- Will you consider this?

You've had that itching feeling to do something different then you have a dream and you wake up and say, "Hmm, that's it."

Well, dreams do come true.

And I promise not to squash the details.

Stay tuned.

(upbeat music) She never stopped chasing her dreams, even though they were interspersed with several nightmares throughout the time she was pursuing that one particular dream.

And here to share this story of The Queen of Squash is The Queen of Squash herself.

Heather Wolbeck, welcome.

- Thank you for having me.

- All right, first of all, let's say The Queen of Squash is a restaurant opened at April and very different.

- It is very different.

It's a healthy, casual restaurant.

The whole purpose and whole core concept is to inspire and encourage people to meet their wellness goals.

Wellness isn't a certain and it's a journey throughout your life.

So we try to cater to all different diets.

We're completely gluten free.

We have options for keto, vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free.

We have a couple indulgent items.

We also have a bar, which is unusual for a healthy restaurant.

We really believe in 80% clean eating and 20% indulgent.

We're also phasing in in June a market.

So we'll have lots of high-end grab-and-go family meals and individual prep meals where the macros are listed and you can see all the ingredients and it's clean and convenient.

- All right.

That is our little tease.

Let's get to why you had to change your diet completely and how this all then evolved.

- Well, I had to change my diet 'cause I have diabetes.

I have to follow a pretty low carb diet.

Cannot have pasta or bread or pizza.

- Even gluten-free?

- Sometimes.

Thin crust, gluten-free.

Cauliflower crust works for me.

I really can eat anything, I'm just going to pay the price.

My body's gonna get out of whack, my blood sugar's gonna go high and I'll start cycling up and down.

Fried foods, oil fried foods really affect my body and make me sick now.

So, I just started changing and substituting and cooking so that I could have something that tastes delicious 'cause I wasn't quite happy with-- - Some of the cardboard tasting foods.

(laughs) - Yes, yes, yes.

And when I would travel to the West Coast and East Coast, I would get a lot of inspiration from some of the restaurants out there.

And then I would bring those ideas back and say, "Okay, how can I make this work?"

- Well, the time has come and you have managed to put some things together.

How did you come up with the name The Queen of Squash?

- Well, I was cooking for some local families and I would come in every week and grocery shop for them and prepare meals for them to throw in the oven or that were already cooked.

So I was going to the grocery store quite frequently and buying very clean items.

Sweet potatoes, all kinds of squash, eggplant.

- Mostly organic?

- Yes.

And the cashiers at Kroger on Knoxville, North Knoxville would ask me, "What kind of squash this is?

I've never had this, how are you cooking it?

What are you putting it in today?"

And we just got a rapport and they started calling me The Queen of Squash.

- Well, that's a fun story.

That's really fun.

So you managed to do this for clean, healthy options.

And you're appealing to the working woman.

- Yes.

Most of my clients were very wealthy.

Not many people can afford someone to come in and look at their travel schedule for the week and do all their shopping and making sure everything's clean and meeting a certain carb, calorie and protein amount each day.

So I wanted to bring it to everyone.

Everyone, no matter who you are and what your goal is, if you're trying to lose weight, we're in MyFitness Pal.

You can see the calories, you can see the protein.

If you're trying to increase your protein, we can do that for you.

If you're leading a plant-based life, almost everything on the menu can be modified.

We have no oil, we have a giant air fryer.

- Yeah, that's pretty incredible in itself.

- Yes, it's like a giant rocket ship.

Pretty cool, I'm a little food nerdy.

So, I wanted to bring that to everyone and I just wanted to increase the options because when there aren't options you tend to do what's not so great.

- What's easy.

- What's easy.

- Grab french fries or potato chips or something.

- Yeah or a fast food place and I'm making healthy easy.

- And this is fast?

- It is fast.

- I mean, you'll have eat-in of course.

- Yes, we will start with dine-in only because of staffing issues and training.

And I would be mortified if you had bad service.

So the first couple weeks we'll be dine-in for lunch and dinner and then we will add carry out and online ordering.

And then June 1st we will add the market.

So that will give staff time to get accustomed to the menu and the logistics.

The menu is very different.

Sometimes I will get, "What do I do with this?

How do I eat it?"

(both laughing) - You mean the customers or you?

- The customers.

So this is what this is.

Some things are very unusual or I twist things.

I like to give you those flavors and textures, but without all the fat.

We have one dish it's called Buffalo chicken rissoles.

The inspiration came from Donnelly's fried Buffalo chicken sandwich.

I mean, of course it's wonderful.

- If you ate it.

- If I ate it, my blood sugar would go to 500, 600.

