Fine Dining at North 40 Chophouse with Mark Hammond and Emma Watson

NebraskaLand Bank Podcast

What’s your go-to summer beverage? A nice beer, wine, or cocktail? Last week we explored everything economics so today we’re going to have some fun with the general manager of North 40 Chophouse Mark Hammond and his assistant Emma Watson.

The restaurant scene in North Platte has grown dramatically in the past few years and with the establishment of the North 40 Chophouse the local scene has grown even more. Mark, who is originally from London, signed onto the restaurant team in May of 2021. On the other side, Emma helps with everything from cutting lime wedges to cleaning dirty glasses, making all visitors feel welcome to the place!

Many of us have never been a bartender, but a lot of us have been to a bar. We’ll explore what’s a good tip what’s a bad tip, the types of drinks bartenders love and hate to make, and the fun and not-so-fun parts of the job with Mark and Emma. Get an inside scoop on the best menu items like the Filet Mignon bites and Dry Edge Steak, learn about the fabulous kitchen team at North 40 Chophouse, and much more.

Join us today as we get into these topics:

· Mark’s travels from London to North Platte Nebraska!

· What’s it like being a bartender and growing a restaurant.

· Branding a big restaurant and appealing to a wide base.

Timestamps:
0:37 – What is your go-to beverage?

1:16 – What kind of beer do you like?

2:13 – Welcome Mark and Emma!

2:32 – What is a bar back?

3:31 – Growth of North Platte’s restaurant scene

5:29 – Going from London to North Platte

6:14 – Favorite parts of North Platte

7:10 – Hobbies you’ve picked up?

7:42 – Combining new people and locals

8:21 – What’s it like being a bartender?

9:32 – What is your pet peeve as a bartender?

10:21 – Poor tippers, surprise drinks, making difficult drinks

11:38 – Good tips versus bad tips

16:04 – What are your favorite items on the menu?

17:08 – The bar experience versus restaurant experience

18:16 – The dry edge steak is amazing

18:55 – Creating the kitchen team

21:18 – Who develops the specialty recipes?

21:35 – What is the long-term plan for the south side of the building?

22:42 – Using local beef and dry age steak

24:54 – More budget-friendly items on the menu

26:49 – How did you brand the restaurant?

28:39 – Branding our new mortgage project… “The Next 25”

33:45 – Do you feel the issue of housing a lot?

35:22 – Trivia: 5 words with different meanings

41:00 – Join us for late-night happy hour!

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