Chef Norm Trawick and his wife Kina first came into ACityDiscount in December of 2014 to begin shopping for their first restaurant, Fresh Treats Gourmet Bistro. Located in Decatur, GA, Fresh Treats’ focus is on providing their community with a healthier alternative for quick serve food. But the couple’s journey to Fresh Treats began far before the moment they entered our showroom doors.
Kina and Chef Norm were both working pretty hard hours in the years prior to opening Fresh Treats Gourmet Bistro. Before deciding to open a business, Kina was working in finance and Chef Norm was working in a number of foodservice operations. The Trawicks’ worked often, and they and their family also maintained an active role in their church and local communities.
In 2008, after President Obama was elected, he and First Lady Michelle Obama began to prioritize the nutrition of our nation’s school lunches, and eventually went on to found ‘Let’s Move!’; a government sponsored campaign to improve school lunches and help combat childhood obesity in the United States. Parents themselves, the Trawicks’ were inspired in the country’s new found devotion to healthy eating habits, especially concerning our nation’s youth. The couple began Fresh Treats as a healthy catering option for those in the Atlanta market, and specialized in producing healthy lunch programs for local charter schools.
After some success working with local schools, Fresh Treats began to grow above and beyond their modest catering kitchen. The Trawicks decided to branch out and start looking into opening their first full service operation, Fresh Treats Gourmet Bistro. An ambitious undertaking, Kina and Chef Norm decided that they wanted to offer healthy fast-casual options in addition to their catering and charter school offerings.
The couple shopped around for an ideal location to be the new home of Fresh Treats Gourmet Bistro. After much searching and deliberation, they decided on a location in the Decatur, GA neighborhood of East Lake. The neighborhood is overloaded with fast food restaurants and businesses that offer primarily fried foods, and it is the Trawicks’ goal to help start changing the face of food in this area.
When Kina and Chef Norm first came into ACityDiscount, they were greeted by sales person Krista Haynes. Krista got to know the Trawicks, and after learning more about their business goals, location, and menu, helped them set up a kitchen and serving line that worked with their specific needs.
“First time restaurant owners know what equipment they need to cook their product, but often times they don’t know that there are simple ways to cut down initial costs,” Krista says. “Optional add-ons can make one piece of equipment fill multiple needs. Ranges, for instance, can be equipped with accessories like griddles or broilers and spare business owners from having to purchase another piece of equipment.” Krista was able to walk the Trawicks through the buying process, and by finding them equipment that could be used for multiple applications, significantly reduced the initial costs of building their kitchen.
The future is bright for the folks at Fresh Treats. After a wildly successful grand opening celebration in June of 2015, the Trawicks are settling into their new roles as restaurant owners. Kina and Chef Norm still work with their church and their list of charter school, and have plans to make the most of their new location. The ambitious couple intends on having live music on weekends, occasional barbecues, and are planning to start hosting teaching / learning sessions in the kitchen to help children and community residents learn the benefits of eating right, and to teach them how to do so.
For more information on Fresh Treats Gourmet Bistro, check out their website, Facebook Page, or stop by their location at 3148 Glenwood Rd., Decatur, GA.
