Meet Liam Mendoza, Operations Director & Partner at Joy's Table and Angus Burgers and Shakes 🍽️

Liam's path to Kearney is anything but ordinary. Originally from Spain, he started working in restaurants at age 12, was running his first restaurant by 17, and by 20 was leading a Michelin Star restaurant in Malaga, one of the youngest people in Europe to do so. After years directing operations for a hotel chain with 150+ staff, he followed his wife back to her hometown of Kearney, Nebraska. Life brought him here, and in his words, Kearney turned out to be "the best hidden gem of the Midwest."

Joy's Table carries the name and spirit of Joy Klute, a farm wife from Depression era Oklahoma who fed her family of eleven from scratch every day, known for her Southern pan-fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and homemade bread. Today, Joy's Table brings that same heart into an elegant, cozy, European-inspired dining room. Liam's order there? The sea bass.

Angus Burgers and Shakes takes a different approach: casual, family-friendly, and rooted in local. Owned by Kearney residents Dale and Shawna Klute, Angus uses beef the family raises near Holdrege, works with other local producers, and hand-makes every milkshake to order, no machines, ever. Liam's go-to here is the Macho Nacho burger.

What keeps Liam going? Moments like when out-of-town guests tell him it's the best meal they've ever had, and they didn't expect that kind of quality in Nebraska. "That happens often, and it makes us the happiest."

When he's not at the restaurant, you'll find him watching soccer, traveling, or biking around Kearney.

#TasteKearney #MeetTheMakers #KearneyNE