Kevin Malhame: Why Technology and Trends Are Entirely Secondary to Building an Exceptional Restaurant Culture

As part of our series about the lessons from influential ‘TasteMakers’, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Kevin Malhame.

Kevin Malhame, along with his brother Darren and wife Katy Malhame, co-founded a portfolio of successful restaurants across Ohio. Before his journey as a restaurateur, Kevin built his career with the Hillstone Restaurant Group and later joined Chipotle. He worked as General Manager in a location in Columbus, his store became the #1 location in Ohio and ranked #4 nationwide in 2002. In 2004, Kevin and Katy opened Northstar Cafe, a casual yet beautifully designed all-day cafe that has become a staple in the Columbus community and beyond, earning numerous local “Best of” awards and national recognition for sustainability from the Green Restaurant Association. Today, there are six Northstar Cafe locations across Ohio, including Cincinnati and Cleveland. The family expanded their ventures with Third & Hollywood, an American bistro in Grandview, in 2009 and in 2015, they launched Brassica, a fast-casual concept. Now with six locations, Brassica is supported by a 2024 investment from Chipotle’s Cultivate Next Fund — the fund’s first-ever investment in another restaurant company– and a true full circle moment for Kevin.

Can you share with our readers a story about what inspired you to become a restaurateur?

I met my wife Katy during our freshman year at Washington University. I was studying mechanical engineering when I moved into my first apartment with a little kitchen. Before long, I was spending an enormous amount of time cooking… too much time. My grades went from the dean’s list to academic probation.

Katy was encouraging me to keep cooking and learning about food and restaurants. She could see how energized I was, and maybe she was enjoying the meals too. We began to dream about one day opening a restaurant together. Thanks to her, I kept pursuing the world of food and hospitality.

Do you have a specific type of food that you focus on? What was it that first drew you to cooking that type of food? Can you share a story about that with us?

Vegetables!

Vegetable based foods have been my focus since the beginning, for the sake of both my personal health and the health of our planet. It helps that Katy was a vegetarian when we were dating and I was learning how to cook. Northstar and Brassica are both conceptualized around signature vegetarian items, and Brassica is named after a family of vegetables.

At the same time, our restaurants aren’t preachy. When you dine with us, you can tell that we’re meat-lovers too. Sometimes a delicious brisket sandwich with french fries is good for the soul.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you became a restaurateur? What was the lesson or take away you took out of that story?

Prior to opening Northstar in 2004, I worked as a manager at Chipotle. I’ve loved the food and have admired their success ever since. They were a significant inspiration in the creation of Brassica. When Chipotle was experimenting with ShopHouse in DC and Tasty Made in Central Ohio, they got my attention, but neither restaurant felt particularly special. What also got my attention around this time was Facebook purchasing Instagram as a tiny company with only 13 employees.

We opened the first Brassica in 2015, and I knew we had just created something very special. The food was delicious, the service was simple and very friendly, the restaurant was beautiful and most importantly, the guest response was wildly enthusiastic and it was packed. That first week, Instagram & Facebook popped into my head and I thought “Chipotle should buy this restaurant! It’s perfect for them!” I actually had a dream that they did.

The next few months went by quickly. I wasn’t expecting to hear from Chipotle, but surprisingly, other interested investors made pitches right away. We didn’t get distracted by the opportunities. We just focused on sharing our joy and delicious food while building a loving fan base. We continued to improve our systems and processes. As the company grew, we considered finding a large investor. A mentor suggested that if we keep running our business as well as we can, the right investor would probably find us. About a year after this advice, and more than seven years after my dream about Chipotle, the Cultivate Next Fund reached out, which ultimately turned into Chipotle becoming an investor in Brassica.

They found us! I honestly couldn’t believe our luck. My take away was that even in this fast-moving world, patience, persistence, and discipline still pay off.

Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? How did you overcome this obstacle?

