Table for Two: Recent Episodes
Iowa Restaurant Association
Pull up a chair at the Table for Two. Join Jessica Dunker, President and CEO, of the Iowa Restaurant Association, on a tour of the state and spend time with some of Iowa’s award winning restaurateurs, chefs and hospitality professionals. You’ll hear the stories, inspirations and even a few secrets, behind your favorite eating and drinking establishments. You’ll be surprised when you learn which high profile operators say they chose the industry, and which claim the industry chose them. We talk traditions and trends, tastes and tactics– with some of Iowa’s most innovative entrepreneurs. Our conversations will entertain patrons, enlighten operators, and leave everyone hungry for more. Subscribe to Table for Two on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google or wherever you get your podcasts.
Hospitality may have been in the blood of 2020 Iowa Restaurant Association Chef of the Year Jeremy Moskowitz, but as a pre-teen it was his desire for a new video game that actually got him into the kitchen of his family’s restaurant. He started washing dishes to earn his game money and quickly realized he’d found a new passion. He worked his way through the kitchen roles of his parent’s restaurant, then honed his skills at Le Cordon Bleu in London and Paris. He then made his mark in fine dining restaurants around the globe and on the sea before returning to Davenport to take over Duck City Bistro. Today customers are daily treated to his personal approach to hospitality, as well as culinary creations with European flair. From memorable dishes to chalk-marked favorite tables, discover the passion and detail behind one of state’s culinary gems.
After a nearly three-year hiatus, Chef Lynn Pritchard has finally re-opened his award-winning restaurant Table 128. His one-time suburban destination now draws those in search of his famed farm-to-table dishes to the Gray's Landing neighborhood of Des Moines proper. He’s good-humored about the extended timeline of this highly anticipated relaunch, in part because it has given him the time needed to ensure that every detail of the new space—from the menu to the way sound bounces— deliver the guest experience for which he is renowned. Join us as we talk with the Iowa farm kid who learned to cook so he could eat something more than his father’s fried bologna sandwiches, turned CIA-trained award-winning chef, as he shares his trials and celebrations of (re)opening a restaurant in a post-Covid world.
Taufeek Shah, founder of Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce, is not your typical small town Iowa boy, although he did grow up in Winthrop, Iowa. The son of immigrant parents—a Filipino mother and a Pakistani father—Taufeek was immersed in a world of diverse cuisines. Inspired by his mother's unique flavor combinations, he set out to bottle her secret sauce and then named his company in her honor. This 2023 Iowa Restaurant Association American Dream Award winner found early adoption for Lola’s creations in restaurants and the rest is history. Today Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce products are in 14,000+ restaurants and retail locations.
Learn more about Lola's Fine Hot Sauce.
In the first episode of 2024, Jessica sits down at the Table for Two with Dave & Jean Thompson, of District 36, Urban Cellar, Urban Grill and Urban on the Square and the Association's 2023 Restaurateurs of the Year. Technically Dave & Jean are in the process of retiring. The couple has turned over day-to-day operations and management to longtime employees and family but their definition of retirement is not typical. Empowering team members, creating partnership models, and giving that first break to people who want to be in the business is the legacy Dave & Jean Thompson want to leave behind.
Tune in to the episode to hear the full conversation about where the Thompson's started and where they see themselves going.
Building upon both the recognition and reputation he garnered as a standout competitor on Bravo’s Top Chef program, Chef Kevin Scharpf could have easily capitalized on his success and opened a restaurant in a major metropolitan market. But this award-winner instead stayed true to his roots—opening his Brazen Open Kitchen and Bar in Dubuque’s up-and-coming historic Millwork District. Today Chef Kevin’s seasonal menus draw patrons from across the country in search of unique dishes featuring hyper local Midwest ingredients. Dig a little deeper though and you’ll see that this James Beard semifinalist is just as passionate about the intersection of food, health and wellness as he is with crafting unique flavor profiles.
It was 1970 something when B-Bops Founder Robert Johnson and his cousin faced a dilemma. Both held car loans and had only one payment saved in the bank. They needed jobs fast and found two possibilities—one in insurance, the other at a local burger joint. Bob took the restaurant job and Des Moines will be forever grateful. He went on to create B-Bop’s, which today has a dozen locations and more on the way. His success has always focused on growing people from within, and a keen understanding that people can taste the difference between “Fast Food” and “Quick Service” meals. His made-to-order award-winning burgers and fries prove this every day.
