How Lachele's owner Cory Wendel starts his day

Cory Wendel isn't much of a morning person, but these days, his toddler is prompting some earlier wake-up calls.

• "I still have the chef world in my makeup," Wendel tells Axios. "It used to be that I didn't even have to be to work until 11."

Driving the news: These days, Wendel is juggling multiple businesses, including his latest — Alpine Taproom.

State of play: The common thread of his businesses is a nostalgic, old-school vibe that isn't just about looks — there's no online ordering at the Ingersoll location or even a phone for takeout orders at his restaurants.

• And that's just the way he likes it, even if it "baffles" some people, he says.
• "We wanted to feel like it was in the '90s and in the '80s, where for you to experience that — you had to go there," Wendel says. "It was about more socialization than convenience."

How he begins his day:

⏰ Wake up: Around 7am.

🍳 Breakfast: Plenty of water and a banana. (Lunch isn't until 2 or 3pm.)

📱 What he's reading: A cookbook, emails and "a little bit of doom scrolling on my phone."

🍔 His advice for aspiring restaurateurs: "It seems like the more that I've involved the community, the more they've taken care of us," he says.