Look which Steven family member is going into the restaurant business now

Unlike his brothers, some of his cousins and other members of his extended family, Johnny Steven has never been in the restaurant industry, but that’s about to change.

He plans to open three Teriyaki Madness franchises in Wichita, and more likely will follow in the cities around Wichita after that.

That’s even though Steven said, “I’m not a restaurant guy. I won’t ever be a restaurant guy.”

Steven is in the insurance business. He and his brothers, Brandon and Rodney, started Eddy’s Insurance Group in 2014 when Allstate approached them about having an agency in their car dealerships.

When their dealership business took the family to California, Johnny Steven started doing insurance work there, too, and he travels to Los Angeles at least once a month.

That’s how he discovered Teriyaki Madness.

“I had it every single time I came out here over two years.”

He’d buy it for larger meals at the dealership, too.

“Catering is real big with them.”

Before he even knew it was a franchise, Steven said, “I bragged about it.”

Then he learned more about the franchise and what it offers.

“Their franchise program is absolutely amazing. . . . They just do everything for you.”

Then, of course, there’s the food.

“The food is so good.”

Steven said it’s a fast-casual concept with made-to-order Japanese food, some of which is what he called “mad spicy.”

“I’m a spicy guy.”

The spice is “what made me fall in love with it.”

Steven said his kids especially like the chicken teriyaki.

When his son, Johnny Steven II, came to visit with some friends, “they freaked out.”

“They were there two days, and they ate there three times.”

He plans to open his first Teriyaki Madness at the Shops at Avante at 37th North and Ridge Road.

The next will follow near Central and Hillside. Look for more information on that one in the coming months.

Then, an east-side restaurant will follow before Steven begins looking outside of Wichita.

The three Wichita restaurants should all be open within two years.

Steven is starting west since that’s where he lives.

Also, he said, “I know that that area needs more food.”

His daughter, Brayden Steven, is going to run the restaurants.

His cousin, Craig Steven Jr., whose family owns the Spangles chain, has a small stake in the Teriyaki Madness franchise, too.

“He’s been in the restaurant business for 25 years now,” Johnny Steven said.

He asked his cousin to consult with him as necessary.

In addition to Spangles, family members also have 6S Steakhouse, the Hill Bar & Grill and the Wine Dive among other businesses in the industry.

So what advice have they all shared?

Well, it’s too late for the first piece: Don’t go into the restaurant business.

However, Steven noted he had warnings that going into the insurance business might be crazy, too.

“Insurance has been phenomenal to me.”

Steven said he likes the service industry, and that’s where the other advice comes in. He said providing a great customer experience is what it’s all about, from the location to food quality to overall service.

Teriyaki Madness is a fast-growing franchise, and Steven said, “The Midwest barely has it at all.”

He said he thinks it’s about to explode across the Midwest and wants to be a part of it.

Steven said the there’s a lot of energy around the franchise and at the restaurants themselves.

“The madness, the energy of it — it caught me.”