Where’d you get the idea?
It started in the kitchens of Lulu’s and Siren Hall, where customers were demanding more vegan and vegetarian entrees. One day I started working on doing just a bean cake, trying to figure out a way to bind the ingredients – without using gluten.
It was just a matter of using my abilities to bring not only flavor, but critical texture. After some experimentation, we ran them as a featured vegan entree – and people loved them.
Customers said our burgers were better than any other product on the market. So we decided – maybe we could take them to market too.
Tell us more about your history as a chef.
I started cooking when I was 14, and always knew that food was my passion. After high school I went to the CIA (Culinary Institute of America), but eventually landed back in Northern Michigan at Spencer Creek restaurant.
In 2001 I opened Lulu’s, which provided the opportunity to embrace the French bistro aesthetic honed both at the CIA as well as from a brief stint in Paris. I followed that with Siren Hall in 2007, creating the seafood-focused menu it’s known for. I’ve also got the Anchor Station food truck at The Little Fleet in Traverse City, and most recently, this amazing grain burger venture.
What Makes Your Burgers Better?
Texture, for one. Texture is the big thing that’s missing from other burgers, but our diverse range of grains and seeds adds that critical crunch.
We only use fresh herbs – the greenest parsley, cilantro, jalapeño peppers, scallions, sage, and sweet onions. Our falafel, for example, has an awesome green color because of all the fresh ingredients we use.
Our patties taste better because we developed them in real restaurant kitchens, refined through years of candid staff and customer feedback. Having real people around to evolve the product has made a real difference.
Of course, our products are all vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and GMO-free.
Why Northern Michigan?
Not only is Michigan one of the most diverse agricultural states in the entire country, but Northern Michigan is renowned for its local food movement and incredible quality of life.
Sandy beaches, verdant orchards, pioneering wineries, craft breweries, and a blossoming arts-and-culture scene make it an ideal home for any foodie – or foodie business.
