, we did.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
So I wanted to open up a restaurant, and I'm
not my history is not from the restaurant industry, but
I do cook very often. So as I was trying
to get established with opening up a restaurant, I did
come across Veganberg and per my research, there was a
location out in San Francisco, and we decided to drive
(03:49):
up to San Francisco. US in the family and my
kids are meat eaters, and so I said, you know,
let's get them to try the food and we're not
going to tell them, of course, that it's vegan. And
they fell in love with the food. So we decided
to reach out to the franchise and we wanted to
open up here. But before we did get started, my
(04:10):
husband Will and I we did fly out to Singapore
and just a wonderful man, Alexander Tan he is the
founder of Beigenberg. What an amazing man and he just
made us feel that much more stronger to decide to
bring this back to the US.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
That's amazing.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Right now we're talking to d and Will Johnson from
vegan Berg there in Hysperia. What a cool thing to
be able to bring something to the States. This only exists,
vegan Berg only exists in Singapore until you bring it here.
Was it franchised at all, even in Singapore?
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Yes, what they do have at the moment they have
one location in Singapore and then they opened up one
location in San Francisco.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Oh wow, So that's that's pretty exciting to be on
the crest of a wave like this.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
And you folks from Hysperia.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Yes we are. Yes, by the way of Los Angeles.
We moved out of Los Angeles to Hysperia and around
two thousand and five and we've been made it from
the high desert since then.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
You're smart people moving out of LA I mean it
really is. It really is lovely there.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
It's like you can feel you can feel the weight
of Los Angeles off your shoulders. My wife and I
have a place in Big Bear and we will sometimes
go via the via what we refer to as the
back way because it is.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
What's that.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Yeah, we love the We love Big Bear.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Oh yeah, it's great. It's a stone's throw for you.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Do you guys ever use.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, you guys ever use the term that's hyperical.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
My wife hates that joke, that one. I love it.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
I have to put that in the I'm to put
that up in the restaurant.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Use that on the side.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Maybe it's spectacular that this uh smoking barbecue looks fantastic.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
That is one of our cop sellers. Yep, your name
is the ones that that sells them most. So our
smoky barbecue first, first, and foremost. Our patty is our housemates.
So we have two housemade patties, which one is a
crispy patty. It's a soy protein patty. We do the
crumb mix in house, and then our grill patty is
made out of Chautauqi mushrooms. Kel carrots, onion, cellar and seasoning,
(06:53):
so our customers do have the options between a grilled
and a crispy patty. And then some of our top
favorites are our smoky barbecue, which have that grilled patty
with some caramelized onions, vegan cheese, vegan bacon, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles,
and our vegan male. We do make all of our
(07:14):
sauces in house. Our shroomsburg as a mushroom sauce that
we do prepare fresh with some caramelized onions, lettuce. That's
our crispy patty. Those are like our main two. One
of my personal favorites is the Abval Beats, very fresh,
very clean and includes our grilled patty with lettuce, tomatoes,
(07:36):
red onions, beets, sprouts, avocado. It's really it pairs really good.
But a lot of people do come in for our
Carnia sader fries. Everybody is h is unbelieved by how
great they paste well.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
I mean, the food tech continues to grow. I mean
that I'm just a good food person and so I'm
like if it's if it's tasty, I'll eat it. I
don't care you know what it's made out of plant based. Fantastic.
I love doing that, and you reference this before. Nothing
better than having an omnivore or carnivore come in and
(08:15):
bite into something and just love it because it's delicious. Yeah,
you know the fact that it is you know the
fact that that it's plant based, that's just a bonus.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Yeah. Yeah. We also offer gloom free items as well,
because we do have a lot of gluten intolerant people,
so we do have patties, buns, and and and appetizers
for gloom free people.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Well, that's great, That is fantastic, and that makes you
know there are people out there with siliacs and the
like and having those options for them as well.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
I yeah's a great way to do it.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah, intolerant or dairy free, sure, that's that's it's great.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
It's great.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
So I tell you what, We got to get our
asses out to Hysperia and you know, do a show
out there because it's hard for you guys to bring food.
You know, we cover all of southern California, but we're
in burbank, so it's hard to be able to take
your food and travel here. So we got to come
out that way and talk to some of the folks
out there, because there's some wonderful food options of which
(09:25):
you are one, and I'll come check it out next
time we're pulling.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Off the fifteen.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
That sounds great.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Tell everybody where they can find you on social media
and your location.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Absolutely so.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
On Instagram we are Veganberg that's v e g A
N d u RG dot Hsparia we are. Our website
is Beigenberghysperia dot com. We're located off the fifteen Freeway
going north towards Vegas off Main Street and SPAA.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
That's excellent. Thanks so much for taking the time to
come on. I hope people check it out. I certainly will,
and thanks to Andrew Caravella for the recommendation here on
the show.
Speaker 5 (10:11):
D I'm stopping the.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Lunch on Monday, so well, I'm there all day, so
I hope to see I get to thank you personally.
Thank you. Are you doing the cooking or I am
I'm doing it all? I am doing it all. I
do the Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Yeah, we're there all.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Day though Monday, so Will just comes in and eats
and leaves.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Yeah, as you can see, d habit, I'm just like
I said, I'm just a glorified dishwasher. We got it.
She got the business, she's doing it. She's doing an
amazing job at it. And uh, like I said, I'm
just here to help her when she needs me.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Taste this.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Yeah, Okay, he's a good dish washer.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Hey, I'll tell you.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
That's the way I have to work every you know,
on a family business.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
It's all hands on deck, period.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
I wish you both plate so much.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
D and Will Johnson vegan Berg Inhysperia, vegan Burg in Hesperia. Thanks, folks,
we'll talk again.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!