A Conversation with chef/owner Brad Reihl
text+photos Jorge Perezchica
Heyday: the period of one’s greatest popularity, vigor, or prosperity — Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. Meet chef/owner Brad Reihl. When it came time to naming his business, he kicked around ideas that connected to something kind of timeless, classic, simplicity, yet doesn’t go out of style — and voila! ‘The Heyday’ was born. Even the logo imbues simplicity and retro vibes, from the bright red to script lettering, it fits perfectly in a city revered as a mecca for mid-century architecture and design. Step inside The Heyday at The Hilton Palm Springs location and you’ll be greeted by a friendly staff. The overall atmosphere is relaxed and comfy. Aesthetically, the interior decor comes mostly as is from the hotel with the exception of a few art pieces and a vase from local friends at Superbloom. This adds a splash of color to an otherwise neutral color palette.
The Heyday menu is simple: burgers, fries and comfort food. Served fresh with quality ingredients. The Heyday’s top-seller is called ‘Smash Burger.’ Order a single patty or a double if you’re really hungry. I opted for the veggie burger called ‘Magic Mushroom’ and found to be surprisingly flavorful. It is developed to imitate the Smash Burger, but it is going to change quite a bit to be fully vegan, said Brad.
Since moving in, The Heyday has found stability under the Hilton’s roof. But to get there, the journey wasn’t always clear or easy for the founder, Brad Reihl. As the proverbial expression goes: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. In this case, Brad made burgers.
Originally from Orange County, California, Brad comes from a family of Italian and French descent. He quit culinary school but paid his dues working in restaurants and bartending before moving out to the Coachella Valley in 2018 with his fiancé Crystal. After the couple got married, they launched The Heyday as a pop-up at local events, breweries, Smorgasburg Los Angeles and The VillagFest street fair that takes place every Thursday night in downtown Palm Springs. The Heyday steadily built momentum until the COVID pandemic hit and turned everything topsy-turvy. But this didn’t stop The Heyday. As a testament to Brad’s resiliency and perhaps with a little luck, he was able to pivot The Heyday and steward the business forward.
Next, The Heyday transitioned into curbside pickup for a little over a year at The Cole, a hotel on the Uptown District in Palm Springs. It worked so well, that Brad almost has survival’s remorse, he confides. Once The Cole was ready to reopen, it needed the kitchen space back. But when one door closes — another one opens. And The Heyday didn’t miss a beat. That intermediate time at The Cole proved to be a good training ground for The Heyday’s next phase: The Hilton Palm Springs. In the span of four years, The Heyday went from idea to reality, from pop-up to a brick and mortar restaurant with a supporting staff.
Now, Brad is seeing his vision come into focus more clearly. He plans to stretch his culinary skills and add new items to the menu that he’s been craving to explore. As of recent, lobster rolls are back. Brad also thinks about opening in other locations when the right opportunity comes along. But for now, this is Brad’s baby.
Back in June, I had the opportunity to sit down with The Heyday founder, Brad Reihl for a conversation. We covered a variety of topics to get to the meat of the story (pun intended). To my surprise, Bad is a natural storyteller. So, sit back and enjoy the read. And when you get hungry, give The Heyday a try.
COACHELLA MAGAZINE: Hi Brad, introduce yourself to the world and tell us more about your background in the food industry.
BRAD REIHL: My name is Brad Reihl. I was born and raised in Orange County, California. I went to culinary school and dropped out. I went to regular college too, dropped out of that as well. But then, I worked in bars, restaurants, front of the house, back of the house, bartending, did the whole thing. And once, I kind of started another business that was completely unrelated to food, completely unrelated. And I sold that because I was kind of like burning out.
I moved out to Palm Springs in March of 2018. So a little over four years ago. I moved out here with my fiancée. We got married in May, like right away. And we were like, “What are we gonna do?” (Laughs) And it was her idea — she was like, “Why don’t we dip our toe back into food?”
I had this idea for a burger concept and we started at VillageFest slinging burgers for people. And we did that consistently all the way up until the pandemic hit. So that would’ve been February, 2020, so it would’ve been maybe just shy of a year and a half.
CM: Would you say the pandemic was like a blessing and a curse?
BRAD: Like, completely. (laughs).
CM: But everything worked out in your favor eventually, right?
BRAD: That’s right. It’s a little bit of a weird thing to talk about, because we almost have like, survival’s remorse. We have so many friends, industry mates that really, really struggled and our concept luckily, we were able to pivot. So we did like a drive through for like a whole year where we were selling just time slots online. We kept everybody nice and socially distanced and it kind of blew up our business to be honest.
We were doing really, really well at VillageFest and all the other pop-ups that we were doing. We’d go out to LA and do Smorgasburg and all kinds of different things. But truthfully, everybody being at home and looking for something that they could go and experience distanced in their car — even if they were just driving from LA, parking in a car, having us run food out to them and enjoying it, and then go back home. It was kind of like, a cool thing for them to be doing, you know? So yes, it was a was a blessing for us. Obviously it curses for a bunch of other people that were affected so negatively, but we got kind of lucky.
