Exploring Life & Business with Briana Hestad of Ørkenoy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Briana Hestad.  

Hi Briana, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
My journey within the hospitality/service industry began with coffee, moved into wine, jumped over to spirits, and finally into beer. I began thinking more critically about beer history and culture when I was tasked with curating beer menus and setting up beer pairings, and I absolutely fell in love with it. It’s a multifaceted beverage that can be made by nearly anyone, anywhere, and it’s often very approachable price-wise – a true beverage for the people. I moved to Chicago from DC for school and work in 2014. Shortly after, I moved to Norway and then returned in 2016. 2016 was the year I decided to take my romance with beer to the next level and moved to Denmark to study brewing at the University of Copenhagen’s School of Scandinavian brewing. Denmark was chosen as it related to my field of academic study and what I’ve spent many years working in at the university level- Scandinavian Language, Culture, and History. In 2017 I relocated to London to work in the University College of London’s Scandinavian department and took of a side gig at a local brewery. I enjoyed it so much that upon returning to Chicago in 2019, I knew I wanted to open something of my own. I teamed up with our chef Ryan Sanders to open a project that combined my love for all things Nordic and beer. We opened in 2020 and pride ourselves as being a local gathering point for the community offering a safe space to enjoy art, thoughtful bar food, inspired cocktails, and of course, beer for everyone. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We opened in the middle of the pandemic, which certainly presented a number of unanticipated challenges on top of a market that’s already difficult for newcomers. This certainly limited us from reaching the full potential of what we could do with our space for those first few years. We’re excited to have made it beyond that so we can finally experience our space as we initially intended- full of activity and people! 

Additionally, being female presenting in the brewing industry, like many other industries, has been no walk in the park. It is often hard to move beyond doubt that becomes ingrained from years of struggling against discrimination, but it was important to me to continue on so that I could hopefully one day provide a safer and more comfortable space for everyone to experience the joys of beer and brewing. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Ørkenoy?
Ørkenoy is a creative enclave located in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago, operating as a brewery, cocktail bar, kitchen, and synergetic haunt for local artists and activists. Driven by “uncharted inspiration,” the hybrid venue, anchored within the Kimball Arts Center, is infused with Nordic influences and an eclectic, welcoming ambiance. 

The Nordic touch has become what we are known for, and our offerings reflect that. Smørrebrød (or Open-faced sandwiches), Nordic ingredients, seasonable farmhouse ales, and lagers. You can come in for a quick casual bite and drink or set yourself up for a full meal with pairings on a special night out. 

In addition to operating as a full bar, brewery, and restaurant, we help others facilitate their own events or start up their businesses. We donate our space Monday and Tuesday for artists, activists, and creatives to use for meetings, hosting fundraisers, pop-ups, markets…pretty much anything someone dreams up we are happy to help them bring it to life. 

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Curious! So, so curious. I used to spend hours interrogating everyone about why something was done and how it came to be about literally EVERYTHING. I spent most of my time reading, exploring outside, or creating art projects for myself. I was also terribly shy! I don’t think I got over that until I began working in the service industry at 16. Now there isn’t a single person who can imagine me as timid! 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://orkenoy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orkenoy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orkenoy/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/%C3%B8rkenoy-chicago