60Plus - June 2020

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T’S JUNE - and here at Omaha Magazine,

that means it’s our annual food issue.

We have several articles about interesting people over the age of 60 in this issue. Our Active Living subject is Phil McEvoy, an avid deer hunter. He is also a friendly guy, and he will invite anyone he meets to hunt with him during the fall deer season.

The feature is about entrepreneur Gary Rohwer. Many people know him as the former owner of PepperJax restaurants, but in recent years, he has taken on a new venture known as Glenn Valley Foods. This company offers beef, chicken, and pork products to customers from restaurant chains to grocery stores. Some products are available directly to consumers.

In recent years, there has been a wave of lowcarbohydrate, high-fat diets touted on TV and in books. Many medical professionals, however, still recommend a Mediterraneanstyle diet to help avoid Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. This diet concentrates on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and it includes less fat and meat than some of the more trendy diets found today. Our health article explains why this diet is still recommended by the medical community.

The past few years have seen several popular restaurants close. Classic comfort-food places like Petrow’s were beloved by many in the area for years, while others such as Sushi Japan Yakiniku Boy were more recent. The Nostalgia article this round highlights several that Omahans were sad to see close over the past few years.

This summer will be a bit different, with the loss of festivals, fairs, and baseball games, but there is still plenty of fun summer food available. Take time to enjoy all that the season has to offer—whether that is ice cream, watermelon, or homemade lemonade.

Contributing Editor

Phil McEvoy JUNE 2020 • 60PLUS

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Friendship Woods the

in

HUNTING GAME EQUALS MEMORIES, MEAT, AND AMIABILITY ACTIVE LIVING // STORY BY PATRICK MCGEE PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

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60PLUS • JUNE 2020

// ACTIVE LIVING //

“If it had not been for hunting, we [Horton and McEvoy] would still just be neighbors waving at each other.” -Horton

I

WAS SITTING IN a scrubby tree on a fence

line, overlooking an alfalfa line. Before legal shooting time [30 minutes before sunrise], I saw a deer a couple of hundred yards away in the alfalfa. I’m looking at my watch and looking at the deer…looking at my watch and the deer...” recounted Phil McEvoy, a retiree and an avid hunter. “Then, just after legal shooting time, the deer stepped right in front of me-about 12 yards away. He fell right there.”

McEvoy has been an avid hunter most of his life. He began harvesting deer as a young man in the mid-1970s with his father and brothers. Now, age 67, he continues taking an annual trip to the Boyd County farm where he, his nephew, and his neighbor harvest deer, and have done so for 28 consecutive years. In those years the land changed hands.

McEvoy pursued a relationship with the current owners, in part to keep the tradition going. He feels bonded to the land, and so he is bonded to its custodians. “We’ve become friends,” he says. “We talk about our families.”

McEvoy enjoys bringing them gifts to show his gratitude.

there is little cell service, no internet, and no TV. McEvoy said it’s “back to the way it was 25 years ago or longer.” “So you sit and you talk with people,” he said with an air of nostalgia and appreciation.

Willy Horton, 56, McEvoy’s neighbor and one of his frequent hunting partners, shared McEvoy’s sentiment that hunting with others creates friendships. “It’s a good way to get to know someone,” he said. “You get to know people when all you have to do is talk-talk about the hunt, talk about everything,” he said. “You get to know [your friends’] kids.

“If it had not been for hunting, we [Horton and McEvoy] would still just be neighbors waving at each other,” Horton said. He said hunting has been the catalyst for other friendships he has made as well. McEvoy loves introducing others to the outdoors and to their hunting party, and will teach anyone to hunt.

Horton said that’s how he began hunting as well. Now, “I’ve been hunting with McEvoy for 15 years.”

McEvoy said that deer hunting allows him to appreciate the outdoors. He relishes in the stark quiet of the woods. There are no disturbances. One is alone with his thoughts and there is peace-except for the occasional woodland denizen: a rummaging turkey or coyote, or a curious fox or eagle, McEvoy said.

It is transcendental.

To McEvoy, hunting is about friendship as much as anything. Every year, he and his hunting party-regularly consisting of his nephew and neighbor-sleep in a small cabin near the Missouri River. Every year, he looks forward to spending this quality time with them. “We always fix breakfast together,” he said of each morning, adding that they split up during daytime hunting hours. In the evenings, he said, “we sit around the cabin talking about hunting, talking about life, and the different things we’ve done over the year.” He continued, “they have your full attention and you have theirs,” noting that

Horton agreed, saying it doesn’t matter if he even harvests a deer. A hunt is a success when it gets him outdoors. “It’s relaxing,” he says.

