If you know Emily McDaniel, you know hospitality is her superpower. She was tapping into her talents long before she joined her husband at Helen in downtown Birmingham, known for its upscale contemporary Southern menu and open-fire grill. In addition to being co-owner, Emily serves as hospitality director, overseeing front-of-house operations and creating a warm, celebratory atmosphere. Get to know our newest FACE of Birmingham, Emily McDaniel!
Meet our newest FACE of Birmingham, Emily McDaniel, co-owner and hospitality director of Helen restaurant. Image: Cary Norton
What’s the story behind the restaurant’s name?
Helen is Rob’s grandmother. Growing up, she had a woodfire grill in her house, so part of Rob’s food memories are going to her house and smelling her cooking on that grill. In culinary school, they talk a lot about food memories and what inspires you. I think we all have those types of food memories, whether it’s an annual July 4th celebration, grandparents, cousins, or aunts and uncles. So that food memory is the inspiration behind naming the restaurant Helen.
Our kitchen has a big open-fire grill, and we cook great steaks and wonderful vegetables. While those recipes aren’t hers, they are a take on traditional dishes you might have seen growing up. In so many of our families growing up, women were the ones cooking, so it’s nice to pay homage to her. I love that our restaurant’s named after a female.
Emily co-owns Helen with her husband, Chef Rob McDaniel. Image: Elise Ferrer
Before Helen, you were working in real estate. Before that, you were working with Jim ‘N Nick’s BBQ. What inspired you to shift back to the restaurant industry?
I’ve always been in the hospitality industry, even in real estate — dealing with people and personalities and problem-solving. When I moved to the lake, and Rob and I married, I wanted to try something different. Real estate was a lot of fun and a way to work with people. Then, when Rob wanted to open a restaurant, I thought it would be great to get back into the hospitality industry. You get the bug. Once you’re in it, and you love it, you don’t want to leave. While I went from the restaurant world to real estate, it still felt a lot like hospitality. Leaving the real estate career and coming back to the restaurant business all sort of blends in. It’s a lot of fun; I feel very drawn to it.
What lessons did you learn in your past careers that you brought to your current role?
We have about 50 employees at Helen, and that’s a lot of different personalities. There’s a lot of problem-solving with employees [regarding] schedules. Much like real estate, things don’t go your way all the time. You don’t always get the house; you don’t always get something right away. Being able to defuse situations has been helpful and a good lesson when working with our staff. [It’s about] balancing those personalities and ensuring our teammates work well together — that they’re the best version of themselves for our guests. And it’s about giving them the tools to do that. We talk a lot about trying to be better people outside of work, so it rolls over. I learned a lot about how to carry myself when I was in real estate.
Birmingham has become such a foodie city. What do you feel makes Helen different from other restaurants in the area?
One thing that makes us stand out is we want to be an institution for people who have never worked in the restaurant business — to give them an opportunity to learn and grow. We promote good work and home balance. We also have a lot of sober folks on staff and a “Temperance” menu of non-alcoholic drinks. We promote mental health and wellness. If you need to take a day off because you have something going on, we understand that.
We get together every Saturday for a family meal — that’s about 40 people who sit and eat together. We try to have an Employee Appreciation Day every year. This past March, we went to Jones Valley and had a crawfish boil and a DJ, and we just tried to show hospitality to one another like we do to our guests.
Helen restaurant, named for Rob’s grandmother, offers an upscale, modern twist on traditional Southern cuisine — but with a laidback atmosphere. Image: Cary Norton
What is the key to creating a great experience for your restaurant guests?
It starts with valet from the moment they get out of the car. It’s the hostess who welcomes them in, and it continues throughout the entire dining experience.
We have a pre-shift lineup, and we talk about how we can go over and beyond to make sure our guests are well taken care of. But it’s also being able to troubleshoot when they haven’t had the best day. Maybe they’re what we’ll call grouchy or grumpy; it’s remembering that we don’t know what happened before they got here. So we try to be empathetic, let them have a good time, and enjoy a good dining experience.
What are some of your favorite local restaurants?
We love Chez Fonfon. I usually get the fish of the day. And, of course, their escargot is yummy. We like Automatic Seafood. They’ve got great oysters! We like Bottega. I like their desserts. You can’t go wrong with any of the layered cakes or sweet treats.
If we go out with our kids, we love to go to Vestavia City Center. They’ve got Taco Mama and Davenport’s, and they’ve got such an awesome outdoor family hangout area.
What other things do you like to do when you’re not working?
We love to go to Railroad Park with our girls. We’ll go to Tasty Town and then walk over to Railroad Park and let the girls get their wiggles out at the playground.
We go to Hoover Library a lot, and we go to Vestavia Library after school.
I like to work out. I go to Pure Fitness, a small gym in Vestavia. I do Pilates at Essential in Vestavia, and I like to work in my garden. I like being outside on the back deck, listening to music, and having family time.
Do you have any favorite places to shop?
My girls love Target. And there’s a toy store in Cahaba Heights that we go to all the time — the Early Learning Center. That’s a great place for birthday gifts.
I really like to shop at The Summit. I like to go in to try things. While everybody shops online, I still like to go into Anthropologie, Belk, Gus Mayer, or Saks. Anything at The Summit is always fun, and I want to support those people who have businesses.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
A manager at Jim ‘N Nick’s said, “Remember who you are and what you represent.” We tell that to our staff, too — remember that you are a representation of us. While this is our business, you’re the one who goes to each table and talks to each guest. Even when you’re outside of work, remember that you represent a really cool, great restaurant; tell people about it and invite them in.
Name three things you can’t live without.
Dry shampoo, dental picks, and bubbly water.
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