Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lee “Natty” Trebotich. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Lee “Natty”, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The concept for “Food For Adventures” originated in 2019 during our honeymoon, while Thru Hiking the John Muir Trail with my wife Meghan. After days of cold-soaked ramen and other lightweight meals, the notion of enjoying delicious food in remote areas took root. This led to the idea of providing exceptional meals to everyone, anywhere, igniting the passion to launch Food For Adventures.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have accumulated over two decades of experience in the outdoor industry, transitioning from roles as a biologist, outdoor educator, paid athlete, to now being my own boss. The idea of Food For Adventures (FFA) aimed to fill a niche in the outdoor industry, focusing on offering quality food to everyone, everywhere. An unforgettable moment during my Himalayan travels with a friend, witnessing an “Everest Sherpa Chef” skillfully preparing meals in remote areas, sparked the idea that helped evolve what FFA is today Our services encompass a range of offerings including Private Adventure Chef, Expedition Cooking, Outdoor Educational Programs, and Collaborations for modeling and gear testing. By catering to adventurers worldwide, we have carved a niche in outdoor experiences, fueling every adventure “one bite at a time”. Our journey has taken us to various locations globally, from catering on Denali in Alaska to cooking alongside top chefs at Mexico’s tallest summit, Pico De Orizaba. We traverse terrains to provide services for all types of adventurers through hiking, paddling, and climbing.
We take pride in assembling a team of “adventure” chefs throughout America to broaden our services for any adventurous individual or group.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Funding Food For Adventures has truly been an adventure in itself. The challenges of the 2020 pandemic, coupled with welcoming our newborn daughter Ziggy, made starting a business seem financially unfeasible. Following our daughter’s successful birth and heart surgery, I unexpectedly lost my VP position at a local outdoor company just a week later. Despite the odds being against me, this adversity fueled my determination to embark on my entrepreneurial journey and work for myself. Knowing that securing loans was difficult and wanting to avoid taking on investors, I took on a demanding night shift at a local Amazon company, working from 12:30 am to 11:50 am six days a week for nearly two years. During this time, I dedicated myself to building my own company, not only during my off hours but also while at Amazon (HA HA HA).
When not at Amazon, I tirelessly devoted myself to developing our website, establishing connections, and honing my skills as a novice chef. Every penny I earned was reinvested into the company. Fortunately, my incredible wife Meghan supported us by managing our household expenses and mortgage, allowing me to work on our dream company day in and day out.
The day I transitioned to working full-time at FFA was a moment of pure excitement. It was even more fulfilling when my wife was able to leave her job at the local hospital to join Food For Adventures full-time as well. As they say, hard work truly does pay off!

Does your business have multiple or supplementary revenue streams (like a ATM machine at a barbershop, etc)?

We have diverse revenue streams beyond our culinary services: Our Outdoor Education component is one of our primary services and the most popular. We provide various programs like Outdoor Culinary, Backcountry Cooking, Foraging Hikes, and Medicinal Plant Hikes. These services are available on our website and platforms like AirBnB and REI.
We work with a variety of agencies such as local outfitters, small businesses, and county schools
Another significant source of revenue is our “Seasoned Partnership” service, which includes gear testing, recipe collaborations, and modeling. As a family-owned business, we are often approached for modeling by family-oriented outdoor companies.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.foodforadventures.com
• Instagram: Food_For_Adventures
• Facebook: Food For Adventures

Image Credits
Steven Reinhold (Alaska Photos) Randy Gaetano (Personal Photo) Derek DiLuzio (Family Photo) Nathan Jordan (Family Photo) Made By Mountains (Family Photo) Jason Milligan (Trail Photo)