Twenty years of Tejas

Mark Haugen and Wayne Kostroski reflect on two decades on the forefront of Southwestern cuisine in Minnesota.

Twenty years in the restaurant business has no real-life comparison. It’s not an accomplishment that can be sized up in terms of number of customers or plates that have been prepared. No. Success in this business is far more intangible than that, and successful restaurateurs just seem to have that special something. We chat with two of them—Wayne Kostroski and Mark Haugen—as they celebrate two decades of Tejas.

How did Tejas come about originally? Was it a back of a napkin idea or had it been developed for some time?

Mark Haugen: John Dayton and Stephan Pyles had two restaurants in Dallas and were known for putting a name onto the style of Southwestern Cuisine. John’s brother was developing the Conservatory on 9th and Nicollet and asked he asked John and Stephan if they’d do a restaurant in the new upscale shopping complex. They originally planned on doing one concept that they were going to call Goodfellow’s, which was to feature regional American Cuisine. Tejas was almost an afterthought when the building owners mentioned that they wanted to fill a space that was available in what was essentially the basement of the new building.

Wayne Kostroski: John was the heart and soul, Stephan was the food.

What was the reaction to the restaurant?

MH: The reaction was amazing. On the one hand a number of our guests instantly got the concept, especially those that were quite well traveled. We received a lot of good buzz about the new style of cuisine. On the other hand, a great segment of the dining public thought they were going to be served Mexican cuisine, cheese drenched enchiladas and indiscriminant beans and rice.

WK: It was very well received, and although even today not everyone here in the Twin Cities grasps the difference of Mexican vs. Southwestern, our guests consistently comment on the flavor of the food. That result is due to Mark’s dedication to ingredients, preparation, and style of presentation.

How has the restaurant changed over the years?

MH: We’re still serving dishes that have been on the menu for 20 years, so in that sense we haven’t changed that much. In another sense, I think that as the world shrinks, the regionalism of cuisine becomes more blended. With improvements in transportation and growing techniques we can use ingredients from all over the world.

WK: The restaurant has mostly just grown in loyal guests who still want flavor and a quality, all-around dining experience, and know that they will always get it.

How have your customers and their tastes changed over the years?

WK: The palate of the guests have improved and are always challenging Tejas to not only be on the leading edge of Southwestern, but to also try other styles of food from time to time through our specials.

MH: It seems to me that while the Twin Cities is cosmopolitan in many ways when it comes to art and theater, I believe that we remain fairly provincial when it comes to food. Again, this is changing as the world shrinks. But it’s changing at a snail’s pace. I love it when someone goes on vacation, eats something exotic and then comes back and says we should put it on the menu. I think you’re much more willing to try new things while away from home.

Why do you think Tejas has been so successful for so long?

MH: We’ve found a nice niche in the community and our guests can count on their dining experience at Tejas. They know what to expect.

WK: We have been successful because we have always been true to the food and tried to live up to our goal for each guest: Have each guest leave feeling better than when they came in.

What can’t be compromised when you’re running a successful restaurant?

MH: You really can’t compromise your vision of how the restaurant should operate, and you should never compromise the level of talent in the people that you hire.

WK: You need to always provide value…not referring to low prices. Instead, referring to whatever you are offering being the best that it can be, that it exceeds the guests’ expectations, and that they feel that their dollar spent was worth more than a dollar.