CM: You were at The Cole hotel prior to moving into the Hilton Palm Springs. That was just curbside pickup right?
BRAD: It was just pickup. It was well, just shy of a year. It was February of 2020 all the way up until like the first week of January, 2021. We were then looking for a place to work. They (The Cole) then needed that kitchen restaurant space, because their hotel is opening and they started having the need to utilize the space. It left us kind of needing a home to operate out of. And, truthfully in January, 2021, there still weren’t events happening. So we didn’t know how we could do pop-ups at breweries or wine bars or anything.
And one day ownership here at this Hilton (Palm Springs) just reached out to us, just completely cold. And so we took them up on their opportunity and started chatting with them, and they allowed us to use their space. We struck a really friendly deal. I think it’s hopefully mutually beneficial. I think we bring people to the bar and stuff like that, but yeah, it kept us operating.
CM: Did that experience at The Cole prepare you for the move-in at the Hilton?
BRAD: Absolutely. I hadn’t worked in a restaurant or in food service in probably 10 years at that point, or maybe even a little bit longer. So our experience at The Cole hotel, in the north end of Palm Springs, we were able to kind of slowly get back into the routine a little bit. And it was only halfway, right? We’re just dropping off food to cars, we’re doing takeout, but it got us kind of like back into the groove of what that looks like. “What does it look like to serve people in a safe manner?”
And then when we finally got here, we were much better prepared to understand how to fill that volume. Cuz we went from pop-up where we’re doing, you know, X amount and our drive-through really, really started pumping off, kicking off. We come here and it was kind of more the same. So it was like, “wow” like “How do we order appropriately?” I hate food waste. So, how do we make sure that we have enough, but not too much? So yeah, there were plenty of challenges, but it really prepared us well.
CM: Do you still do pop-ups? I’ve seen you guys at Las Palmas Brewery recently.
BRAD: Every now and then. We are very close friends with them. Sam and Ray they’re the sweetest people in the world. It’s kind of like our ‘Cheers’ our watering hole, the place that we like to go and hang out at. And so anytime we can kind of collaborate on a beer or get-together for a special event, we’ll absolutely work together. Because that’s kind of like old-school for us. We actually like that, you know. I love cooking out on the street. It feels fun.
“What is something kind of classic? What epitomizes what we care about, the simplicity, yet good quality food?” And, and my mom was like, oh, you’re kind of talking about like ‘the heyday.’ And we were like, ‘Whoa, that’s it, that’s it right there!” — Brad Reihl
CM: How did the restaurant name “The Heyday” come about?
BRAD: It was actually my mom who named it. We were kicking around ideas for what this was going to be. We really didn’t know. And we were talking about something that was timeless and interesting and classic and something that doesn’t go outta style. Everything is so cyclical and kind of so fast nowadays. We’re like, “What is something kind of classic? What epitomizes what we care about, the simplicity, yet good quality food?” And, and my mom was like, oh, you’re kind of talking about like “the heyday” of whatever. And we were like, “Whoa, that’s it, that’s it right there!” So that’s kind of how it came about.
CM: Was hamburgers your favorite food or is that something you focused out of practicality?
BRAD: It was practical. Yeah. You nailed it. We came here to open up a pizzeria. That’s what the original Heyday was. We had a lease signed for a restaurant downtown. The guy sold the building. And so we were left with really no other options. So we kind of looked around for another place and we couldn’t find anything. Commercial real estate is really, really difficult in this town. And we got to a point to where, we can just go way more casual with this thing. Go pop-up style, hit the streets, become a part of this community, start understanding the community and cook in front of people. The problem is, I didn’t have a way to do that with pizza, the way that I would really like to do pizza. I had this other burger concept kind of in the back of my mind, this is something that I would just do at home. And it became “the thing.”
CM: The Heyday is owned by you and your wife Crystal. How do you guys share all the responsibilities?
BRAD: She might have a different answer than I would, but it’s difficult. Everything’s going great. 10 outta 10. I couldn’t wish for anything better. But, there are hard days when a husband and wife are relying upon the same income. It can be really, really difficult. Also when you’re working so closely together, you forget sometimes you’re not only business partners, but you are romantic partners.
And it’s important to take some time off and, or switch it off in the evening and become a husband to my wife rather than a business partner. She does a lot of the payroll, HR computer work. I do a lot of the development in the kitchen. Not so much in the kitchen anymore. I still develop everything. But I work closely with Jerry Ibanez. Who, hopefully you guys can meet because he’s really taken our business to the next level. We met him a little over a year ago and he’s really made us professional for lack of a better term. He’s a guy with a ton of experience and he took the menu that I created and push it forward. So that’s kind of how the jobs get divvied up though.
CM: And how’s everything been working out so far here at The Hilton Palm Springs?
BRAD: Incredible. They treat us so well. We are inside of a big corporate hotel, yet it doesn’t feel that way at all. They leave us alone for the most part. When we do have interactions, we check in with management and with ownership, and it’s really about “How are things going? Are things mutually beneficial? How can we do better?” You know, it feels more mom and pop than you would think it would. So I mean, we’re just grateful for the opportunity. We just wanna keep operating. That’s the only way this thing keeps working is if we’re open, you know what I mean?
