Authenticity is the key to Chef Jennifer Hill Booker's approach.
📷 Kat Wilson
Chef Jennifer Hill Booker Grows Community with Authenticity and Connection
Jul 29 2024
In the heart of northwest Arkansas, in the arts district of Springdale, locals and visitors can experience the taste of Germany. Bauhaus Biergarten is the innovation of Celebrity Chef Jennifer Hill Booker. She was inspired to share the tastes of Europe to the community after living in Germany where she was a chef while studying German cuisine. Chef Booker has brought the culinary delights of Bratwurst, Jagerschnitzel, and giant Bavarian Pretzels all served with German-style beers in draft, bottle and cans in addition to an array of German, Austrian and European wines. I recently interviewed this renowned chef, cookbook author and Food Network guest about her restaurant business model and success and here are highlights from our conversation.
What makes Bauhaus Biergarten so special?
Authenticity. By combining my real-world culinary experiences having lived in Germany with my business partner, Daniel Hintz background of growing up in Milwaukee where he enjoyed German culture and food, we are proud to bring a taste of Europe to Arkansas. Our Bauhaus Biergarten location is primarily outdoors full of fresh air and space. By leaning into what we both love, we have created a space that is reminiscent of an authentic German Biergarten.
How did your time living in Germany influence your menu?
Over four years, I lived in Ansbach and Heidelberg giving me both county and city perspectives on German cuisine. I was introduced to a wide variety of wonderful foods by dining in restaurants, markets, festivals, and in the homes of my German friends. My most vivid food memory while living there was watching my friend make Jagerschnitzel. a simple fried pork dish with an amazing mushroom gravy that blew my socks off. The pork steak was perfectly seasoned and the breading crisp. The mushroom gravy was a mix of wild mushrooms studded with smoked bacon. It was so delicious that whenever I go to a German restaurant, either here in the States or in Germany, that’s what I always order.
Tell us about your business model to offer memberships. What influenced this decision for your business?
Bauhaus Biergarten offers both membership and dine-in options. But we have created a community with our Stein Club Membership that is built around our beers. Members receive special beer pricing, a monthly newsletter letting them know when we get new beers, a yearly Bauhaus Biergarten T-shirt, and the use of one of our authentic Munich, Germany Oktoberfest steins. We felt that the Stein Club was a cool way to attract both beer aficionados as well as newbies while offering another unique Biergarten offering.
What criteria do you use when curating the selection of beers? Are there any signature specialties on the menu?
All of the beers and wines served at Bauhaus Biergarten must be imported; primarily from Germany or another European country. As far as our menu items, we serve sausages, sauerkraut, German potato salad, spicy mustard (our house blend), and Bavarian pretzels as big as your head. We also have a “Sausage of the Month” which allows us to showcase seasonal and specialty sausages like Weisswurst and Stuttgart sausages.
Tell us about your collaborations with local and national chefs for special menu items and events.
This is one of our favorite initiatives because it allows us to share different cuisines while keeping true to our German concept. One of my favorites has been collaborating with a local chef who specializes in authentic Mexican cuisine. We roasted a whole pig in a Caja Asadora roasting box. It cooked all day long and we made salsa and salads using fresh produce that came from his family farm. Everything was so vibrant, and the flavors were big and bold and of course, served with a German twist.
How did you secure funding for Bauhaus Biergarten?
Securing money for any project can be an arduous journey, more so when looking for funding to open a restaurant. We decided to go the route of investors because it eliminated the stress of making loan repayments. But in retrospect, we should have asked for more money from our initial investors. It turned out that we were undercapitalized. Not by much, but by enough to feel the pinch when small emergencies arose.
What is some advice you would give to a chef who is transitioning into restaurant ownership?
Make sure that you are over-capitalized. Don’t be on the side of having enough to open but not enough to manage your operations while you are building up your customer base. Get more than you think you’ll need because you will likely need it.
Tenyse Williams is an award-winning Brand Strategist, an Adjunct Instructional Specialist at Columbia University and George Washington University, and Founder & Chief Communications Officer of Verified Consulting, leading a team of digital marketing professionals amplifying awareness for their clients. Follow her on LinkedIn.
Expert Takes, Feature, Leader Insights, Women in Restaurant Leadership
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