Watching wildlife is a highlight of the entire experience. Even if he “fills his tags” [harvests the legal limit of deer], he likes to spend time driving around to take in the scenery.

McEvoy said that deer hunting allows him to appreciate the outdoors.

He relishes in the stark quiet of the woods. There are no disturbances."

Hunting is not all relaxation, McEvoy said.

He describes hiking over untamed landscapes to reach a destination from which he can stalk deer. “The walk into the woods,” he said, “can be 200-300 yards from the truck.” He said he could walk a couple hundred yards more, but due to his age and physical condition, he prefers not to. He describes the hike as “moderately labor-intensive.”

“The real work begins,” he said, “when you actually drop a deer and have to field dress it and get it into your truck.” Field dressing a deer requires precision, skill, and muscle. This involves rolling the deer. “You want to field dress them as soon as possible,” McEvoy said, explaining that it inhibits bacterial growth.

McEvoy said field dressing entails slitting open the deer’s abdomen and removing the organs within. The deer must also be lifted into the truck bed. Often, he says, deer must be dragged out. “Bucks are easier to drag because the antlers make a nice handle to hold onto,” McEvoy said.

Practicing marksmanship in advance may be leisurely from time-to-time, but it is also essential to successfully harvesting deer. “You want to practice so you can make a clean kill,” McEvoy said. “I’ve been lucky that most of my deer, especially lately, have dropped when I shot them.” He said if they are not dead when a hunter approaches, the deer may run or kick, and a buck might ram the hunter with its antlers. McEvoy practices shooting at an outdoor range once a month. His years of practice add up. “I can hit a target at 300 yards,” he said, “but I wouldn’t want to shoot a deer out that far-they start looking pretty small in your rifle scope that far out.” Knowing when to shoot for a clean kill is respectful, ethical, and humane.

It goes without saying that McEvoy is a skilled and ethical hunter. He has been fortunate enough to harvest four deer annually in recent years and eats venison nearly every day. He respects the land whose deer he harvests, and he enjoys teaching others to appreciate nature through deer hunting.

Even more than the enjoyment of nature, McEvoy’s hunting stories are replete with stories of friendship and gratitude for those with whom he spends quality time with friends and family. For McEvoy, hunting would be incomplete without this aspect of the hunt.

Horton reciprocates the feeling.

“I thank Phil every year for allowing me to go hunting with him,” Horton said.

JUNE 2020 • 60PLUS

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HEALTH // STORY BY JENNA GABRIAL GALLAGHER // DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION BY DEREK JOY

THE

Mediterranean a y!)

S r e v e (N

AN AGE-OLD APPROACH TO EATING AND LIFESTYLE

DIE-T

O

first things to understand about the Mediterranean diet-which has long been touted by experts as a way to decrease the risks of chronic illnesses and increase longevity-is that it’s not a really a diet at all. Unlike many trendy eating regimens with best-selling books, daily menu plans, and dedicated online communities that users pay to subscribe to, the Mediterranean diet is really just a set of guidelines.

NE OF THE

“Basically, the Mediterranean diet is an eating pattern based on extensive research that’s been done on the people who live in the Mediterranean region, what they eat, and their lifestyle,” said Martha Nepper, Ph.D., RDN, LMNT, CDE, of Methodist Center for Diabetes and Nutritional Health. The registered dietitian continued, “It really emphasizes an increase in plant-based foods and fruits and vegetables, non-refined grains, fewer fatty meats, more fish, and foods with Omega 3 fatty acids, along with staying physically active throughout the day.”

“It’s mainly about eating close to nature, instead of (eating) a lot of processed foods or foods high in saturated fats and sugar, which cause inflammation,” said Elicia Briggs, certified nutritionist at Nutrition Pros in Midtown and West Omaha, adding that inflammation raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, and even Parkinson’s and dementia. “Even if you’re genetically predisposed to some of these chronic conditions, adopting a Mediterranean diet can help you not express them as readily. It’s a lot more effective than just hoping and praying. Plus, it helps with anxiety and depression, better sleep, and just clearing away the clouds so you have less brain fog.”

