After 40 years of scooping homemade flavors and watching their surroundings grow from bean fields to buildings, Hans and Judy Biermann were ready for retirement. They found the right buyers, and new ownership took effect on Monday. We sat down to speak to the new management team during their recent grand opening over a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough.
We share a mutual Vegas friend and appetite for Orange County eats with Dennis Cheng, but had no idea what he was working on until last week's invitation. Dennis was up front in stating how they wanted to retain the vibe and decor of the dessert shoppe. The recipes, name, location and staff remain the same, “(The) only improvements we're looking at are related criticisms that we've read on Yelp.”
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What was he referring to? Occasional lapses in customer service was one general theme. Another being the restaurant's inability to accept credit cards. Feedback directed towards the quality of individual menu items will be addressed as needed. One goal down the line would be to open up additional locations. Our suggestion would be a modest website, plus social media when they are ready to build their fan base for future openings.
Co-owner Cole Gatchell's friendship with Dennis goes back a decade, where they met playing games of basketball. The opportunity was discovered by Cole,
who overheard that the operation was up for sale. After teaming up with
Cheng, the two made the purchase a few months ago. Since then, Cole has
become the resident sugar daddy in the kitchen, learning all of Hans' recipes. Fun fact: They use half a watermelon in every batch of their watermelon sherbet.
Per Gatchell, “He was happy that a young guy would take it over and do with it more than he could do.” Meticulous in the way he makes ice cream, but laid back in his approach to interacting with customers, Hans set a standard of service Cole is comfortable maintaining.
If all goes as planned, the subtle changes will not only improve, but enhance the overall customer experience. Just remember to whip up a batch of cinnamon in time for Thanksgiving.
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A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.