Approachable Gourmet Food at Kangaroo Kitchen and Catering

Kangaroo Kitchen and Catering will be opening next month in the East Fulton business district, near the corner of Diamond and Fulton. Chef Roman Petrack brings his diverse background not only in cooking but in living to his new venture.

Petrack was born in New Zealand, grew up in the Netherlands and then he moved to Australian. He has lived in Grand Rapids for the last 14 years with his wife. He started his business here with personal chefing but was on the hunt for a kitchen to rent.

“The expenses of renting were pretty high, then this building came up and was bought by the Kent County Land Bank who bought it from back out taxes. I was the first person in and got it for a great price,” says Petrack.

Petrack says the building was in rough shape when he acquired the space. He has been working on repairing the building since March.

The menu will be full of options for the meat eater, vegetarian or vegan. Sourcing ingredients from local farms and utilizing Farmlink, Petrack wants to offer healthy fast food paired with a take-out style concept.

“Instead of going to a place that only offers sandwiches, I plan to offer a more eclectic menu,” says Petrack.

 “I think a lot of people think vegetarian and vegan means plain vegetables, but really there is a lot you can do with the texture and taste of those dishes. If you do a vegan dish well, a meat eater will like it too,” says Petrack. 

Grand Rapids can plan to see the doors open by the first week of August, with a full take-out menu and availability to cater small or large-scale gatherings upon request.