Peoria Heights restaurant has 'touched a lot of lives' over past decade in business

Owning and operating a restaurant was a longtime dream for Hugh Higgins, who began working in kitchens at the age of 15.

He later spent time at an Italian restaurant with his brother, Rudy, in Boston. Heading home after work, Higgins said they would often imagine that “someday, we’ll have our own place.”

Higgins opened Hearth Restaurant in Peoria Heights on Nov. 12, 2013. Over the years, the family business has forged a strong connection with both staff members and the community.

“We've got a nice thing going here … and people sense it, people feel it,” Higgins said. “I’m just glad it worked out. Because I love doing it — I'm tired but I’m happy.”

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Bringing a longtime dream to life

As a young adult, Higgins shifted from working in restaurants to the wine industry.

Higgins said his passion for cooking and trying new foods had stoked a keen interest in wines. Despite his career change, Higgins said his job allowed him to continue working with restaurants and others in the hospitality industry.

“I got to see a lot of great restaurants run extremely well, and I also got to see some very successful restaurants run not so well,” Higgins said.  “And I just kind of thought to myself – I could do that. I know I could do that.”

At 58, Higgins made the decision to pursue his lifelong dream.

He learned how to construct a business plan at Bradley University and soon began searching for a space to call home. As he considered various Peoria-area locations, Higgins said Mary Kilpatrick – who previously owned French Toast in the building – let him know she was planning to retire.

By the time Hearth opened its doors in 2013, Higgins said he “was pretty much all chips in.” He described the first year as the restaurant’s “honeymoon period” but said the following years proved to be more difficult.

“I was learning how to be an owner, how to be a purchasing agent, how to manage labor…” Higgins said. “It was a pretty long learning curve.”

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‘We feel like a family’

Higgins did not have to navigate this new venture alone, however.

His brother Rudy worked as a daytime chef at Hearth for roughly four-and-a-half years, and Higgins’ son, Seth, is the restaurant’s head chef.

Rachel Klein, Higgins’ daughter, eventually became involved with Hearth, as well. Though she works full time as a teacher, Klein helps with hosting and serving during the weekends.

“I want to be at least a little bit more involved,” Klein said. “It's a family business, and I don't have a lot of time. But we sat down one day, and I said, ‘I’d like to be a part of it – whatever that might mean.’”

Over the years, the business has grown to include many longtime staff members.

Sous chef Amanda Flores – who has worked at Hearth for the past decade – said, “everybody here, we feel like a family.” While she always loved cooking at home, Flores said Rudy taught her everything she needed to know when she began working at Hearth.

Now, Flores said, “I'm the only one woman in the kitchen. So, I feel like the mom of everybody there.” She said she is sometimes able to work alongside the restaurant’s student interns. Klein said one of Hearth’s interns was recently accepted into the Culinary Institute of America.

Higgins said this close-knit nature of the employees has "created a very homey environment.” He has brought employees on trips to various food and wine shows and said he works to give everyone on staff the opportunity to learn and grow.

Klein said, “there's never that feeling of rank anywhere” at the restaurant.

This collaborative atmosphere only increased in the wake of COVID-19, as Higgins said the restaurant shifted to a system of tip-sharing. Klein and Higgins said everyone works together to offer the best experience possible for guests.

“It's that constant communication… and not feeling like you’re alone on your island or you’re fighting for tips…” Klein said. “Everybody was already a team, but it just increases that.”

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‘Good stuff takes time’

At Hearth, Higgins said there is a focus on “local farms first.”

Being in the Midwest, Higgins said it is difficult to secure local produce year-round. However, he enjoys going to farmers markets and working with local businesses whenever possible.

Along with this, Higgins said everything on the menu is made fresh.

The chicken confit, for example, sits in a dry brine overnight before being prepared for orders, and Higgins said the roasted tomato soup comes with a three-page recipe. Even the salad dressings and chicken stock, he said, are made in-house.

“Good stuff takes time,” Higgins said. “And a lot of people get it. They can taste the difference and they love the fact that we pay attention to the details.”

Higgins’ son Seth has become a strong force in the kitchen, creating many of the newer menu items.

Much of the original menu was formed from experiences and dishes Higgins was able to enjoy during his previous career, which gave him the opportunity to try “some of the finest food in the world.” Throughout the years, he said his work brought him to wine country and even other countries. Sometimes, he would spend a few extra days in an area to try multiple local restaurants.

“I might order three or four different things and eat as much as I could so I could taste as much as I could, and I kept food journals…” Higgins said. “So, I just hung on to it all this time hoping for something, and something came.”

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‘We've touched a lot of lives’

Over the past decade, Hearth has found its place in the community.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a difficult time, of course, but Higgins said the restaurant found ways to adapt and continue forward. In the end, though, he said “our customers pulled us through.”

Higgins said there is always a healthy turnout for lunch, and weekend dinner crowds often overflow into a private dining area.  As sous chef, Flores said she recognizes many regular customers and knows exactly what they want to order.

“They stop me and (tell) me how good the food was,” she said. “It (feels) good, because that means that we’re doing something good.”

Higgins said Hearth has also played a role in many people’s big milestones – from engagements and rehearsal dinners to anniversaries and 100-year-old birthdays.

For Higgins, the “most touching” community gathering was when Hearth hosted a celebration of life event for a Peoria Heights neighbor – Mary Beth Nebel of I Know You Like a Book. The restaurant closed for lunch that day and served her favorite meal – Hearth’s grilled cheese and roasted tomato soup – to those gathered to remember her.

“We've touched a lot of lives in a lot of ways,” Higgins said. “It's really nice.”

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This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Heights restaurant marks 10 years in business