By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org
To make nitro coffee is not an easy task. You have to know the right combination of coffee and nitrogen to create the thick, velvety drink.
“It is similar to that of a Guinness,” said executive Chef Joseph VanHorn. Similar in that from a distance a freshly pored Guinness and a nitro coffee might look the same as the nitrogen bubbles add a frothy, milky layer that moves from top to bottom. That, and like its stout counterpart, nitro is kept in kegs.
All City Nitro Coffee and Tea is just one of the feature items at VanHorn’s newly opened YoChef’s Cafe, 34 44th St. SE, Kentwood.
About two years ago, when VanHorn relocated his catering business, YoChef Catering Co., to the 44th Street location, he knew the space was too big for just an office with his goal set on opening a restaurant. This was not an endeavor that VanHorn was unfamiliar with as he owned and operated a restaurant in Wyoming and another at the Ferris State University’s Kendall College of Art and Design. Along with the 10-year-old catering business, VanHorn currently operates a food truck in the summer.
So when preparing to open his newest venture, YoChef’s Catering, VanHorn decided he wanted to elevate the dining experience.
“We are using the freshest ingredients possible,” VanHorn said as he walked around the space that features about a dozen tables, a counter with a coffee bar, and menu board.
“We spent two days in a coffee brewing lab to learn the intricate techniques in making coffee,” VanHorn said, adding that through a partnership with Ferris Coffee, he will be purchasing smaller quantities of beans that will be ground on site to ensure the freshest coffee possible.
The menu itself features a mix of popular items from the YoChef’s former restaurants as well as favorites from the company’s food truck such as the Chicken Basil Pesto and the Asian BBQ pork.
“People would ask, where can I get this when the truck was not out,” VanHorn said. “Now they have a place to go to get their favorite items.”
The menu features a variety of breakfast items, fresh salads, and grilled sandwiches such as the new Frank’s Westside Kielbasa with a special sausage being made by Frank’s Market for the sandwich, VanHorn said. The soups will be made-from-scratch daily with patrons able to check the website www.YoChefsCatering.com for the day’s soups.
“I also have a pastry chef on staff,” VanHorn said. “The pastry case will have a limited selection of bake goods available each day. We want to keep it as fresh as possible.”
VanHorn said he is excited to show off the talents of his team through the new venture, which for now will be open for breakfast and lunch. The restaurant will be open 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday – Saturday. As demand increases, VanHorn said he will consider expanding the hours.
“Our primary focus is the business community,” said VanHorn, who noted that the location is surround by offices and businesses. And since business workers do not always have a lot of time for lunch, patrons can order through the website, www.YoChefsCafe.com, scheduling a time for pick up. The YoChef’s Cafe is also partnering with UberEats and can be reached by phone at 616-214-7736.
