Today we’d like to introduce you to Regan Lehman Pillar.
Hi Regan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
We started Culinaria as a catering company in the fall of 2009. The inspiration for starting a business in the hospitality industry was Aaron’s incredible cooking skills and my ability to run a business, which I learned from helping two friends start a salon. We also both have many years of experience in bars and restaurants.
Though we did not intend to turn into a restaurant at any point, by 2017 the ebbs and flow of the catering industry had become less and less tolerable, and we needed to make a change. Initially, we decided to open as a weekend restaurant (Thursday-Saturday) and maintain our catering schedule, which we did until the pandemic required us to close our doors indefinitely.
We ended up spending 2020 formulating a path forward, trying to predict what may be in store for our industry. It was at that time that we built out our patio and began focusing on a restaurant-only future.
We reopened in April 2021 to tremendous fanfare. The enthusiasm of diners after the long hiatus breathed new life into Culinaria, and we began a new era with twice the seating capacity and, ultimately, more restaurant days. Today we are open Wednesday-Saturday for happy hour and dinner as well as Sunday brunch.
Culinaria’s story is three parts–the catering years filled with hundreds of weddings and special events, all fully customized and featuring our made-from-scratch cuisine followed by three years in our hybrid model of a small 15-table restaurant, plus catering and events and now our restaurant only era. It’s been quite a journey!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road at all!
The catering industry is very challenging on its own, but even more challenging in combination with a restaurant. So the first 10+ years were honestly pretty brutal! We also offered fully customized catering, meaning we would create a specialized menu for each event. Aaron has an incredibly broad repertoire of cuisines he can make, so we were the go-to company for people looking to highlight their culture in the menu of their special event.
When we started the restaurant and choose to feature Mediterranean cuisine, we began to narrow our catering options, but the tendency for events to fall on the same days as our restaurant services caused the combination of offerings to continue to challenge our process. We spent the restaurant/catering era in a near-constant battle between a need for revenue and the undeniable obstacles in execution. It was rough.
The other major challenge was, of course, the covid pandemic in 2020. Though quite intense and uncertain to move through at the time, it did pave the way to our current service structure, which is the best version yet!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Culinaria of today is a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, featuring made-from-scratch cuisine along with a fun and carefully crafted bar program. We take pride in creating truly memorable dining experiences that feel both elevated and approachable.
Housed in a historic stone building in East Lawrence, Culinaria offers a space that feels both timeless and transporting. Our beautifully landscaped patio (designed by Aaron, whose artistic eye extends beyond the kitchen) has become a favorite spot for guests—it’s common to hear people say that dining here feels like escaping to the south of France or the Italian countryside.
What sets us apart most is not only the food and drink but the feeling we strive to create. We invest deeply in training and empowering our staff to provide warm, genuine hospitality. Our team takes pride in making guests feel at home—because that is the heart of our vision. One of our favorite compliments came from a guest who said that dining at Culinaria felt like being invited to a dinner party at our home. That’s exactly the experience we want people to have: a place where they can relax, savor, and enjoy a little mini-break from everyday life.
We’re known for our attention to detail and our commitment to excellence, but never with pretension. Every dish, cocktail, and interaction is thoughtfully considered, so that our guests leave not just nourished, but uplifted.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
We did a lot on our own before finding mentorship and networking opportunities–if I were to do it all over again, I would have sought community long before we actually did! At this stage in our business, we have incredible built-in networking opportunities through the Lawrence restaurant community in general as well as my participation on the Lawrence Restaurant Association board.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.culinariafoodandwine.com
- Instagram: @culinaria_ks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/culinariaks
