Raechel Van Buskirk
General Manager
WestEnd Cocktails & Appetizers

For Raechel Van Buskirk, her favorite part of her job is having a constant creative outlet. “I really enjoy experimenting with different event ideas, drinks, and food,” she said. 

Van Buskirk is the general manager at WestEnd Cocktails & Appetizers. She is also the owner of The Deviled Egg Company, and has done some private consulting on the side. 

“I have 16 years of experience with everything from hosting/bussing, cooking, management, event planning, catering, project development and consulting.” 

All this experience was born out of necessity. “We struggled financially growing up with a single mom,” Van Buskirk said. “I was very young and needed to work. At the time, Village Inn was the only place that would hire a 14-year-old kid.” She moved on to various different bars and restaurants. At 22, she decided the service industry was going to be her career, and took a management position in Houston, Texas. 

Now that she’s back in Omaha, she seeks out establishments where everybody knows your name. “I truly believe that culture is everything and employees are the most valuable asset a business can have.”

Though she is currently unemployed “like the rest of Omaha,” she is trying to find a silver lining. “To be honest, it has been humbling and a great opportunity to focus on future endeavors and, of course, resulted in some much-needed family time.”

This article was printed in the June 2020 edition of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.