A Space for Creativity
One of the newest foodie spots to come to Traverse City, Forrest, A Food Studio, opened this November. Located on South Union Street in the old downtown neighborhood anchored by Maxbauer’s Meat Market and The Blue Tractor, this little storefront now harbors the food-centric business venture of Nicole and Forrest Moline.
Forrest is the chef and teacher. Nicole runs front of the house and covers the business end, including accounts, communications and social media. They marry their skills to provide private chef services, cooking classes, special events and bi-weekly themed, single-sitting dinners. As Forrest describes the project: “We maintain the high quality of our product by keeping it in a lower volume; 12 to 16 guests is optimal. We pour the cocktails, greet the guests, encourage our diners to walk around, visit the kitchen and treat our space and the event like a private dinner party. We want them to feel free to interact with us, ask questions, learn how each dish is prepared.”
Adds Nicole, “I think of it as everyone having a seat at the chef’s table.”
Forrest, originally from California, has worked in restaurants in Ohio and Detroit, notably opening Roast with “Iron Chef” winner Michael Symon before moving on to work with Brian Polcyn at the Forest Grill. Nicole, originally from Midland, met Forrest in Cleveland, Ohio, where she was finishing her master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics. He offered to prepare a home-cooked meal for her and the rest, as they say, is history.
The couple discovered Traverse City while on vacation and fell in love with it, choosing Chateau Chantal on Old Mission Peninsula for their destination wedding, where they rented all 11 rooms plus the kitchen for their family and celebrations. Eight years ago they moved north with the goal of starting a business here, eager to find their niche in the region’s growing food and drink culture. The former Californian took up snowboarding, purchased cold weather gear, including his first neck warmer and, with Nicole by his side, has learned to survive our region’s long winters by hosting lots of dinner parties.
In these past few years prior to opening their business, Nicole maintained her corporate job from her home office, and Forrest worked as the production manager for Short’s Brewery in Elk Rapids (he has the Cicerone Certification for beer professionals). With good salaries and few expenses (particularly once they extended their “no eating out in November” commitment to a full year—though not before amply sampling the cuisine of their local colleagues), they were able to save enough to cover the down payment on their storefront and absorb the initial start-up expenses for their business.
There is little the two have not done in the buildup to this opening day. They calculated their profit-and-loss estimates on their own— sufficient to impress the bank and obtain their small business loan—designed their space (hiring a kitchen designer was more than their budget allowed) and did all the physical labor of the renovations excepting the electric, for which they brought in a professional to clean up and streamline. Now they joke that, should the kitchen not prove to be his true calling, Forrest has a backup skill set as a tile layer and contractor.
Bubbling with enthusiasm Nicole says, “I love my new lifestyle. I used to have a very by-the-books corporate job: annual performance reviews, promotions, day-to-day management. It wasn’t a life where you felt a sense of appreciation. But offering our dinners? We’ve had rounds of applause, dancing. It’s very personal. High fives as they depart. It’s so much fun to experience this warm embrace.”
Forrest, A Food Studio, occupies a long rectangular space: the short eastern end is filled by a picture window looking out onto Union Street. Two long tables, one designed and built by Curtis Warnes, Steel Appeal Custom Furniture—who also made the bathroom sinks and front door handle—fill the front room, each surrounded by a selection of stylish, comfortable chairs. Facing the front window, just past the tables, is a full bar ready for special cocktails and cocktail classes. On the north wall is a large screen to facilitate presentations and year-end videos for corporate clients. Beyond the bar are personally appointed restrooms (note the custom-designed wallpaper in each), the dry foods pantry and the immaculate kitchen where guests can observe, question and—depending on the event—participate in the preparation of their dinner. On Forrest’s creatively constructed shelves are the house dishes made by Grayling Ceramics out of Kalamazoo for A Food Studio, including specially designed shallow pasta bowls.
A typical week going forward will include two reservation-only dinners, a cooking class, a demo & dine dinner and one or two private events. Menus will change monthly and by theme. November’s cooking classes are vegetarian: $70 for the three-course menu (wine can be ordered but is not included) of Carrot Apple Salad, Kale Pesto Ravioli and Olive Oil Cake with Frozen Blackberry Custard and Pistachio Mousse.
The dinner menu for November—their Grand Opening month— is Tortellini of Duck Sausage, Citrus Seared Snapper, Bourbon Stout Short Ribs and Caramel Apple Fudge Cake for $80 (wine and cocktails extra).
It is the nascent stage of this little business, a time to “cast a wide net and see what people gravitate towards,” as Nicole says. Being just the two of them, they have the liberty to be flexible and adapt as needed and expect to tweak their program as they receive more feedback from visitors and dining clients. Nicole and Forrest encourage you to stop by to visit. If the door is open, you are welcome to enter and investigate. They will happily answer your questions and show you their space.
IF YOU GO:
Forrest, A Food Studio
408 S. Union St., Traverse City
ForrestAFoodStudio.com
