When Hailey and Dante Hernandez ventured into the world of brick-and-mortar restaurants with Side Piece Kitchen in October 2023, Hailey’s expectations could generously be described as low—maybe a trickle of customers? Instead, she was met with a tidal wave of demand, selling out faster than a limited edition sneaker release. Who knew selling food could outpace a crowded Black Friday sale?
Side Piece Kitchen has joined the ranks of Tacoma, Washington’s culinary circus, yet another example of people with a fervent passion cooking up a storm from commissary kitchens. Not unlike that friend everyone has who won’t stop talking about their new Instagram food blog, these brave souls are living the take-out dream, performing pop-up shows of gastronomic delight.
Restaurants like Buddy’s Chicken and Waffles and Howdy Bagel share a similar backstory: they launched during the pandemic, brandishing Instagram and TikTok profiles like a chef wields a spatula. Who needs culinary school when you can just go viral with a well-placed hashtag? Their secret ingredient? A pinch of social media, sprinkled generously to create robust word-of-mouth advertising.
“For us, social media is like a reality show, minus the dramatic rose ceremonies,” chuckled Hernandez. “It lets us show that we’re not just a faceless corporation, but real humans trying to make brunch dreams come true.” Also, does anyone still do brunch without some kind of social post to back it up? Maybe brunch is just an elaborate excuse to post aesthetically pleasing food photos.
Hernandez’s journey began with a negative experience at another Tacoma establishment—think of it as her villain origin story. Desiring the freedom of being her own boss, she whipped up ideas for brunch and cheesecakes (because who doesn’t want sugar for breakfast?) and set out on a path of delicious independence. Spoiler: It worked.
The meteoric rise of Side Piece Kitchen has necessitated a series of kitchen moves like a game of musical chairs, culminating in their current location. Now, with expansion plans in the wings, Hailey and Dante are no longer just trying to squeeze into their space—they’re dreaming big, folks, and not just for cheesecake.
Their Instagram account is a veritable wonderland of culinary whimsy. Want to see the weekly specials paired with a soundtrack worthy of an Oscar? Just wait for the next silly skit! A special box of cheesecake bites got the catchy moniker “Cake in a Box,” courtesy of a cheeky Lonely Island homage. Because who needs a serious marketing strategy when you can just make a parody song?
With creative inspirations flying around like confetti (watch your head!), sous chef Ivan Carrillo commented that picking flavors for cheesecake is a collaborative circus act. “At the end of every Sunday, we throw ideas around and see what sticks—like a culinary version of that game where you stick a tail on a donkey, but with far more cream cheese,” he quipped.
For social media engagement, Hernandez suggests avoiding AI-generated posts—because nothing screams “artisanal” like a robot cooking your food. And if you’ve got a burgeoning following, she also advises folks to keep it spontaneous: “Just post it! If you think it’s fun, toss it into the digital ether and see what lands. Besides, the worst that happens is you delete it and apologize a dozen times—small price for potential meme glory!”
So, if you take Hernandez’s advice to heart, you might just lure in a new audience craving authenticity (and cheesecake). And honestly, wouldn’t we all benefit from a bit more cheesecake in our lives? Or at the very least, a meme or two that makes us laugh—because what’s life without both?
