About Us
Square Root Foods all started with two friends selling produce from their small farm in Northern Arizona, to Chef Brian Konefal at his esteemed restaurant, Coppa Cafe, in Flagstaff, Arizona. They all connected on similar concerns for the current food system and ideas on how to improve their community’s relationship to the food they regularly ate. Eventually, the trio decided to start a food truck, using resources from the farm they ran, offering vegan options and AZ grass fed beef burgers. After closing the food truck and offering weekend pickup meals during COVID, they decided to open a small, boutique grocery store, offering specialty items and frozen meals for patrons to bake at home. Along with the storefront, they created the TotBox, a new food truck concept, offering gourmet, handmade tater tots with creative and delicious toppings. Most recently, the crew has decided to evolve once more, focusing on their catering program as a way to offer fresh, delicious food to their community.
Brian Konefal
Chef & Owner
Hi, my name is Brian! I have always loved Flagstaff for its natural beauty and small community feel. I graduated from NAU with a degree in Spanish and then attended a culinary school in Costigliole d’Asti in the Piedmont region. After culinary school, I “staged” (worked for free) at a few Michelin starred restaurants in Europe before returning to the states to work for my mentor, Daniel Humm at The Campton Place in San Francisco. We gained the highest available accolades possible at the time and, afterwards, Chef Humm was offered to take over a restaurant called Eleven Madison Park where I joined him for a few more years. These were the toughest, most exhilarating years of my life. In order to expand my experience, I went to work for the most highly awarded Michelin chef of all time, Joel Robuchon. The food was pure art, beauty and absolutely delicious.
I moved back to Flagstaff with my wife, Paola Fioravanti to open a speakeasy named The Piano room. We opened Coppa Cafe a year later and ran it for 8 1/2 years. I loved cooking for this great community. Food helps join people together to create great memories. People often ask me where they can get my food now that I don’t own a restaurant, so switching our company focus to catering provides that solution. Also, don’t pass on our Tot Box! Home-Made-Mashed--Potato-Tots!
Jack Flaccus
Owner & Operator
Hi, my name is Jack! I was born and raised in Flagstaff. When I turned 17, I traveled around a lot, living in some amazing places before returning home to snag up a BS in Environmental Science from Northern Arizona University. Flagstaff is definitely home. Of all of the beautiful places that I’ve been, I never found a community or geographic location like Flagstaff. I like to travel, ride bikes, snowboard and get outside, and Flagstaff allows easy access to all of the trails that make these activities possible. I also spend quite a bit of time renovating my 113 year old home near downtown Flagstaff. I love being a part of owning and operating Square Root Foods because of the way I get to show up for my community and meet new people everyday.
Bryan Lubbehusen
Owner & Operator
Hi, my name is Bryan! I grew up in Flagstaff and have always considered this home. I left when I was 19 and moved to Breckenridge, CO to be a ski bum for 4 years. Afterwards, I decided to come back to Flagstaff because it is home and where all of my close friends resided. I obtained my captain’s license at the age of 21 and started running sport-fishing boats in San Diego. After several years, I decided to go into the medical field where I obtained my EMT and became a tech at FMC’s emergency department. From there, Jack and I started a farm south of Prescott, started selling to Chef Konefal at Coppa Cafe and the rest is history! When I’m not working with Square Root Foods and the TotBox, I enjoy all sorts of interests outside of work such as mountain biking, skiing and snowboarding, rock climbing, hunting, surfing and traveling to other world destinations. I love being a part of owning and operating Square Root Foods and TotBox because of the potential we have with providing a new conceptual take on potatoes and the places the food truck takes us. We travel to all sorts of events that I never knew existed and that is the exciting part of the journey!
Ayla Allen
Operations & Events Manager
Hi, my name is Ayla! I am a born and raised Flagstaffian and have a true love and connection with this place. I graduated from NAU with a BA in Business Marketing and Management. My background is in luxury hospitality and event planning. I worked as the Director of Groups and Events for Amangiri for 5 years which expanded my portfolio and love for what I do. My true passion is working with people, building and maintaining relationships, and sharing my passions in and out of work with others. After graduating from NAU, I moved out of Flagstaff for 10+ years following my career around the West. I had the opportunity to live in some pretty incredible places including Jackson Hole, Bend Oregon, Page AZ, & Driggs ID, though eventually came home to be close to my family. Leaving Flagstaff gave me a new appreciation for the community and love in Flagstaff. I have known Bryan and Jack for nearly my entire life and met Chef Brian when he owned Copa Cafe. When I returned to Flagstaff, I began working with the boys, doing what I do best and took charge of the operations and event planning for the TotBox. It has been an incredible adventure and a huge learning curve for us all though I have loved every second of it. We have a great team with a lot of love and support for each other. It is not about the destination, it is about the journey, enjoying it, and adapting to the ever changing world around us. The support from our community has kept us around and we are incredibly thankful for the love. Outside of work I like to spend time with my family and the people I love, traveling as much as possible, enjoying endless adventures, and stepping outside of my comfort zone. I am a gypsy at heart and my bags are always packed and ready to go.