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60PLUS • JUNE 2020

While they’d love everyone to be lifelong adherents to this style of eating, Nepper and Briggs agree that it’s never too late to start. In fact, even for older adults some benefits start to become apparent within the first week. “My oldest client is 75 years old,” Briggs said. “After her husband passed away, she found that she was eating a whole sleeve of crackers without even realizing she was doing it. But as soon as she started eating an anti-inflammatory diet, her energy got better and she felt happier. Over time, she lost 30 pounds, but compared to the health benefits, that’s just a happy side effect.”

“There’s no time like the present,” Nepper said, although she recommends that older adults, especially those who are already following a restricted diet, seek the assistance of a registered dietician before getting started. “Start small, even if it’s just having a piece of fruit and glass of milk before a meal and replacing your regular dessert with fruit, and then you can build up. An improved diet and active lifestyle will improve your quality of life and your chances for a more successful recovery if you do get sick.”

Both she and Briggs stress the importance of staying physically and socially active as well. “One of the things that will kill us most quickly is just sitting,” Briggs said. “You don’t have to do CrossFit, but you do need to move most days of the week, if not every day. Also, keep connecting to the outside world. Ask a friend out to lunch. And if you can’t do that, listen to a podcast or FaceTime with someone. Eat nutrientrich food about 80-90% of the time, but don’t get too stressed about the numbers. The fun stuff has its place once or twice a week. The biggest thing that I tell my clients is to enjoy the balance.”

NOSTALGIA // STORY BY RYAN BORCHERS // DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION BY DEREK JOY

TASTE ASTES S to REMEMBER Reminisces of Shut t ered Omaha Restaurant s

T

HERE’S A PARTICULAR kind of sadness that comes from watching a great restaurant go out of business.

It’s no secret that Omaha has become a more foodie-friendly town in this century. Eateries to satisfy all manner of appetites seem to pop up every month. Still, nothing can match that one place where they season the burgers just right, or where a couple had the best anniversary dinner of their lives, or where a person can eat comfort food after a long, tough day.

Omaha has seen many places like that close down in the last five years. Here are five Omaha Magazine chose to highlight.

Piccolo’s Being one of Warren Buffett’s favorite restaurants wasn’t enough to save this classic Italian steakhouse, which served its final customers on Dec. 31, 2015, after 81 years in business.

Originally called Piccolo Pete’s Restaurant, it was founded by Sicilian immigrant Joseph Piccolo. It was famous for Italian dishes and a host of other offerings, but the prime rib was the most popular item on the menu.

The building retains its notable neon sign shaped like a piccolo player. Inside, it had the oak paneling and low lighting typical of a midcentury fancy restaurant, as well as a huge crystal ball over what used to be the dance floor.

Fortunately, not all is lost. Scott Sheehan, who would have been a third-generation owner if Piccolo’s had stayed open, still has the old recipes. You can sample the former restaurant’s wares at his mobile food truck, Anthony Piccolo’s Mobile Venue.

Sushi Japan Yakiniku Boy Blue Sushi Sake Grill is probably the first restaurant Omahans think about when they think about sushi, but in 2015 The Omaha World-Herald crowned West Omaha hole-inthe-wall Sushi Japan as the metro area’s best place for sushi.

The intimate dining room made for a quiet and relaxing spot to enjoy a meal. The menu was chef ’s choice, and the fish was always fresh. Standout dishes, according to The World-Herald, included the rainbow roll and yellow nigiri.

Unfortunately, the restaurant closed after 18 years when the owners, Yoshimasa and Yoshie Mizuno, decided to retire in April 2019. The month previous, their daughter Tamae succumbed to cancer. Soon after, chef Arturo Ramos also passed away due to cancer.

Petrow’s The Petrow family had a long run in business in Nebraska, beginning in Fremont in 1903 when Nick and John Petrow started Petrow’s Fremont Candy Kitchen. Nick opened Petrow’s at 60th and Center streets in 1950 as a drive-in, and it stayed in business until December 2019. Nick Petrow, the grandson of the aforementioned Nick, and his wife, Michelle, decided then to retire.

Petrow’s was an Omaha institution, racking up several awards over the years. It was named a Best of Omaha winner by the public as recently as 2018. They specialized in dinerstyle food, with some of its most popular dishes including the pork tenderloin sandwich, hot roast beef sandwich, and waffles.

The biggest star, though, was the ice cream, handmade from a recipe that was over 115 years old. The clown sundae, with vanilla and chocolate ice cream, chocolate and marshmallow topping, spanish peanuts and an upside-down waffle cone, was a favorite.

