Big Bite: Rockne's

Having started the famed Rockne’s restaurant franchise and with 35 years’ experience in the food service business, Rockne Becker recently opened his newest venture, Rock Fresh. Becker is focused on consistently providing fast food using the freshest and best ingredients, made from scratch.

“Food made here is food that most people don’t make at home anymore,” says Becker. “It’s like the stuff your grandparents made, like stuffed cabbage or chicken paprikash.”

He’s also interested in current nutritional research about the health benefits of food combinations. Becker always keeps a dispenser full of what he calls “Oz Water,” a drink he credits to television’s Dr. Mehmet Oz. Guests can sip this water — infused with pineapple, mint and citrus — as a healthier alternative to coffee, tea or soft drinks.

Don’t expect to see TVs on the wall or hear loud music when you enter. Becker wants his guests to connect with their dining companions and enjoy the food they’re eating without distractions. He’s currently planning a “life bar” for the restaurant, which will feature juiced raw foods that capture the most nutritional benefits.

Becker says another important aspect of Rock Fresh is that his employees are students from business programs at local high schools. He shows them how to make food and what goes into organizing a small business, and he says they help him see the world through youthful eyes.