What started as a catering company has since evolved into a mobile food trailer and now a brick-and-mortar storefront. The Salt & Sugar Co. is celebrating the grand opening of its café Friday, Aug. 17. The café with an emphasis on organic and fresh ingredients has been operating under a soft opening since the first of the month.
The Salt & Sugar Co. is a family-run organization. The Nemeth family first opened the business as a catering company in 2014 but the story begins before that. Pregnant with their first child, Alisha Nemeth began eating only fresh and organic foods. Her husband Jesse, then Executive Chef at Morton’s The Steakhouse in Troy, grew restless with his job and, wanting to spend more time with his family, quit to start Salt & Sugar with his wife.
What started as Alisha selling her baked goods at family events and garage sales soon became a catering company. A mobile food trailer soon followed. The menu grew to include salads and hot meals, and still adhered to their fresh and organic ingredient philosophy.
"If I had a business, it needed to be a passion of mine," Alisha says. "I wanted it to be based on the kinds of food that I eat."
As the Nemeth family grew with the birth of a second child, the Salt & Sugar trailer began to feel a bit cramped. Alisha spotted a 1,000 sq. ft. storefront in downtown Clawson and the café took shape.
The Salt & Sugar Co. features ten salads, several hot dishes, and several more desserts, and all using fresh and organic ingredients. They also carry organic teas and coffees.
The space itself features an outdoor patio, complete with white canopies and gardens.
The menu also features rotating seasonal offerings.
"I eat the leftovers, so I can’t have it be the same menu every week," Alisha says.
The Salt & Sugar Co. is located at 139 W. 14 Mile Rd. in downtown Clawson.
A grand opening party is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 17 and will feature a number of local vendors, as well as free craft activities for kids, a natural popsicle cart, organic wheatgrass shots, and more.
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