West-end restaurant helps patrons 'eat to live'
Posted: Friday, March 25, 2011 12:00 am
ATLANTA – Can you create a successful business these days while flying in the face of convention? The folks at Food For Life Supreme restaurant believe they can and they are staking their reputation – and much of their investment – on that very notion.
Located on Martin Luther King Boulevard in the West End – squarely on the block with a perennial fast-food favorite – Food For Life is bucking convention and daring to blend altruism and capitalism in an effort to create healthier consumers.
The restaurant's mission is to get consumers to transition from fast food to healthy foods that heal the body and satisfy the palate.
"We're not preachy, but if patrons are interested, we talk to them about eating for your blood type, food combining, alternative medicines, and not dieting but making lifestyle changes," said manager, Dana Peach, who also is a holistic doctor.
Not only does the restaurant teach patrons about "transitional eating," but it also gives back to the community by teaching classes on all aspects of running a transitional restaurant. The curriculum started at the company's headquarters in Kansas.
But the Atlanta restaurant also teaches culinary arts and all aspects of restaurant management. Classes are intended to teach consumers how to make smarter food choices that help them live longer, healthier lives, owners say.
Former student Marcus Forbes took the classes and is now head chef under executive chef Trinity Travis.
"I see a shift in consciousness overall in health and wellness with organic farming and local grocers," Forbes said. "So Atlanta is starting to get more food options, and we want to be one of those options. In fact, we want to be a leader."
The restaurant is popular with Atlanta University Center college students who get a 15 percent discount on food and who and enjoy live music and open mic every Friday night. Students also can get college credit for taking the Food for Life classes.
In fact, students are involved in every aspect of the restaurant, including developing the décor.
"We want to give patrons the full healthy eating experience, which includes a clean and colorful décor," Peach said. "The vibrant colors not only help to stimulate the appetite, but help aid in digesting the food."
All the food, meanwhile, is made fresh daily and all vegetables – like the French-fried carrots – are cut by hand. The menu has no red meat or pork, so most of the entrees are made with fish, like the "Philly" cheese steak made with tuna.
Executive Chef Trinity Travis said the menu provides foods that taste good and are good for you.
"Our menu teaches patrons about food pairing or food combining. It's best not to pair protein with carbs, which can cause heartburn, sluggishness, and constipation," Travis said. "So our dishes are veggies paired with carbs or veggies paired with protein, like our Sunset Salad with batter-fried salmon."
Other popular dishes include the Cuban Burger and the Flamingo Rolls – both made with salmon and the restaurant's tasty Tiki sauce.
Chefs also use Agave instead of white sugar in their made-from-scratch desserts – including their popular lemon cream cheese pound cake.
"I've been coming here for three years and love that the food is always fresh, healthy and tasty," said one customer, Atesha Matthews.
Another customer, India Killian, visits about once a week, and even uses the restaurant's Wifi service.
"I love the atmosphere and the colors in the décor. And the service is excellent," she said.
Peach believes their customer service is so good because each employee is a part-owner of the restaurant, and committed to its mission and success.
"We're all volunteers, meaning we don't get salaries," she said. "The corporation pays for our food, lodging, utilities, clothing, and other expenses so that we can just focus on providing healthy food to the community."
The Food for Life Supreme headquarters in Kansas also teaches self-sufficiency through its sewing school, where students manufacture the company's clothing line.
Students also produce eco-friendly hair-care and skin-care products, and their own "Bio Coffee" specially formulated with wheatgrass to promote healthy digestion.
All products are on sale at the Atlanta restaurant and seven other locations throughout the country, as well as on the company's Web site.
First-time customer John Cummings said he thinks the restaurant's concept is just what the African-American community needs.
"I really hope that it gets the support it needs to survive," Cummings said. "I'll do all I can to get the word out."
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