Amato’s Cafe and Catering Amato’s definitely didn’t go out of business for lack of exposure. It sat in the now-bustling Aksarben Village, ran plenty of radio ads, and was featured on episodes of the popular television shows Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and Man v. Food.

The food was certainly popular, too, particularly the pancakes infused with ricotta and the homemade Italian sausage.

Alas, it closed up shop in 2019 for the simple reason that Ann Amato elected to retire, about two years after her husband and co-owner Sam passed away.

Sam started the business, contrary to the modern trend, as a food truck and served classic Italian food to Omaha for over 45 years. A much-admired figure among regular patrons, he loved talking with customers and famously invited them to “put your elbows on the table and laugh out loud.”

Bohemian Cafe Of all the restaurants on this list, the Bohemian Cafe was probably the most unique. It was founded by Czech immigrant Louis Macala in 1924 and, despite a few location changes, stayed on 13th Street throughout its run. At the time of its closing, Terry Kapoun was a third-generation owner, his grandparents having purchased the restaurant in 1959, and his brother Ron was the head chef.

The Bohemian Cafe was a much-loved institution of Omaha’s Czech, Bohemian, and Polish communities, a place where you could eat genuine Czech fare and where the staff dressed in traditional Czech outfits. The boiled beef with dill gravy was a beloved dish, as was the liver dumpling soup. You could get homemade apple strudel and kolaches, too.

The restaurant’s legacy lives on, however.

Infusion Little Bohemia Beer Hall occupies the cafe’s former spot. Visitors can go there and still see the Bohemian Cafe’s entryway doors, hand-painted tiles, and neon sign.

JUNE 2020 • 60PLUS

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Veteran Food Magnet FEATURE // STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

Gary Rohwer’s Glenn Valley Foods

S

ERIAL ENTREPRENEUR

Gary Rohwer seizes opportunities.

He sizes up markets, recognizes gaps, and devotes resources to filling them. It’s why he succeeded in the fields of music promotion, farming, hosiery and steel grain bin before settling on business such as restaurants, meat processing, and food service.

His latest venture, Glenn Valley Foods, is the culmination of his decades of food industry expertise and innovation. Glenn Valley produces a line of specially sliced and portioned beef, chicken, and pork products designed for quick meal preparation in commercial food service and home consumer settings. It also produces and markets complete meal packages.

Rohwer’s made several fortunes by fixing on market niches and bringing his business acumen to bear on them.

“I’m always looking for opportunities,” he said. “When something comes up, I just pounce on it. I seem to enjoy it and have fun with it. Plus, I like to strategize, analyze and visualize. And I love getting people involved—helping them grow.

That’s probably what really, truly excites me. It’s not so much the money, it’s the challenge. Just moving on and challenging myself and others, and having a good time working with people.”

Exuding the energy of someone half his age, Rohwer ascribes his vibrancy to being passionate about what he does.

“It’s that passion that creates the energy and gives you the can-do attitude you can make it happen.”

The Omaha native traces his first entrepreneurial endeavor to his junior and senior years at then-Omaha University, where he studied marketing. He bartended at a venue whose owner couldn’t make a go of the ballroom. Rohwer cashrented the space and made it a popular event room featuring live bands.

A semester short of graduating, he quit school to manage a 100-acre farm his father owned north of Omaha. He’d made enough as a music promoter-event booker to buy farm equipment. He enjoyed the challenge, but the land’s thick clay soil proved unproductive.

“I fought that for a number of years and loved it, but I was struggling. So I started to look for other opportunities.”

>

JUNE 2020 • 60PLUS

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HEN A GIRLFRIEND REMARKED

she couldn’t find a one-size fits-all pantyhose locally, it sparked his next adventure.

“I checked into it and made a trip back to New York City. All the hosiery companies were headquartered in the Empire State Building. I cut a deal and brought one-sized pantyhose to the market here through a company I started-Garland Hosiery.”

His next career move responded to a glut of grain storage when he struck a deal with a steel manufacturer to erect steel grain bins and grain handling systems under his own Mark-Rite Steel Systems.

“I did extremely well. That was a helluva run.”

He hit upon what’s become his primary business when, he said, “I took an interest in the restaurant industry. I wondered what that would be like. I looked at it, studied it.”

He took the plunge after being introduced to a Philly cheesesteak sandwich at a failing Lincoln restaurant—Chartroose Caboose.

“I’d never even seen a cheesesteak sandwich before. I tried it and I thought, boy, what a sandwich.”

