Not Another Peep...

A breakfast standby quietly gets a makeover.

Written by Neil Charles/ Photographed by Adam Gibson

Established over 40 years ago in Aspen, Colorado, and with a presence currently in 13 states, Le Peep has existed as a familiar fixture on our dining scene for as long as many of us can remember. Building its reputation in Indiana on traditional breakfast, lunch and brunch dishes, for decades Le Peep basked in the relative lack of competition, until a profusion of new breakfast and brunch chains began to pop up almost overnight about 10 years ago. With the pressure of competition forcing a decline in both prices and food quality, the restaurant struggled to stay relevant and afloat.

Ali and Mahnaz Hessaraki

“The food was heavy; they used low-end coffee and powdered cream,” says Le Peep’s Indiana licensee, Ali Hessaraki. “As they lost market share, they cheapened the product. By the beginning of February 2018, they were on the verge of going out of business.” A highly successful entrepreneur whose principal venture is manufacturing and selling point-of-sale systems to restaurants, Hessaraki had known the local Le Peep franchisees for several years and recognized an opportunity to step in and rescue the business before it went under for good. “They lacked the capital to continue,” he says. “They needed someone to cut the fat and turn it around.”

With no experience in the restaurant industry, but with decades of problem solving in his back pocket, Hessaraki set about raising the standards of décor, cleanliness and food quality, introducing sweeping changes that almost overnight brought Le Peep back into competition. Creating a more positive and energized workplace with a strong focus on customer service, his staff is now multi-generational, a rarity in the restaurant industry.

Blueberry muffins are made in-house each morning.

In the midst of the Covid pandemic, Hessaraki signed the lease on a space in Carmel’s Indiana Design Center (also home to Sophisticated Living’s offices), confident that he would one day be in a position to reopen Le Peep, returning furloughed employees back to gainful employment and the restaurants to unprecedented profitability. Customers did not return overnight, but it was not too long before there were lines out the door at weekends. Now serving more than 10,000 diners a week, he is preparing to open his 10th restaurant in central Indiana. “My wife is not too keen on the idea. She says I work too hard,” he concludes. “But ten is a good number for me.”

The yogurt parfait features homemade granola.

On the food front, he introduced Lavazza coffee, real cream, freshly made compotes and juices, as well as a plethora of appealing breakfast dishes supplemental to Le Peep’s corporate staples. Adult beverages are now served at every location. Eschewing frozen or processed products, the emphasis is on freshness: each dish is made to order and is subject to rigorous quality control, frequently under the all-seeing eye of the owner himself. Employing an inspector who visits each of the nine central Indiana locations every week, Hessaraki makes sure that his high standards are maintained.

Kings Cakes, a stack of pancakes drizzled with fresh blueberry compote

Several of the dishes we especially enjoy include the Italian Eggs Benedict (one of five egg Benedicts on offer), a satisfying Mediterranean take on the classic, made with Italian bread, pesto, prosciutto and basil. For something more portable, the Brioche Sammie offers a hearty meal between two slices of fluffy bread; with eggs, green onion, cheddar and bacon, this will provide all the energy one needs to make it to lunchtime. Our photographer eats the Cobb salad most days for lunch, a habit we heartily endorse.

Festive adult beverages are now on offer.

This is not your parents’ (or grandparents’) Le Peep. With updated decor, highquality ingredients and an extensive menu of breakfast, brunch and lunch items, including cocktails, the new Le Peep is stylish, fresh and friendly, just like the best breakfast places should be. sl For more information, visit lepeepindy.com