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Matt Johnson is a man who has both found, and given, opportunities in the hospitality industry. A director for both the Iowa and National Restaurant Association Boards, he passionately champions hospitality-related issues—from liquor liability insurance to credit card fees. He is also an advocate for people seeking a first job or in need of a second chance. Leveraging the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, he has provided employment to members of the returning population from both sides of the state’s western border. This has led to some interesting “arguments” in his busy restaurant kitchen. Honored for his business acumen, philanthropic work, and role as a voice for the operators with legislators and regulators, Matt Johnson shares how a handful of people can make an incredible impact on the industry and the lives of others.
With a culinary resume that would have made opening a fine dining restaurant a logical next step in an already illustrious career, Chef George Migliero surprised a few people. The award-winning chef, who studied under multiple Michelin-starred French chefs and has served everyone from presidents to Julia Child, purchased a pub. The Boston-native envisioned creating a “Cheers” like place with top shelf cuisine. Now 11 years in, his G-Migs 5th Street Pub in West Des Moines daily delights people with both its food and atmosphere.
Ana McClain hails from a family with a passion for food. Her sister is a television chef and her mother attended culinary school just for fun. However, it was the realm of food and beverage business that drew Ana, a native of Mexico and her husband Quinton, a native of Cedar Rapids, to the Czech Village district of his hometown. In 2014, they made a significant impact on the area’s post-flood renaissance when they opened Lion Bridge Brewery. Named for the iconic Bridge of Lions on the nearby Cedar River, the brewery brings more to the table than award winning beer and cuisine. It serves as a community hub, showcasing local artists, supporting local causes, and organizing local events. While Ana primarily operates behind-the-scenes, her business background has solidified Lion Bridge Brewery as a cornerstone of the historic district.
The term black sheep doesn't have to be negative. When Stephanie Mehmen and her husband heard rumors of a century-old flood damaged building about to be demolished, they knew they had to do something. As she envisioned what kind of business it would take to save this beloved building, the thought of a restaurant came to the forefront. And the Black Sheep Social Club was born. Today the restaurant and it's staff are attempting to be not only a cornerstone of their community but also a driving force behind the revitalization of it.
When he’s developing menu items Chef Benjamin Smart, Culinary Director for one of Iowa’s most popular breweries keeps one thought in mind – people may come for the beer, but let’s get them to stay for the food. That approach appears to be working as the brewery has just broken ground on their fourth location in Iowa. Not a typical path for an award-winning chef, Smart earned a geoscience degree, but kept feeling called back to the kitchen. Encouraged by his wife and driven by his passion, Smart earned a culinary degree and carved an impressive culinary path that eventually brought him back to Iowa. Today he is a partner in one of the state’s most innovative and successful operating groups overseeing and mentoring the next generation of culinary talent.
Nina Easley wears many hats: mother, advocate for dyslexic students, and owner of a rural Iowa coffee shop that's helping revitalize her hometown's main street. With deep roots in Earlham, a tiny town just 20 miles west of Des Moines, Nina's decision to open a breakfast spot featuring a secret beignet recipe from her late husband’s family, is the fulfillment of a dream the two had often discussed. Today, Easley's Beans and Beignets Coffee and Ice Cream Shop draws visitors from miles around with its sweet, powdered sugar-covered treats, coffee served in oversized ceramic cups, and a vibe made cool by both the shop’s culture and its location in beautifully restored historic building.
16 years ago, Amy and Andy Walsh had a vision for Mickey’s Irish Pub: a true pub environment with elevated beer and gastropub cuisine, where people actually talked to one another. The high school sweethearts had met while working in a restaurant decades earlier and knew what it would take to make a hospitality endeavor work. They pulled out most of the pub’s televisions, unleashed Andy (a trained chef) and his culinary talents on the menu, and focused Amy, who holds a degree in hospitality management, on finding and developing a staff that would be capable of ensuring the owner/operator couple would become incidental, rather than essential, to the daily operation. The result? In an industry with 80%+ turnover rates, the Walshs have kept their team in place for years. They love being in their restaurant but never hesitate to leave their team in charge--proving that when you care about and empower your people, success follows.
Jeff Bruning calls himself an “insurance refugee.” He took a traditional path—graduating high school, then college, then getting a “grown up” job. But he quickly realized that being behind a desk was not the future he wanted. He took what he thought would be a placeholder restaurant position and found his passion. He also found his people—in the form of creative, business-savvy partners. Together they became Full Court Press and changed the Des Moines Restaurant scene. Listen in as we talk about the birth and growth of some Des Moines’ first experiential restaurants from The Royal Mile and Hessen Haus to Fong’s Pizza and The Iowa Taproom. Hear too about some of the misses of one the state’s most successful restaurant groups and where they see their future.
