Korean dumpling soup from Young Mother
A year into his pop-up, Young Mother, Daniel Harthausen has a waitlist of over 100 people, and that’s not including their dinner guests.
“The last person I put on the reservation list had been waiting for 10 months,” says the 26-year-old chef.
Young Mother chef and founder Daniel Harthausen
Once a month on a Tuesday, when Adarra is closed to the public, Harthausen, the restaurant’s bar manager, takes over the Jackson Ward kitchen, serving an a la carte menu with dishes such as chawanmushi, a silky egg custard, or togarashi and shrimp with mu radish, a Korean equivalent to daikon. Via Instagram, he announces pop-up dates, provides peeks of the menu and takes reservations for the intimate, 35-seat dinners.
“I think after the third or fourth one, it really hit the ground running,” Harthausen says.
Since his inaugural event in April of last year, Young Mother has become one of the most sought-after reservations in the city. What started out as an opportunity to share a backlog of recipes rooted in Harthausen’s diverse upbringing has transformed organically, with the narrative of its multicultural origin unfolding after each event, while simultaneously inciting chatter among intrigued diners.
“I’m trying to create an experience as specifically a pop-up,” Harthausen says. “I didn’t want to do a restaurant in this restaurant. I wanted it to be this other thing people can get excited about.”
Harthausen’s mother had him when she was 19, and the name of his pop-up is loosely based on her. His father was in the military, which meant his family moved often, and many of the menu items are a nostalgic nod to the Asian communities that helped raise him. Drawing on influences from Japan and Korea, Young Mother encourages and pushes diners to recognize the commonalities between the two cuisines.
“I wanted to do something between Japanese and Korean cultures, and that was always the mission, but a big part of that is doing it in a way that doesn’t seem kitschy but feels organic,” he says. “I’m trying to explore similarities between the two countries that exist because of history, not just because of culture, and having that same dynamic showcased through the food."
Braised daikon with togarashi and shrimp
The menu for Young Mother changes, but not frequently. Instead, the dishes, such as dumplings, evolve over time. If ordered six months ago, chances are they’ve done a little growing up since, with each iteration standing on its own. The next one up: Korean dumpling soup.
“People know wonton soup, but there [are] all these different cultures that have their own version of that, so it’s kind of cool to represent that,” Harthausen says.
Young yet wise about his culinary path, Harthausen has
Onigiri dish from Young Mother
harnessed the freedom that many chefs spend the first part of their career seeking — plating dishes that break down barriers, open discussion and are strikingly different from those being served around the region. Pushing a new class of chefs, he’s not worried about investors or securing a brick-and-mortar space; instead he’s focused on thoughtfully and purposefully seeking to carve out a unique space in the food and drink community.
“I’m still learning how I want to build out my repertoire and identity as a chef,” says Harthausen, whose resume includes stints at Common House, Alchemy Coffee and the now-shuttered pop-up turned restaurant Yaki.
But not having it figured out while having the desire to do so is what has sparked the magic of Young Mother. In a time when people are searching for a diverse, elevated experience, the pop-up reassures Harthausen of his vision.
“It’s different with a purpose,” Harthausen says. “When I think of Richmond, this third-generation swing, what does it look like for the city, and what possibilities are there?
“Diners in Richmond have places to them that are comfortable, and if we can create more places where people can tap into something different, we should."
