________________________________________________________________________________________ Salata
Salad Kitchen
Offering a healthier alternative in the fast-casual dining space , Salata ’ s unique blend of builtto-order recipes and secondto-none service has secured the brand ’ s ongoing success . The story started over 20 years ago , as company President , Michele Maerz , begins : “ Salata came from humble and genuine roots , driven by a desire to offer fresh , healthy meals that resonate with real needs . Our founder , Berge Simonian ’ s career in the restaurant industry began in 1979 when he moved to Houston to help his parents manage their deli . In 1988 , he opened his first restaurant in downtown Houston , a concept that served southern homestyle cooking .
“ His second downtown restaurant opened in 1994 , with the addition of a salad tossing station . Berge noticed health-conscious eating and gyms were rising in popularity throughout the early 2000s , and after owning and operating two restaurants , he combined his experiences , local market knowledge , and love of healthy , fresh foods to develop a new restaurant concept in 2004 . After a year of research and development , the core signature dressings , soups , and sauces , that became the backbone of the local Houston concept , were created .
“ The first Salata Salad Kitchen opened in downtown Houston on October 14 , 2005 , serving fresh , build-to-order , fully customizable salads , wraps , and soups . Our first franchised restaurant opened a few years later in downtown Houston in 2007 . As of 2024 , Salata Salad Kitchen has grown to over 100 restaurants in Texas , California , Louisiana , Georgia , and North Carolina .”
Guest experience
Salata offers a fully customizable dining experience , with salads , wraps , soups , organic teas , lemonades , and cookies available on the menu . As Michele enthuses : “ With five salad bases , over 50 toppings , and 11 housemade proprietary dressings , guests have
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