Madeline Buechter shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Madeline, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
My relationships, inside and outside of my restaurant. I’ve always taken my friendships really seriously, and I bring that energy to my guests as well. I want people to feel seen and recognized when they come in frequently and support us. If that’s remembering what they like to drink or just stopping by their table to say hi, I think it’s really important to form those relationships and be really real with people. At the end of the day, we’re all just people, no one above or belong another. My friendships are my lifeline. I’m a sponge when it comes to people; I love to learn from them, connect with them, and hopefully, spoil them. A true people person.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Madeline Buechter, and I’m the co-owner of Barbacoa in Troostwood. My business partner and I opened Barbacoa almost 3 years ago, after running a few different food stalls and food truck around the KC metro area. I run our front of house and beverage program, as well as curating craft bonbons for our dessert menu. Before teaming up with my business partner, Roman Raya, I was in the chocolate production world. I learned how to make chocolate from the bean, and then learned the art of confection. Making chocolate is my favorite part of my work. It lets me be creative and have fun with flavors, and feel really accomplished knowing I made all of the ingredients myself. I love bartending, don’t get me wrong! But I really love how much of my own hands go into chocolate making. Our restaurant is special. We have a wonderful blend of traditional Mexican cuisine and American barbecue, as well as a craft cocktail beverage program. Small, intimate, neighborhood spot has always been the dream, and we made it a reality!
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
One of my mentors has always been Katrin Heuser, co-owner of Affäre. I met Katrin when I worked as a hostess in college at Starker’s Reserve on the plaza. I was 18 and had only worked in casual restaurants, and was totally addicted to the industry and the many different people I met. Katrin left the Starker’s to open her own restaurant, with her husband Martin, Affäre. About a year after they opened, and Starker’s closed, I went to host for her. I moved through almost every position imaginable in the 6 years I spent at Affäre. From serving, to bartending, to social media management, to events. And I saw what a strong, powerful, thoughtful woman could look like running a business, while also being an excellent mother and wife. Without meaning to, Katrin showed me how to run a restaurant, how to keep calm when things were hectic, and how to take a break when it was necessary. I owe a lot of my success to being under her wing for so many years.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Find a good therapist and you do not HAVE TO go to college. Whether you’ve been through extreme hardships or not, a therapist WILL make things more clear, and be a sounded board for you in times of trouble. There were so many years in my 20’s that I “wanted” to be in therapy, but was scared or unsure how to start, you know, all the normal excuses. But that’s my true wish, is that I could go back and explain how helpful it would be to me, especially during my 20’s. I was so lost and confused about who I was and who I wanted to be, I feel regret for wasting so much time in the wrong fields. I went to college because I was told I had to. It was expected of my generation to go straight to college and “figure it out”. But for me, it was a waste of money, time, and my confidence. Because I didn’t fit the college mould I tried to force myself into, I resented the people around me. The people who told me to go, the peers who knew exactly what they wanted, and the family/friends who told me to be someone I wasn’t. Listening to yourself is really hard when your young; you haven’t built that trust up within yourself yet. So I say again, find a good therapist. They will help you learn to listening to yourself.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That this industry, the restaurant industry, isn’t a “real job”. Being a restaurant industry worker can be really lucrative and amazing for a lot of different people going through lots of different phases of their life. It’s great in college when you have a flexible schedule. It’s great when you’re a single mom and have to make money quick. It’s great when you love wine and want to get certifications, so you have access to more wines. There are lots of reasons people choose this industry. And the one reason I’ve found isn’t quite good enough for people is: I love it. The pure love of the game never seems to makes sense to those outside of the industry. Your weekends are taken, your holidays may be interrupted, you don’t have a set schedule. Before owning my own place, I was consistently asked “are you also in school?” “do you have another job?” “what’s next, though?”. And this happens to my servers now. Having a restaurant industry job IS enough. Loving your job IS enough. Just because it doesn’t makes sense to the ‘normal’ public, don’t make it bad or not worth doing.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely. I generally have a pretty hard time taking praise. I like to make people feel special and happy, and I don’t need to be praised for that. I’m a natural observer. I like to sit back and watch from afar. My favorite thing to do is spy on folks when they try something new I’ve made and see their faces light up. The confirmation of seeing them happy or satisfied is the joy for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.barbacoakc.com
- Instagram: @barbacoakc
- Other: Personal Instagram: @MadBue
Image Credits
Headshot: Adri Guyer
Chocolates: Madeline Buechter
