Rose & Fern Café
Rose & Fern Café
2009 Culinary Alumna’s Dream Meets Neighborhood Need
Nexus Spring 2021 From Our Kitchens Feature
Becky Tranchell knew what Traverse City’s east side was missing: A restaurant offering meals that were quick, from-scratch, local, affordable, and of course, tasty.
She also knew what she wanted: to support local growers; to pay good wages to her employees, GLCI alumni and students among them; and free evenings.
She’s fused need, desire and delicious at Rose & Fern Café, the cozy breakfast and lunch spot she opened in 2018 at 910 E. Eighth St — yes, between Rose and Fern streets. “The vision was an affordable and local place,” Tranchell said. “I wanted it to be someplace where people could come and have conversations.”
Those conversations are now snatched, since the pandemic has shifted service to take-out only, but community remains the heart of Rose & Fern. Tranchell, 32, offered deep discounts to essential and service workers in the spring. She’s also cultivated an all-local list of suppliers, the importance of which she learned during an internship in San Francisco while at GLCI.
Her menu mixes Mexican and American favors with several vegetarian options. Her newest addition is a selection of unique baked goods — carrot cake muffins, brioche cinnamon rolls — overseen by a fellow GLCI alumna.
All of the above, plus her culinary degree and instructor experience make her an entrepreneur Venture North, a regional community development financial institution, was proud to invest in.
“Her ties to NMC, being a culinary instructor, having a fabulous feeder program,” said Laura Galbraith, executive director. “She’s really supporting a neighborhood. I’m so proud of Becky. Her dream came true.”
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