The Build: Restuarant 201

With The Build, we’re pulling back the curtain to reveal the nitty gritty details of turning a concept into a living, breathing, eatery. In this episode we tackle one of the biggest obstacles to realizing your concept: the lease.

Plus, this episode introduces a key player in making Ursula 2.0 a reality. Meet Lani Halliday: event producer, baker, brand builder, and hilarious human. Get to know her and how she got wrapped up in Eric’s vision.

The Build is produced by Taylor Early, Armen Spendjian, H Conley, Matt Patterson, and hosted by Alex McCrery and Jenny Goodman. 
Audio engineering by Armen Spendjian, H Conley and Matt Patterson.

Additional Music in this episode by HolinzaCC0, Jahzzar, & TGR Banks. 

Opening Soon is powered by Simplecast. 

In The Build, we’re following one chef’s journey to open a brand new restaurant, from signing the lease until the doors actually open. If you haven't listened to the first episode, you should start there. 

In this episode, we hear some of our earliest recordings with Eric, where he fills us in on the months-long journey to find Ursula a new home. Along the way we traverse Brooklyn, negotiate with shady real estate brokers, and even have a brush with death. 

The Build is produced by Taylor Early, Armen Spendjian, H Conley, Matt Patterson, and hosted by Alex McCrery and Jenny Goodman. 
Audio engineering by Armen Spendjian, H Conley and Matt Patterson.

Additional Music in this episode by Andy G. Cohen, Koi-discovery, Correspondence, Dilating Times, & HolinzaCC0. 

Opening Soon is powered by Simplecast.

In this season of Opening Soon, we’re undertaking a project we’ve been wanting to do for years. In The Build, we’re going to follow one chef’s journey to open a brand new restaurant as it’s happening. From the moment that they signed the lease until the doors are actually open, you’ll get to witness the emotional highs and the lows, how things go well, how things get delayed; all in real time.  

In this episode, we meet the subject of our series, hear a bit about their food journey so far, and get a sneak peek at what’s coming this season. 

The Build is produced by Taylor Early, Armen Spendjian, H Conley, Matt Patterson, and hosted by Alex McCrery and Jenny Goodman. 
Audio engineering by Armen Spendjian, H Conley and Matt Patterson.

Additional Music in this episode by Andy G. Cohen, Koi-discovery & HolinzaCC0. 

This episode was brought to you by Made In, visit madein.com to learn more about their cookware

Opening Soon is powered by Simplecast.

Today we present to you an episode from one of our favorite hospitality insider podcasts, Copper & Heat. Listen in for an amazing deep dive into the world behind the Michelin guide...

If you were to rate the Michelin Guide, how many stars would you give it?

When Katy was working in the Bay Area in her early 20s, she would have given the Michelin Guide 3 stars, because those were the restaurants she felt like she had to work to learn about the most innovative and interesting food. How has that changed?

In this last episode of our fourth season, Katy and Rachel dig into the history, the data, and the money behind the Michelin Guide in the U.S. with help from Krishnendu Ray (professor at NYU) and Beth Forrest (professor at the CIA). By the end of the research, Katy and Rachel had very different ratings for the Guide than what their 24-year-old selves would have given it. What about you?

For more from Copper & Heat plus resources related to this episode, click here!

For more from Opening Soon: Launching next week, The Build. 

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Opening Soon by becoming a member!

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Most restaurateurs build their business with the hope of making it as long as today’s guest. 13 strong years. But how do you know when it’s time to rethink the space, the concept, or even the menu? And how do you do it in a way to that can reinvigorate that energy while keeping your brand and your loyal customers? 

Our guests today are Thomas McNaughton, Co-Executive Chef & Founding Partner, and Ryan Pollnow, Co-Executive Chef & Partner of Flour + Water Hospitality group. Flour + Water closed earlier this year for a four month renovation while the team continued to open new concepts including Penny Roma and Flour + Water Pizzeria coming Spring 2023.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Opening Soon by becoming a member!

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The pandemic gave and it took from us. Focusing on the upside to a worldwide pandemic may seem unusual, but in reality the covid era gave birth to some fresh ideas and many creative businesses. Some of those have since turned permanent. 

Our guests today are chefs Sarah Mispagel and Ben Lustbader of Loaf Lounge. Sarah and Ben have worked at many of Chicago’s best restaurants. The concept for Loaf Lounge was honed during a pop up during the pandemic. And now the bread forward cafe is delighting diners, including our family of bread enthusiasts on a recent trip to Chicago.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Opening Soon by becoming a member!

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Coming this spring we're working on something BIG for Opening Soon. Opening a restaurant can sometimes take months, or even years. This spring, you'll be able to hear it all happen in just a few hours...

Tune in as we follow one of Brooklyn's best and brightest young chefs and restaurateurs on their journey from start to open doors. It's The Build.

The Build is produced by Taylor Early, Armen Spendjian, H Conley, Matt Patterson, and hosted by Alex McCrery and Jenny Goodman. Audio engineering by Armen Spendjian, H Conley and Matt Patterson.

Subscribe to Opening Soon from HRN wherever you listen to podcasts!

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Opening Soon by becoming a member!

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We often hear when one door closes another one opens. That is quite literally the case for Clover Hill in BK. It was the pandemic that forced the closure of the 4 month old Brooklyn Heights restaurant, but the re-opening of their doors 2 years later came with a fresh culinary team and today’s guest at the helm.

Our guest today is Chef Charlie Mitchell of Clover Hill BK. Charlie has worked his way through some of NYCs finest restaurants. Clover Hill has been transformed to a 7 course tasting menu. Last month Clover Hill received its first Michelin star and Charlie was named Michelin's Young Chef Award.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Opening Soon by becoming a member!

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Donuts. Entrepreneurship. Donuts.

Our guest today is Zewiditu Jewel bringing vegan donuts from Baltimore to Brooklyn. Zewiditu is the shop operator for the Brooklyn Heights location of Cloudy Donuts, and they have been working on their 3rd location - the Brooklyn Heights bakery - for 2 years, and just celebrated their opening weekend.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Opening Soon by becoming a member!

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When I was running down my culinary goals I had hoped to head a NYC kitchen by the time I was 30. It seemed ambitious at the time and I was equally proud once achieved. But it pales in comparison to the drive and success of today’s guest. She can proudly say that she’s the owner of 3 restaurants with a fourth on the way, all at that same young age of 30. 

Our guest today is Amelie Kang of MáLà Project. At 23, Amelie opened the first location of MáLà Project in East Village, sharing the originality of her hometown Chinese cuisine, and has since opened two more locations in Bryant Park and Midtown East, with a fourth opening in Greenpoint coming soon!

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Opening Soon by becoming a member!

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