The early days were defined by relentless hours… We opened the first Northstar with a team of twelve so that our training payroll would be affordable. We didn’t plan for the cafe to be busy in the first year, but it was. The restaurant was incredibly busy. By the end of the first month, we could have used fifty or sixty team members to keep up with demand. We spent every day hiring and training and trying to keep our heads above water. When the holiday season arrived, while my wife and I were working around the clock, our good friends, and the best neighbors in the world, let themselves into our house to put up and decorate a Christmas tree.

The whole next year was more of the same. My brother and future business partner Darren, who was practicing law in DC, would fly out on the weekends to wash dishes and prep food. My sister-in-law was working in the dining room. We opened at 7:30 every morning and closed at 10 every night, seven days a week — except on Fridays and Saturdays, when we stayed open until

There were more than a few nights when I worked through the night prepping ingredients for the next day, took a short nap, and then had another cup of cold brew coffee before unlocking the doors for breakfast. The next year, our neighbors put up and decorated our Christmas tree again!

Making it through that time period with our sanity was only possible thanks to the love and support of our friends and family… and a lot of cold brew coffee.

In your experience, what is the key to creating a dish that customers are crazy about?

Our approach is to create dishes that we’re crazy about. I eat at the restaurants nearly every day, as do many members of our team, and we genuinely love the food. That passion and familiarity shine through. One reason I love our dishes is that we use exceptional ingredients — the same quality I buy for my family at home. From there, it’s about crafting recipes that balance flavors, textures, and temperatures. Finally, the hardest part is the craftsmanship required to prepare each dish perfectly, every time. Our culinary teams do an incredible job!

Personally, what is the ‘perfect meal for you’?

For me, the perfect meal is as much about the context as it is about the food. It’s about the who and the where. All of my most memorable meals have been with special people in special places. One recent summertime favorite is cooking around a campfire by the lake (channeling Francis Mallmann) with family and friends, while sharing a bottle of wine and a beautiful sunset.

Where does your inspiration for creating come from? Is there something that you turn to for a daily creativity boost?

My inspiration usually comes from being outdoors, and being around my incredible kids. Often we are mountain biking or hiking. Meditation also helps me clear my mind, solve problems, and approach life with a creative and healthy mindset. I love Shirzad Chamine’s “Positive Intelligence” approach.

Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? What impact do you think this will have?

In 2025, we are diving into the Baldrige Excellence Framework as a tool for assessing and improving our organization. Our restaurant teams are very high performing and they are full of leaders who are hungry to keep learning. The Baldrige criteria are a perfect resource to help us reach the next level of performance excellence.

What advice would you give to other restaurateurs to thrive and avoid burnout?

It’s important to be focused on your people and your systems. If your people and systems aren’t right for the task, then no amount of work will help you get ahead… you’ll just keep spinning your wheels without getting anywhere. If you have a good team and good systems, then your leadership, passion, discipline, and attention to detail will gain traction, and your restaurant can build momentum.

Thank you for all that. Now we are ready for the main question of the interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Started as a Restaurateur” and why? Please share a story or an example for each.

1 . Quality never goes out of style. Despite continuously evolving food and diet trends and the endless ways that smartphones and technology have transformed every area of our economy and lives… in the restaurant world, the important fundamentals from 20 years ago (i.e. hiring, training, hospitality, ingredients, consistency, etc), are still the basics that matter most today. Whether you want your restaurant to be like the French Laundry or Chick Fil A, remember that trends and technology are all secondary. Operating a great restaurant is still primarily about developing an outstanding restaurant-level team & culture that is committed to quality.

2 . Focus on one thing at a time.

We had been in business a few years and had recently opened our second restaurant when I shared with my dad that I was overwhelmed. He responded with the simplest advice: “just focus on one thing at a time. That’s all you can do.”

Not only was it great advice in that moment, but today, it still helps guide our more complex strategic activities. As an organization grows, it is tempting to try and improve everything at once. We’ve tried. We’ve learned that if we can get our whole team focused on one thing at a time, we are much more effective.

