The Boiler Room was founded in 2009 by restaurateurs Mark and Vera Mercer with Paul Kulik as the opening chef. It was built inside a raw brick space in Omaha’s Old Market that originally had a gravel floor and required significant transformation into the fine-dining establishment it is today. The goal was to become a destination restaurant, and it’s often credited with helping redefine Omaha dining in the late 2000s.
Chef Tim Nicolson joined the restaurant a year and a half after it opened as a sous chef. Not long after, he became executive chef when Kulik opened Le Bouillon. He developed a close working relationship with Vera, who also owns Le Bouillon. Over time, he earned her trust and significant autonomy over the menu.
Nicolson is an Omaha native and didn’t have plans for a culinary career. While in high school, he worked at Panera Bread with his brother. It was just a job at the time, not a calling. He took Foods I and II as an elective, because a friend signed up for the class. His teacher quickly recognized his untapped potential. Nicholson was encouraged to join the school’s culinary competition, and that exposure to advanced cooking techniques sparked his interest. He discovered it combined all the elements he enjoyed—math, science and working with his hands.
“I kind of realized that, hey, I’m kind of enjoying this,” Nicolson recalled…