CM: Did you grow up in a family of cooks?
BRAD: My mom is a great cook. My dad can cook. Doesn’t cook very often. Both of my grandmothers are really great cooks. Half my side of the family is Italian. The other half is French, and we got some other things mixed in. It’s kind of interesting to see how my mom cooked when I was a kid all the way up through a teenager. And how now, when we’re developing things, her habits or these things that she inadvertently taught me, even though she wasn’t really teaching me, it was just what I would see her doing, how those things leak into the menu. You know, sauce making and things of that nature and how it can be so Italian, but also so French at the same time or whatever.
Also, it’s really, really fun to see my wife is Mexican. Her dad is from Mexico and her mom is from Southern California. But to see how her heritage finds its way into our cuisine as well, not just our home cooking, the things that we’re doing when we’re alone, but how it can kind of sneak into the menu. And I love that.
CM: Can you see the menu evolving more clearly?
BRAD: Actually, that’s something that I hope to explore more, now that we’re doing good. It’s established. What we have to do is freshen up the menu, revamp it. And now we have a little bit of freedom. People like what they’ve had. I’d like to show them something else. We’re gonna keep the classics on the menu, but let’s do more. Let’s take another step and kind of explore in ways that we didn’t feel like we had the freedom to do before. We felt like we had to play the hits a little bit and keep it really, really simple and kind of not basic, but what a normal burger joint would be. Now, we get to expand on that. And so, I’m actually excited to see what the next year looks like. I’m gonna toy around during summer. And let’s push it a little bit, you know?
CM: Do you plan on eventually opening a restaurant outside of The Hilton hotel? Is that your ultimate goal or?
BRAD: It’ll happen at some point. What I’ve learned with this through, the last few years, is to not put the cart before the horse. We’re really happy with our situation here. If another situation presents itself, in which we’re ready for, we will explore that. But it would be in addition to, we love what we’re building here and we keep wanting to flex that out and keep going. But if there’s another opportunity, of course we would think it. Something hopefully downtown at some point, or maybe heading to east valley…everybody thinks this area is just Palm Springs and it’s not, it’s a valley, right?
CM: What’s the most popular item?
BRAD: “Smash Burger.” Yeah. Single or a double. If you’re hungry, get a double.
CM: You also have for a veggie burger.
BRAD: We do. Yeah.
CM: Do you see that industry gaining more traction?
BRAD: We do. There’s a little bit of news when it comes to our vegetarian burger. Currently, it is vegetarian. We call it our “Magic Mushroom.” We developed it to imitate our Smash Burger, not to imitate meat in any way. Tastes like vegetables, mushrooms, and peppers and spices. But we are actually going to take that and we’re going to be changing it quite a bit. It is going to be vegan now, not just vegetarian, but fully vegan. So hopefully the next time you guys cruise by it will be fully developed. We’re working on it right now. It’s not ready for the menu.
“I think cooking for somebody is maybe the most romantic thing that you could do. It’s intimate. What you make for somebody, they’re actually putting inside their body. They’re consuming it. That’s a pretty incredible thing.”
CM: What do you enjoy most about the food industry?
BRAD: Oh, man. Geez. I think cooking for somebody is maybe the most romantic thing that you could do. It’s intimate. What you make for somebody, they’re actually putting inside their body. They’re consuming it. That’s a pretty incredible thing. If you think about it. If we can be a target on somebody’s list on a vacation or be a target because somebody’s celebrating a birthday or something like that, and they come here to celebrate, it is our obligation, not just our duty, we have a total obligation to make that the absolute best experience that that can be. And that’s my favorite thing.
On top of the fact that our customers are 10 outta 10. They’re amazing people, but also like our staff is phenomenal. We like actually are, we’re all friends and it’s become like this small family which hopefully it doesn’t make work, feel like work, you know. And that’s Crystal’s and my obligation too, to make sure that this is a good place to show up to every day. And that it doesn’t feel like a grind and hopefully they’re being reimbursed for their time as good as we can possibly pay them. And hopefully the circumstances are comfortable, you know.
CM: Is there anything else that you would like to add?
BRAD: Thank you for showing up. I appreciate it. I can’t wait to cook you guys some killer food. We have a lot more planned. We’ve got other concepts that we’re gonna be doing. We are actually incorporated. We started a restaurant group in which The Heyday is the only restaurant under it right now, but it affords us the opportunity to build on this. This is our baby and this will always be, but we’re excited to start doing some of the other things that we have had in mind for some years now. So hopefully, we’ll have the opportunity to do that soon.
CM: Thank you very much for your time.
BRAD: Thank you guys.
THE DETAILS
Web: theheydayPalmsprings.com
Founded: 2018 by Brad and Crystal Reihl
Hours: Wednesday – Sunday Open 12pm – 8pm
Address: 400 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way | Palm Springs, CA 92262