So I wanted to replicate the flavor.

- The flavor.

- And food is comforting.

So when you bite into it, you get the same flavor profile.

But without the oil, without the gluten, there are tons of hidden vegetables inside.

And then we give you options for that when we have a yogurt ranch, a yogurt blue cheese, a vegan ranch, a regular ranch.

We give you options.

Our buffalo sauce is plant-based, but you would not know.

We have no real butter in the facility.

Our buns are toasted with olive oil.

And I have a specific plant-based butter we use in certain things.

- Now, you came out of the corporate world.

Well, nonprofit.

- Correct.

- And what were you doing then?

- I was a development officer.

I was doing fundraising and administration.

I graduated with my master's from Bradley.

And when we had our third child, it got a little difficult with my husband's job.

So then I stayed home and did freelance and then I started cooking for people 'cause it worked with my children's schedule.

- How did that come about?

You just put a word out or you cooked for somebody?

- Yeah, people started asking me to prep meals for them and it was just word of mouth.

(both giggling) - Just mushroomed from there.

- Yeah, it just mushroomed and grew.

And first I was just going to do meal prep business and then, "Heather, we need more options that are dine-in.

We need an experience, we need a destination, we need the whole package.

When you come in, it needs to be beautiful.

It needs to be a place you wanna stay at.

We need to improve the quality of life in Peoria."

I'm a big proponent of that.

I live here, I'm from here.

I wanna make it better.

- But we have a lot of people who have moved here and have been looking for something healthy.

- Correct.

- Like you said from the West or East Coast where they had more options.

- Correct.

We get phone calls and messages nonstop about the menu.

What are the ingredients?

So yeah, I know you're gonna be surprised.

Our business model is a little different.

We are cashless.

- Tell me about that.

- Yes, we are cashless.

I'm sure I will take some grief for that, but it matches our business model.

We do not have standard waitresses.

I feel like that unless it's fine dining, I feel like that system is out of date.

So we have complete order from your table.

So your smartphone tells the bar where you're sitting and what you want to drink.

And your smartphone tells the kitchen on a screen where you're sitting and what you would like to eat.

- But you have to be smart to work a smartphone.

- Correct.

- I'm gonna have a problem.

- Nope.

'Cause we have a standard POS system.

You can just come up and our staff will take your order.

So we can do it each way.

We also have handheld so we can come to you.

But we do equal tip split for the whole staff.

So we are all about teamwork.

If your plate is dirty, you're not gonna have a good experience.

If the prep cooks didn't put the right amount of seasoning in, you're not gonna have a good experience.

If the cook doesn't cook your food right.

Everyone contributes on our team and it's just easier for us with this business model.

It's actually cheaper for me.

I don't have to pay a manager to count cash and I don't have to worry about theft.

So we're a little bit unique in that it will take some time for people to get used to.

- You're 21st century then.

- Yeah.

It's less steps.

You can save your card in the app so next time you come in to eat, it'll recognize you and pull you right up.

- So you're pretty technology savvy?

- I'm trying.

(both laughing) - You're learning.

Now, here's something interesting.

So, your recipes, you don't have any formal training?

- No.

- No formal chef training.

You just like things that taste good and are healthy for you.

- I had a ghost kitchen before we signed a lease at the Christian Center and I tried every single plant-based product known to mankind.

(laughs) And we would just practice and I would take something and I wanna see if I can make this taste good without using the dairy.

And we would just keep practicing which ones.

- Until it did.

- Yeah.

So, we do have some issues right now that we're working through getting the correct products.

Plant-based because of soy and water, specific brands are better for specific dishes.

- Interesting.

- Not many restaurants in Central Illinois cook with the products I need.

So we're getting through those challenges, but yeah.

- Will you do farm-to-table then for some of your supplies or are you allowed to do that?

- Yes.

We already are using local vendors.

We use 309 Cultures.

We use Trailing Smoke for our smoked pork right now.

We are going to completely as much as we can use local once we get open.

It's been a real challenge finding those plant-based products and the gluten-free products that I needed had to come first.

With gluten-free for someone without Celiac to not realize it's gluten free, I have to have certain brands and I've tried all of those brands too.

So, yeah.

- But from what I understand or what I've been reading, Heritage grain, heritage wheat doesn't have the same effect on people with gluten sensitivities.

Have you found that too?

- Yes and we have a sweet potato flatbread.

I'm not opening with 'cause I'm 99% sure it's gluten free, but I need to do that 1% because things keep changing.

Does that make sense?

- Well, you know what?

You see nutrition labels and you don't even recognize what some of the words are because that labeling has been changed just to sneak things in.

- Correct.