Mike Whalen, President, CEO, and Founder, of the Heart America Group, is well-known by Iowans for many things—his multi-location Machine Shed and Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse Restaurants, envisioning and then creating Wildwood Hills Ranch, an equine therapy camp for at risk youth and veterans suffering from PTSD, as well as his run for federal office as a 1st District Congressional candidate. However, this multidimensional hospitality pro still has a few surprises up his sleeve. Heart of America’s portfolio of properties recently expanded beyond food and beverage concepts which pay homage to Midwest culture and cuisine. Their wildly successful Hyper Drink Bars cater to the made-to-order energy drink crowd. Think there’s nothing left to learn about this colorful two-time Iowa Restaurateur of the Year? Turn on the radio and you may hear a tune or two composed by this unexpected country-music songwriter.
Sammy Mila once was described as having the “most famous hands on YouTube.” The one-time food stylist for publishing giant Meredith Corporation, Sammy’s hands have been featured in countless recipe videos. However, styling food for magazine photoshoots and making how to videos doesn’t bring the same joy that directly serving people does. When a well-established Des Moines bakery/dessert lounge came available for sale, Sammy decided to follow a dream and leap into ownership. Already a 40 Women to Watch in Hospitality honoree, Sammy reimagined the bakery to include everything from late night noodle bowls to vegan baked goods. Toss in her funky décor, craft cocktails and peanut butter Cheez-It cookies, and you quickly understand Sammy’s vision to create an environment and menu that have something for everyone.
When biotech scientist Bethany DeVries left her corporate research position and purchased a boutique wine bar, she set out to replace any sense of wine pretentiousness with wine accessibility. The owner/operator of Iowa’s only self-serve wine bar constantly rotates the 30 to 40 self-serve wines available daily in her establishment, ensuring there’s a profile, taste and price for everyone. She’s made tasting notes for 10,000 wines, so you’d think she had time for little else. However, this hospitality operator is as much known for her volunteer work as her business. When COVID-19 hit, it was Bethany’s reputation for philanthropy, combined with a quick thinking move toward retail sales, that proved true the old adage “if you show up for your community, they’ll show up for you.”
LeShawn (Shawnnie) Smith took a leap of faith when she left the corporate world to start a boutique bakery in Cedar Rapids’ Newbo City Market. She quickly made her mark in the local food scene with toffee butter cookies and lemon pound cake. With her Mama Pearl at her side, she invested both financial and sweat equity into her dream. However, her dream was nearly squelched by the pandemic. Because she was a new business, she didn’t qualify for any assistance. When nearly all hope was lost, help came from the unlikeliest of places—late night talk show host Stephen Colbert who featured Shawnniecakes as a “deserving small business to support” during COVID. That led to shout outs from other celebrities including Gayle King. Online orders kept her business alive and today she’s back on a growth path, ready to expand to a larger location and the addition of breakfast and lunch service.
Award winning chef George Formaro has been speaking the language of food since he was child. He had the good fortune of being raised in an Italian American home where every dish had a story. But the culinary artist behind Des Moines favorites Centro, Gateway Market, Malo, Zombie Burger, and more doesn’t need a gourmet meal to evaluate a chef. Chef George says he sees everything he needs to know by the way a chef makes a cheeseburger. Today, he is investing in the industry’s future by mentoring young talent, both in his restaurant kitchens, and high schools across the state.
Five-time James Beard nominee and 2022 Iowa Chef of the year Joe Tripp takes a seat at the Iowa Restaurant Association’s Table for Two. The owner of Harbinger, Little Brother, and Basic Bird speaks with Jessica Dunker from one of his busy restaurants about ghost kitchens, hyper local ingredients and fare, and the surprising synergy of fusing fresh Iowa ingredients and comfort food concepts with Asian culinary techniques and flavors. Chef Joe also sheds light on how he keeps his third-party delivery orders profitable for his restaurants. The two sound-off about the consistent overlooking of Iowa’s stellar culinary talent for national honors and Chef Joe even spills how one of his first cooking attempts ended in the evacuation of his college dorm.
Not all beer is created equal—at least anymore. Award winning Iowa restaurateur and craft brew aficionado Scott Carlson talks about how craft beer, craft cocktails and Iowa food culture need elevated places and spaces—including at the Iowa State Fair where his popular craft beer tent has become legendary.
The Iowa Restaurant Association is proud to present Table for Two. Join our President and CEO, Jessica Dunker, as she sits down with some of Iowa's award-winning restaurateurs, chefs and hospitality professionals to talk traditions, trends, tastes and tactics. Be sure to subscribe to Table for Two on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow our social media pages so you never miss an episode.