Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Ware.
Hi Nikki, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always loved to use food as an expression of my love for my family and friends. I was cooking at a young age with my father and making meals for the whole family by the time I was 13. In high school, my favorite class was Home Economics, and my love for baking grew at that time too.
Out of high school, I started working in the construction industry and opened up a construction company with my husband in 1993, Progressive Builders. We incorporated in 2003, and I became Vice President of TSW Builders, Inc. We still have a thriving company in Brea, CA today.
I continued to cook, cater parties, and perfect my cookie recipe. When our daughter was in 5th grade, I decided to take the leap and look at a restaurant career. I worked at the local pizza place, Lamppost Pizza West and started baking and selling my cookies there on a daily basis as well.
My restaurant career took a detour when I found out I was expecting our son at 40 years old! I took a few years off, but my passion for cooking and baking was still strong. When our son started 1st grade, I knew it was my time. I found a small, vacant space in a commercial center, and with the help of my husband and his construction knowledge, I opened Nikki’s Kitchen with my daughter, Cailyn in December 2018.
My vision was a small cafe with a focus on pastries and coffee and a few breakfasts (I knew our city needed a breakfast spot), and a few lunch items. Since then, we’ve spent a few years pivoting through Covid (I knew if we shut down during Covid, we’d never re-open our doors), my daughter and business partner moved out of state, and our menu has grown to more items than I ever thought possible!
With the help of my assistant/manager Nicole Leyva, we’ve created a spot for friends and families to gather, eat, and relax. We have some customers that will stay for hours! We’ve also just launched Mimosas, beer, and wine to add to the dining experience.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Employees! I had no clue we’d grow to have 14 employees. I thought at the beginning it would be me, my daughter, and maybe one or two more employees. I quickly realized that we needed more! Covid was another curve ball. We had just gotten a full year of business under our belt, and we were ready to look back on 2019 and see what we needed to work on for 2020, but when Covid hit, that all went out the window. We had to pivot every couple of months to comply with new regulations and that required re-training staff, etc. When we started to get back to some sense of normalcy, we had to re-train again for those that didn’t know how we were running things before Covid.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We specialize in comfort food made fresh. We serve specialty coffee drinks, breakfast, and lunch. We’re known for our breakfast burritos and avocado toast. Those items have been staples from the beginning, along with our house-made granola. Since opening, we’ve expanded into omelets, pancakes, waffles, and s’mores French Toast. We have a few more items to add to the menu, but we’re running out of room! Our lunch has gained in popularity too. Tuesday and Wednesday are now our busiest days for lunch.
One thing that sets us apart is our love for the community. I’ve lived in Yorba Linda since I was 15 years old, and I currently live just a mile away from the restaurant, so I love giving back to the local community, schools, youth sports, YL Chamber of Commerce and the Yorba Linda Woman’s Club, etc. I also belong to many of these organizations as a volunteer.
One of the things I’m most proud of is how Nikki’s has become a gathering place. We have customers who have become friends, we have menu items that are named after a few of our regulars, and I love that everyone feels so comfortable at Nikki’s. I knew I wanted to create a space that people were drawn to, and with the help of talented friends and my assistant Nicole, that’s exactly what we’ve done.
We offer Breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday from 8am to 2pm. We offer catering and hold private events in our dining room’s newly remodeled hall area, and our courtyard is dog-friendly.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I can’t do everything and take help when it’s offered. At the beginning, I tried to do everything myself. I remember running out of everything in the first week and walking the Restaurant Depot aisle with a heavy cart and nearly in tears. I’ve learned to delegate and manage my time so I can continue to grow the business.
I also spent a lot of time with two business owners who I consider my mentors. Andy Strouse, Lamppost Pizza West Yorba Linda, and Frank Stefano, Stefano’s. They both run successful restaurants in Yorba Linda, and they taught me a ton! I knew business, but I didn’t know the restaurant industry, and their insight was so valuable. I still like to ask them questions now and then when I’m struggling with something.
Contact Info:
- Website: nikkiskitchenyl.com
- Instagram: nikkiskitchenyl
- Facebook: Nikki’s Kitchen
Image Credits
Chasie Conway Photography 714-401-5502 Red Mallard-Content Marketing Agency redmallard.com