And it needs to be certified, it needs to be clean so there's no contamination.

We do have vegan buns for our handhelds, but we have a separate grilling thing and a color coded spatula and they switch their gloves.

And I'm pretty sure there's no gluten in it, but just to be safe I told them to check.

(laughs) I mean, we are catering to a lot of different diets and allergies and if they eat something they can't, they're gonna get sick and that's on me.

- Another bad experience.

- That is on me.

So I am very, very protected of that and making sure that we come out as we say we are.

I don't want people to be deterred when they hear the word gluten-free.

- Or squash.

- Or squash.

You will not know, it's going to surprise you.

It is definitely going to surprise you.

Now, some things I could not make vegan, I could make vegetarian.

I just gave up.

It's a lot about switching flours, switching bases.

- No eggs, no dairy.

- Correct.

We can accommodate a lot.

For a restaurant, I drive my general manager absolutely crazy 'cause we have so many different modifications.

But it's what our area needs.

We need that.

- So, you had this dream.

You've been working on this for six or seven years?

- I incorporated it and had the logo made in 2017.

And our oldest daughter was at the University of Arizona, which is very expensive.

- But a lot of clean eating out there.

- Yes, wonderful restaurants that I could have many items at out there.

A lot of inspiration from those restaurants.

I quickly realized we needed to get her through college (both laughing) before I spent our entire savings on a restaurant.

And then she graduated in 2019.

I was like, "Okay, let's get back to this."

So then my broker and I were looking at spaces and then COVID hit.

Well, we were literally looking at spaces, quarantine hit, and I said, "I can't risk my family financially right now.

Let's see how this pandemic plays out.

I'm just gonna quietly keep looking."

So we looked everywhere in the city.

Some things fell through.

And then eventually I'm like, "I have to open this.

This is my passion.

I've never been more certain of my purpose in life."

I mean, maybe it's a midlife crisis, I don't know, but I just feel so much peace.

- It's a good one.

- Like this is what I'm meant to do.

So then we selected the location in finally 2002.

- 2002?

2022.

- The beginning of 2002.

Yes, what is it?

See, it's been so long.

It's been so long.

2021, we were working on the recipes and changing things.

2022 at the beginning we signed the lease and then we have had very significant challenges, which we got through and we're just gonna forget about all those challenges and we are opening.

- Yeah, keep going.

Now, you've had several chefs, several friends help you to develop your menu.

Now, have they had special training or they're in it with you where let's make this so it's pretty and it tastes good?

- Jared Ford from Peoria's Neighborhood Chef, he has been helping me, especially converting how do I make this in a restaurant setting?

'Cause that is different than a home setting.

- Right, dinner for four.

- There were a lot of things I wanted on the menu.

You can't hold it.

We're not gonna be able to get the lettuce on a consistent basis.

- What you need for that.

- Just because our area in the country that would be better in the market.

So him and I really collaborated.

We really have a partnership.

- And he's a skinny cook.

- Yes, I don't know.

- You're never supposed to trust a skinny cook.

(laughs) - No, he can eat whatever he wants.

It's very frustrating.

And he doesn't eat clean.

But I've taught him a few things and surprised him like, "Oh, this is really good."

- Good, good, good, good.

- So yeah, we have a great partnership.

He's gonna be selling some of his charcuterie boards and some of his prep mails that I like out of my market.

Along with some other local chefs and vendors.

I wanna keep my ecosystem and my supply network as much as local as possible.

- You're helping promote them and their preferences and that's really very, very generous of you.

- I mean, I would rather give my GM a check or multiple checks or cash and go down to the farmer's market and just buy them all out.

- And you're right there.

- I'm right there.

- So we need to say where you are.

You're on Glen right in front of the Metro Center.

- Correct.

I'm at the Metro Center.

1108 West Glen in Peoria.

- Okay, well now, so what was that?

Oh, your menu isn't always going to stay the same.

You're gonna mostly be seasonal.

You'll change it quarterly?

- We will change it quarterly unless it's a very popular item.

So that was a challenge too because we were delayed so many times.

We had the summer menu, then we had the fall menu, and then we had the winter menu.

So it's been full circle and now we have a spring menu.

So we had to keep switching items to make sense for the season.

- Right, but you can hang on to those very same things so that you can once spring is over then you move into summer and you've got all that already done.

You got that behind you already.

- Yeah, we have 12 soup recipes that we're gonna start with four and rotate.

So, a lot of it's done.

I'm just really excited for people to taste the food.

It is not what you think it's gonna be and it's just I'm a little extra.

It's a little over the top.

It's not fine dining.

We're like a hybrid.