3 . The location is even more important than they say.

We all know the adage “location, location, location.” But when it comes time to sign a lease, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of your vision, and casually overlook a location’s weaknesses. Maintaining discipline when selecting your location will have an oversized impact on your success.

We’ve learned several expensive lessons about real estate over the years. Our third restaurant opened in 2009 in a charming 100-year-old building on the corner of Third Avenue (a side street) and Hollywood Place (an alleyway) in Grandview Heights, Ohio. Third & Hollywood serves delicious American classics with casual elegance. The chef and general manager do a spectacular job leading their awesome team. Nevertheless, because the restaurant is in a quiet neighborhood on the corner of a side street and an alley, it has taken several years longer to gain the loyal, loving, large following that it would have attracted in its first year or two in a higher profile location.

4 . Don’t take criticism personally.

Early on, you are touching so many of the details, it’s easy to feel like everything about your business is personal: every plate of food, every compliment, and every great review. Unfortunately, the negative feedback feels even more personal. A complaint, a bad review, or a resignation from a valued team member can feel devastating. Most of the negative feedback is a valuable opportunity to correct a mistake or improve your business. We’ve always made it a priority to turn these occasions into “wow!” moments for our guests and learning experiences for our team.

Sometimes though, there will be criticism that offers no insight or value. Tune this stuff out and don’t take it personally! No matter how amazing your business is, it won’t impress everyone. I’ve wasted many hours — even days — of productivity and happiness while learning this lesson.

5 . Build a team of strong advisors right away.

I was an eager learner in my 20’s, reading, studying other businesses, and analyzing our successes and failures with my brother, wife, and the other leaders on our team. Yet, I rarely asked outsiders for advice.

After about 10 years, the CEO of a restaurant equipment manufacturer, who would later become an important investor of ours, told me that he waited too long to create his board of advisors. He pressed us to “consider establishing one now.” We did it that year and we also developed a few informal mentoring relationships. The benefit of these folks learning about our business and being invested in our success can’t be overstated. They have provided invaluable guidance and assistance. I waited 10 years too long.

What’s the one dish people have to try if they visit your establishment?

At Brassica — The Falafel Sandwich with Special Sauce is my favorite and it was the main inspiration for creating the restaurant, but don’t order it to go. The best part is the homemade organic wholegrain pita coming right out of the oven, and while there is still steam trapped on the inside, it gets cut open to hold the ingredients. The falafel also has to be cooked just before you eat so that it’s crazy crispy and aromatic from the spices and fresh cilantro. I find the Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies (vegan) irresistible as well.

At Northstar Cafe — The Mushroom Fritatta is a simple dish made with local organic eggs, roasted mushrooms & onions, and a layer of gruyere baked in our hearth ovens. It has been on our menu since day one and become a timeless classic. I like pairing it with a Shooting Star (organic carrot juice mixed with fresh squeezed OJ and ginger) for a colorful, delicious brunch.

At Third & Hollywood — You can’t go wrong with any choice, but the Marinated Hanger Steak served with grilled corn elote has a cult following. It’s soooo good with our La Paloma (fresh grapefruit, tequila and lime). For a lighter option, our Seared Tuna with Chopped Vegetables is a great alternative that is also beloved by our guests.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

Eat more vegetables — especially those in the brassica family — and spend more time enjoying nature.

A vegetable-based, nutrient-dense diet is foundational to healthy living and should be an important part of treating many health challenges. And there seems to be plenty of evidence that time in nature is equally good for your mental health.

At Northstar and Brassica, we throw parties every Earth Day, offering our guests free vegetarian meals all day. For the past 20 years these have been big events that attract thousands of people to celebrate healthy living and a healthy planet.

We also do a significant amount of our restaurant management training and professional development classes in natural environments. These range from one day retreats at state parks, or work days at organic produce farms, all the way to a custom 9-day course held in Utah or Wyoming with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).

Thank you so much for these insights. This was very inspirational!