Rohwer purchased the company in 1981.

“That’s the first time I ever bought a company. Five years later we were in five states.”

He sold the chain for a profit. That set the stage for creating PepperJax Grill in 2000. In between, he and a University of Nebraska researcher developed the perfect Philly steak. He patented a method of slicing portioning meat. He marketed Steak-EZE to the food service industry. He opened his own processing plant to handle orders. He built it into a $28 million business before selling in 1998 to Advance Foods.

He then tried retirement. “That was the worst time of my life,” he said. “Then I came up with a concept using my SteakEZE product—PepperJax Grill.” This fast-casual eatery features made-to-order fare. He dedicated himself to creating “the world’s best Philly cheesesteak sandwich.”

“I did a lot research on that sandwich. I made several trips to Philadelphia, checking everything out.”

He tabbed a third generation South Philly Italian bakery to make the ideal bun. “It took two years getting it just right. it was worth it. It really helped my sales.”

PepperJax became a top 100 restaurant chain per trade industry measures.

“Every day we challenged ourselves to get better,” he said. “We had a dream and a vision to be the best.” // 72 //

60PLUS • JUNE 2020

In a life of always “moving on from one thing to another,” he said, he hasn’t thought of a succession plan. “Maybe it’s because I don’t want to think about it.”

The successful venture was bought by private equity company TA Associates in 2016.

Making a mint was nice, but, Rohwer said, “the destination is not nearly as fun as the journey.” “That journey is one I’ll never forget.”

Greg Cutchall, president and CEO of Cutchall Management Co., admires Rohwer’s “great success story.” “He’s a very talented businessman. We worked together on a joint venture a few years ago to combo a Burger Star and a PepperJax at the new outlet mall. Landlord would not agree to the terms Gary asked for. I went ahead without him and lived to regret it. Smart man Gary is. A real empire builder. I would partner with Gary anytime going forward.”

Rohwer formed Glenn Valley Foods in 2008. Since selling off PepperJax, it’s become his full focus. Glenn Valley produces a 1.0 version of Steak-EZE—Gary’s QuickSteak. The brand’s growth led Rohwer to open a new 50,000-square-foot facility last year at 68th and J streets. It employs 100-plus workers.

Glenn Valley is diversified across three divisions-retail (grocery stores and big box stores), military (bases-installations) and food service (mostly large restaurant chains).

“We’re presently in about 5,000 grocery stores,” he said. ”We’re trying to take it into every state in the country and create a national brand at the retail level.”

He’s in talks with the Kroger supermarket chain as well as with Target, Walmart, and other large box stores where food is sold.

Glenn Valley also does co-packing for King’s Command Foods, a manufacturer of portion-controlled, pre-cooked, and readyto-cook meat products to foodservice and retail segments.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic is hurting his food service division, Rohwer said “the retail is just incredible—the demand is high,” adding, “The military is going up. So diversification is nice.”

“I use his products in my catering division. High quality and priced right,” Cutchall said.

Rohwer is still driven by the same things as when he started.

“I have a passion for success. To me, it’s like a game. You challenge your employees and you challenge yourself to win the game, and when you win the game, it’s success.”

Rohwer also likes being a David going against Goliath.

“The thing I’m proudest of is that I have been able to compete all along the way with mega companies. My edge comes from the people and the product I have, the value we bring to the marketplace, and how we bring it.”

Quality equates to value in his world. His peers recognized it when they inducted him in the Omaha Hospitality Hall of Fame in 2017.

“To have the success with a winning team is the ultimate,” he said. “You can’t do it yourself. It’s impossible.”

His trust of the team he’s gathered around him is such that he and wife Linda go away for weeks at a time to their lake house in Minnesota, leaving the company in the capable hands of staff.

“Everybody knows our objectives and how to get there,” he said.

In a life of always “moving on from one thing to another,” he said he hasn’t thought of a succession plan. “Maybe it’s because I don’t want to think about it.”

For Rohwer, there may be new challenges to run with yet.

“I’ve often wondered how much fun it would be to have a large cattle ranch out in Montana, Colorado, Wyoming,” he said.

“Maybe that’s what I’m going to do next, I don’t know.”

Whatever’s next, it’s imperative he derives joy from it. “That is the real definition of success. When people chase the buck, they never get it. But, boy, when they chase their passion … It’s amazing how that works.”

Visit glennvalleyfoods.com for more information.