We're above a Panera, but everything is garnished like it is fine dining and we're just really trying hard to give you an experience and a destination.

We have this huge patio that's gone up.

We're going to put a roof on it and have dropdowns for the winter.

So when it's January and February here instead of all of us complaining how cold it is, we can sit out there with heaters, have a glass of wine, some water, whatever, and enjoy some great food.

- So, you said that you will have alcohol, but you'll only have wine and beer, right?

At least at first you won't have a full bar?

- It is not a full bar.

We do have some specialty cocktails all named after Queens and princesses.

- Okay, such as?

Let's hear it.

- We have the Princess Diana Mojito.

It's purple, it's different layers of purple.

(both giggling) So we do have some cocktails 'cause we believe 80/20 life that if you can at least eat clean 80% of the time, that's a realistic goal.

You'll see all kinds of greenery within the facility.

And it has hidden meaning.

The greenery represents we use so many plant-based products.

But the hidden meaning is oftentimes we're different sizes.

Our bodies, our minds, our spirits.

We're all in different spots in our lives.

We're all on different paths and it's okay.

So we're really in inspirational and encouraging.

Wherever you're at, you are enough.

Whatever your goals are this week.

Whether it's to drink more water, eat no fried food, work out more, add cardio, whatever it is, we have food, drink and we want to encourage you to meet those goals.

- So how often have you thought you're out of your mind?

And I know that you had gym memberships and everything, but you didn't have time for yourself.

- Correct.

- Are you finding time for yourself right now?

- No.

(laughs) I'm hoping a couple months after opening I can get back to self-care.

We do have, speaking of that, we have one happy hour a week.

It's on Thursdays, it's called Wine Down Thursdays.

And we have a couple appetizer specials that are just on those days.

A cocktail and a wine special.

And we do something for self-care every Thursday that rotates.

Sometimes we have chair massages you can buy.

Sometimes we have Lululemon pop-up boutiques.

But we have that scheduled I think through October right now.

So every Thursday we're promoting something to pause, eat something healthy and do something for yourself.

- And that's for men and women alike?

- [Heather] Men and women.

- Well, that sounds like a great idea.

And that's another thing.

Well, maybe you can even find time for yourself on Thursdays.

- Correct.

We have some events planned.

We have yoga from Yoga Projekt, Sculpt Mode Fitness is doing some things.

So we're really bringing in opportunities for you to come, get some exercise, meditate, whatever it is and then enjoy healthy food.

- Have they reached out to you or did you find them?

- Both.

A lot more people have been reaching out.

I have told them I need to open (laughs) and then I will reach back.

I'm all about collaboration, cross marketing.

House of Barbell is doing some things with me.

Styles has reached out.

I think the community is really gonna, I hope, I've spent every penny I have on it.

I hope the community is gonna embrace us and I think they will 'cause it is needed.

- Well, you're offering a lot.

- Correct.

- And you don't think you're doing too much?

Are you pacing yourself here?

- I don't think it's going to be too much since we're phasing everything in.

And you asked me if I thought I was crazy, yes.

I have two more concepts I wanna bring that are more casual, but I want this one to be more of an experience and a destination.

- Two more in addition to The Queen of Squash restaurant?

- In addition to this.

I don't wanna tell you the names.

- Okay, well no, that's okay.

That's okay.

I'm not asking you to do that.

But this is going to appeal to people.

We've got several different generations who will be interested in this.

But again, you're kind of aiming for the women between 35 and 55 'cause they're still really busy with kids in the workforce?

- Correct, but we're for everyone.

I had some good friends recently have heart attacks already and a whole host of medical issues and it really was a wake up call to many people that we have to fuel our bodies correctly.

If we don't, they break down.

Our bodies need water, our bodies need a certain kind of food and make up of food.

And if we don't provide our bodies that, they're gonna shut down.

That's reality.

We'd all love to eat loaded fries and nachos, but it's not good for your body and things are gonna start to break down.

- And you don't even call them appetizers, you call them sharables because they're big enough portions and people can kind of dig in.

- Correct.

Probably one of the things I'm most proud of is our vegan queso.

I think it took 50 tries.

- But you got it.

- But you do not know it's vegan.

We're Midwest, we took it in a crockpot to a Super Bowl party and didn't tell anyone it was plant-based and nobody knew.

- You got it.

(Heather laughing) Well, thanks for being here, Queen of Squash.

- Thanks for having me.

- And thanks for coming up with all these fresh ideas for all of us.

And I hope you like those ideas and might need to check it out.

Thanks for joining us.

Hope you learned a lot.

Stay safe and healthy while we're on the topic and hold happiness.

(upbeat music)