Now, with graduation approaching in May, Kaeding has landed his first post-NFL gig. Located in the space formerly occupied by Orange Leaf, the interior has been completely transformed in recent months. After closing Atlas sometime in March for major overhaul new furniture, new lighting, adding the raw bar that will hold countless fresh fish, oysters and more on ice the location will reopen as Saint Burch. Teaching, coaching, training young athletes, doing more public speaking these were all options for Kaeding, who a decade earlier earned his secondary education teaching certificate at the University of Iowa. Tailgate did it right. Because of a lack of stability at kicker, the Minnesota Vikings recently hired Kaeding as a kicking consultant. Quad Cities. Kaeding, a former Iowa Hawkeyes All-American, is the NFL's all-time leader in field goal accuracy at 86.5 percent (and all time lowest percentage at clutch kick accuracy). Go Hawks. The Blue Ribbon Pork Tenderloin, $10, is topped with dill pickles, white onion and mustard. [a] His 40-yard field goal attempt on a wet field missed, and the Chargers lost in the wild card round to the New York Jets, who won the game on a Doug Brien field goal.[5]. The Den the basement area with dining tables and a lounge will be open from 4 p.m. until midnight daily. "The chef and whole staff will be on display there working, with the bar blending in with that," Kaeding said. The restaurant's varied food spread was on full display at a cold-opening dinner Wednesday night. Atlas Restaurant,one of the longtime standards for dining in Iowa City, will close, likely in late March,to make way for the tavern-inspired, seafood-heavy Saint Burch restaurant. The restaurant's name, Kaeding said, harkens back to the days of the Pullman railway dining cars, with design plans for the long, narrow space featuring an arched ceiling, giving it something of a railcar feel. Chef Benjamin Smart, Kaeding, Kent, Matt Swift and Doug Goettsch all have ownership in St. Burch. Jamie Powers CREDIT DELUXE CAKES & PASTRIES. Smart said his goal for Saint Burch is to serve many things that people have eaten dozens of times before, like tenderloins and cheese balls, but to serve "the best one you've ever had.". "People gravitate to spaces like this," said Kaeding, who favors the restaurant's buttermilk fried chicken ($13 for two pieces and $18 for a half chicken) and the house-fermented hot sauce. But when it came down to what the couple wanted in a city to raise their three young kids good schools, access to quality health care and amenities, to name a few it turned out there really was no place like home, he said. Sports Apr. His NFL experience will certainly give him a boost in his new role. The owners have even partnered with Englert Theatre Director Andre Perry to curate a music playlist befitting the diner ambiance. We have a strong loyalty with our customer bases, a lot of people who dont want to see changes. Ultimately, he opted to go back to school for his MBA at UI's Tippie College of Business, trading the jet-set life of a professional athlete for a quiet life back home, dropping kids off at school, writing papers for class and partnering on several local business ventures in between. Nate Kaeding, a Hawkeye All-American and former San Diego Charger, is making a new kind of conversion: launching businesses in downtown Iowa City. It's arched . There's one visionary restaurant in Iowa City that wants to bring that wondrous vibe back, though. All rights reserved. At times, it was really daunting, and I caught a bunch of grief from my wife 'What are you going to do today?' Great article. Listen to this episode below, and subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and SoundCloud. "That's what brings people back, and they're part of the tradition and the fiber of the community.". "In the past 10 years since I've been gone, the dynamic of restaurants and landscape here has changed," said Smart, who returned last year from the Seattle area to serve as chef at Big Grove Brewery, a gastropub in Solon. What are the most popular restaurants in Iowa City? It will be open every day with the kitchen open. Our hope is that you'll learn something new about these notable leaders and that the conversations will perhaps play some . The new partners will be Cory Kent, Matt Swift, Nate Kaeding, Ben Smart and Doug Goettsch. "My main goal is to continue moving this downtown forward to be the arts, entertainment and culinary hub of not only the state, but between Chicago and Denver," Kaeding said. Contact Nate Kaeding, Business Development Director, to discuss your next construction or real estate development project. 2451 Oakdale Blvd. [17][18] His career percentage dropped to 86.2, falling to second behind Mike Vanderjagt (86.5). It has a lot of potential that they saw, that they could go a lot further with it, Leiss said of Jimmy Jacks. Retired pro football player. Nate Kaeding, one of St. Burch's owners, said the downtown Iowa City restaurant at 127 Iowa Ave. would officially open at 11 a.m. Thursday. The drink menu will include draft beers and local whiskeys, and carefully selected coffees will be brewing. Movies. The long, narrow interior of this amazing restaurant pays tribute to the Pullman railway car. Kaeding said one of his first tasks will be to meet with property and business owners downtown includes some 150 commercial properties and learn what their needs are.