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Amanda's Story


NORTHERN HARVEST: TWENTY MICHIGAN WOMEN IN FOOD AND FARMING

Wayne Press Catalog: Northern Harvest

AMANDA DANIELSON

Born in Detroit, Amanda with her husband opened their first restaurant in Traverse City, Trattoria Stella, in 2004, proclaiming this community the ideal place, as it was and has been, and will continue to be in defiance of the pandemic and recession of 2020.  Like many other restaurants, Stella’s provided take-out meals for their clients during the shutdown, and is now reopening within the social distancing guidelines.

Sadly, Amanda and her partners have had to close the second restaurant described in her story, The Franklin, a venue that I and others have loved since its opening. 2020 has been destructive in ways this country has not seen since the flu of 1918 or the great depression of 1929.

Food, its preparation and its delivery, were part of Amanda’s experience from childhood.  With Lebanese and Polish grandparents she was exposed to different cultures and cuisines.

“My grandmother did all the canning.  She’d have five pots going on her big stove going at once so that the color of the green vegetables wouldn’t affect the color of the white vegetables, or the orange vegetables. It was fantastic growing up with those traditional flavors . . .”

At 12 she worked in her family’s Big Boy franchise. Later she traveled to Europe and Central America opening restaurants internationally for TGI Friday and exploring the larger culinary world. Her knowledge of wines is legendary. Educating her staff is a top priority with her, and several have gone on to other restaurants or to open their own restaurants. “We give people the opportunity to learn both the good and the bad from us in an environment that is truly nurturing.”

To phone for reservations or for take-out orders, (231) 929-8989. 

 To learn more of Amanda’s story and those of the 19 other amazing women in this book you can now purchase Northern Harvest from your favorite bookstore.

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