TRAVERSE CITY— The Potato Gallery, a new eatery in Traverse City, it offers customizable potato and pasta dishes, emphasizing fresh, in-house ingredients. With its successful soft launch, the establishment has expanded its hours to include lunch and dinner.
Co-owned by Ryan Wells, The Potato Gallery aims to provide healthy, home-cooked meals where families can quickly order dinner without the hassle of extensive preparation. Alexandria Wells, the Executive Chef, highlights the importance of using fresh ingredients and in-house preparations that stay true to their family values.
Ryan Wells reflects on his family’s long history in the food business: “I grew up in a family business. Mom and dad and I have been business partners all my life. And so, it’s been a blessing to have, Ali as our executive chef, running our 12-year-old brand register and working in the kitchen prepping dishes.”
Executive Chef Alexandria Wells notes the versatility of their roles in the kitchen, stating, “I mean, he’s wore many hats. We all do. And it’s a lot of fun. Valuable life lessons, just being able to be flexible. And so, it’s great to be able to see that transfer in there to the kids.”
Wells emphasizes their commitment to the venture, saying, “And you have to love it. We’re here seven days a week. So, it’s a passion project.”
Alexandria Wells elaborates on their customer-driven approach to food offerings, explaining, “Being a pasta and potato bar and being in Northern Michigan, we know that kind of hits baseline for a lot of consumers, including our family. So that’s really where it stems from.” She detailed their meal options further, stating, “This was something that can kind of fill that gap. If they want a loaded baked potato with broccoli and ham, they can do that. Or I just want pasta and meatballs, without the prep and mess.”
They also utilize beef tallow in their fryers, aligning with their mission to create wholesome comfort food, according to Wells. “We’re a home cooked meal on the go, so everything’s scratch made...All of our sources, our meatballs, our marinades, everything’s done in-house. Our veggies are all fresh and chopped and cut for service. We don’t bring any frozen vegetables... it’s as wholesome as it can get.”
The Potato Gallery is now open for lunch and dinner, inviting the community to enjoy their fresh and customizable meal options.