Next generation of Wichita’s Steven family steps into the restaurant business
The Steven family has deep roots in Wichita’s restaurant scene: Various members of the family own the Spangles chain, sports bar The Hill Bar & Grill and fine-dining restaurants Vora, Wine Dive and 6S Steakhouse.
Now, the next generation of the Steven family is entering the restaurant business in Wichita.
Brayden Steven, the 24-year-old daughter of local businessman Johnny Steven, is one of two directors of operations at Teriyaki Madness, a new-to-Wichita fast-casual chain that will open its first store on Friday at 3801 N. Ridge Road. The restaurant is in the corner of a new strip center called Shops at Avante that also is home to Papa’s Ice Cream & Treats, Jimmy’s Egg and Bricks & Minifigs.
Her title is director of guest operations, while her co-director — Noah Calcagno — will be the director of culinary operations.
Brayden Steven, who graduated from the University of Kansas in 2023, is the oldest of Johnny Steven’s four children. She’s had experience at the Lawrence location of Wine Dive, owned by her cousins Brent Steven and Brad Steven, where she helped open the restaurant and served as hostess. She’s also worked the front desk at Genesis Heath Clubs and did reception work for her father’s business.
She’s a people person, she said, and she loves the hospitality industry. Now, she’s ready to make her mark on the family business.
“I’ve always grown up admiring the entrepreneurial spirit of my family,” she said. “It’s exciting to kind of put my own name on it — especially with my dad too, because he’s my best friend and my best boss, too.”
Daughter in charge
Johnny Steven, who along with brothers Brandon and Rodney started Eddy’s Insurance Group in 2014, had never himself been part of the restaurant business. But during a work trip to Los Angeles, he discovered Teriyaki Madness and loved it.
He eventually decided to franchise the restaurants for Wichita and has already committed to a second Teriyaki Madness at 344-346 N. Hillside, which should open sometime in the spring of 2026. He’s also planning a third Wichita-area restaurant but hasn’t yet decided where to put it, though he’s considering both east Wichita and Derby.
While he makes those kinds of decisions, he’s relying on his young directors of operations to get the restaurants up and running.
Teriyaki Madness, a Denver-based chain that has 180 restaurants across the United States, has a menu targeted at a younger demographic looking for healthier restaurant meals. It serves made-to-order bowls featuring teriyaki chicken, steak, salmon and tofu. It also offers orange chicken, chicken katsu and yakisoba.
Customers can choose to have their bowls made with white, brown or fried rice; stir-fried or steamed veggies; or noodles. The restaurant also offers appetizers such as chicken egg rolls, chicken pot stickers, crab Rangoon and edamame.
The portions are huge, Brayden Steven said. They come in three sizes — junior, regular and large — and she can’t finish a regular-sized bowl of the orange chicken (her favorite) on her own. The crab Rangoon is also great, said Brayden, who recently went to Denver to train at the corporate headquarters.
“I ate it for 12 days straight in Colorado, and I’m still not sick of it,” she said. “You can order a different thing every day with the different combinations. You can make it healthy. You can splurge on it.”
Customers will be able to either order their food at the counter and dine in or order food to go. Though Teriyaki Madness restaurants don’t have drive-throughs, they do employ a service they call “Mad Dash.” People who order their food online through the restaurant’s app can pull up to the curb and get their food immediately.
Opening-day details
When Teriyaki Madness opens at 10 a.m. on Friday, the first five people who place an order inside the restaurant will win free Teriyaki Madness food for a year. The next 20 people who place an order will receive free Teriyaki Madness for a month.
Also, on both Friday and Saturday, customers will be able to get junior and regular-sized chicken teriyaki bowls for $6, either in-store or by placing an order on the Teriyaki Madness app.
And those who download the app and order between Sunday and Aug. 15 will be entered into a contest to win free bowls for a month.
The store’s hours will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. For more information, visit teriyakimadness.com/locations/ks-wichita/
This story was originally published August 5, 2025 at 2:53 PM.
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