Meet Tyler Nollenberger | Cafe/restaurant/catering

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tyler Nollenberger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tyler, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Higher Grounds was started because I was ready to start my own thing. I had worked in food and beverage for about 15 years. I had done pretty much every job including executive chef, bartender, server. When I found a coffee cart for sale on Craigslist I thought why not? I love coffee and I can cook so let’s give it a shot. I had a daughter on the way and my wife loved the idea. A couple of years later we have a brick and mortar restaurant, a busy catering branch, and a great coffee program.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My journey took a lot of years and an absurd amount of hours. I enjoyed the process even though it required a lot of sacrifices. I only took jobs to learn even if that meant less pay. I guess I was able to delay gratification longer than most. It takes a long time to develop enough skills to be a versatile chef. But once you have them, you have them forever.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Market restaurant + bar in Delmar will always be at the top of the list for me.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The most influential people in my career were Chef Carl Schroeder who was my mentor at Market restaurant in Del Mar where I worked for many of my formidable years learning the dedication to the craft.
The other would be Terryl Gavre who showed me the business side of the restaurant business.
Both of them had a massive impact on my success giving me opportunity for growth.

Website: https://Highergroundsfinefoods.com

Instagram: Highergrounds_copleydrive