(Photo: Marc Howland, CEO, LaTresha ‘LC’ Howland, co-founder & chief communications officer and Ryan Eli Salter, co-founder and chief product officer of Breadless)
There is a string of new businesses launching across the city, but one aims to show Detroit residents the healthy side of dining out. Breadless features a menu packed full of nutrients while bringing unique elements to classic sandwiches. With flavors comparable to that of five-star restaurants, Breadless is packing a punch without adding on the pounds.
Husband and wife duo Marc and LaTresha ‘LC’ Howland as well as friend and business partner Ryan Eli Salter created Breadless as a way to bring health and nutrition to lunch and dinner plates. With specific dietary preferences and restrictions, Marc found it increasingly difficult to find meals on the go in the hustle and bustle of New York. Faced with limited options, he conceived the idea and presented it to wife and native Detroiter, LC. Together, the two began to form the blueprint that would become Breadless.
“Breadless was really started as a concept from my husband Marc who’s our other co-founder and chief executive officer. For over ten years, he struggled with finding low carb, gluten-free options to fit his dietary preferences and restrictions. So, he doesn’t eat bread, rice or pasta,” said LC.
As the couple began to build the vision, the need for culinary expertise arose. Experimenting with different food options during beta testing, the Howlands imagined an elevation in their menu options. Bringing Ryan Eli Salter aboard was the next step in perfecting the menu.
“While we were experimenting in our kitchen with different sandwiches, we knew we needed somebody to bring the culinary vision to life and Ryan was exactly that person,” said LC. “He introduced the concept of dark leafy greens with nutritional value. So, not just iceberg lettuce, but Swiss chard, kale, turnip greens, collard greens — and he wanted to infuse that element of the African diaspora.”
The trio found themselves back in the comforts of Detroit and knew they needed to bring the concept to life in a city where healthy food options are not plentiful.
“We knew we wanted to launch in Detroit, in a city that doesn’t have that many healthy options. New York has it, LA has it, the coast; they already know, but nobody’s doing that here in Detroit or in the Midwest,” said LC.
Salter, who serves as not just a co-founder, but also the chief product officer, brought his love of food and flavors to the business. A gift of creating unique flavor profiles, Salter’s culinary background helped introduce a new way of utilizing greens for the sandwiches. By using greens grown in the city, the trio is also giving back to Detroit’s food sustainability ecosystem by purchasing locally.
“I hate romaine lettuce. I hate iceberg lettuce. There’s no nutritional value to it. So, I was like let’s try to bring these greens in and see what it can do. As I started doing the collard greens, and started to bring the turnip greens in and Swiss chard, I realized there’s a lot of local farmers who grow it in Michigan,” said Salter.
The menu features a collection of sandwiches packed with protein and vegetables like portobello mushrooms, cabbage, eggplant and builds flavor profiles with house-made spreads and sugar-free barbecue sauce. Fusing flavors like a good song, guests at Breadless will be left dancing to a new food beat.
“Food is like music. It should have a whole harmony to it. It’s the balance, it’s the notes, it’s the different profiles that you have when you eat it and I really am proud that Breadless really has that harmonic balance with things. It’s a little savory, it’s a little peppery, it’s a little spicy, it’s a little sweet. Nothing overrides the other,” said Salter.
Breadless is officially open and is located 2761 East Jefferson.