In the Kitchen: James Dean and Joe Hafner of Irregardless

James Dean and Joe Hafner hit it off from the start. The two met as coworkers at Gracie’s, the downtown restaurant renowned for its elegant atmosphere and seasonal menus. Hafner, from the Philadelphia area, was working as a chef, while Dean, from North Carolina, was on-staff while attending graduate school at the Rhode Island School of Design. Before long, Hafner headed west to work as a private chef for luminaries like Wes Anderson, and Dean got busy teaching full-time at RISD in the architecture department. But the pandemic – and a boatload of North Carolina milled flour – gave rise to reconnecting the friends.

At the time, The Tailor Shop on Broadway was hosting a slew of pop-ups, and Dean was playing around with what he could do on a biscuit under the moniker Irregardless. “Since I’m from North Carolina originally, I try to think of how we can take a product from here in the Northeast and give it a Southern accent,” he explains. Hafner, back in Rhode Island, would drop by to help. “The reaction from customers on the West End was impressive,” Hafner recalls. “What was even more interesting was that people from further away were hearing about Irregardless and seeking it out, even with its limited hours. I knew it had legs after just a few shifts, and working together had always been a goal we both shared.”

The affable pair began their culinary adventure serving up viral favorites at pop-ups, including hot honey chicken sandwiches, pork roll breakfast stacks, and their signature housemade strawberry butter. The long lines around Broadway every weekend were a clear sign of their success. Regardless of Dean and Hafner’s impressive pedigrees, they simply put their heads down and created the mouth-watering biscuits that folks eagerly rallied for week after week, importing nearly 12,000 pounds of flour annually from their North Carolina supplier.

When the Kitchen on Carpenter Street closed, the two jumped at the chance to start a brick-and-mortar just steps away from the original pop-up. With cheery yellow and orange lettering from the inimitable Providence Painted Signs, and their adorable honey bear logo created by artist Alex Correia, the fun-sized shop has just enough space to line up tight next to framed Archie Meets Ramones comic book covers, orange tables, and cool merch featuring The Guest Check Sketch in collaboration with Frog & Toad. But nods to beloved Kitchen remain in homages that
include the restaurant’s signature spoon, and inclusion of menu favorites Howard’s Biscuit and maple and pepper-glazed bacon.

“It’s been really great,” says Dean. “Lots of new faces as well as folks who have been coming in since the pop-up. The support has been unreal. It’s allowed us to do so many things that just weren’t possible as a pop-up.” Dean shares that what’s been most important to him personally is that with community support, they can pay their employees a wage they deserve. “That was non-negotiable for us from day one. Each team member is empowered and encouraged to interact with every customer and welcome them into the space with a friendly smile.” Nodding, Hafner adds, “People come for James or Joe, but just as many come to say hello to the front staff or our baker, Erin, and Alana, Andrew, and Brook!”

As I slather another layer of the housemade strawberry butter on my perfectly warm biscuit, I ask Dean and Hafner about their favorites. “I’m pretty simple, so for me it’s just country ham on a biscuit with maybe a little mustard, or a sausage biscuit. That’s how I ate them growing up at my house,” Dean states. Hafner adds, “My favorite sandwich is the South Philly, which has pork roll – popular where I’m from just outside of Philadelphia – with vinegar pepper hot sauce, another nod. We didn’t think it was going to sell! I am a particularly huge fan of our hashbrowns – James came up with the spice recipe we sprinkle on them.”

Irregardless

94 Carpenter Street

IrregardlessPVD.com

Limited hours