Chef Treacy’s father, Vern Kreger, received his knowledge and love of food from his mother, who cooked and ran a restaurant in downtown, Olympia, where she served many of the state’s legislators in the years between the two World Wars. During this same time, her son Vern began cooking for large family gatherings, inspiring his family and friends with his love of food. Soon his reputation spread as more and more people sampled his unique meat preparations such as Vern’s Tri-Tender Steaks. Taking time away from the kitchen to serve as a bomber pilot in World War II, Vern returned to his passion once the war was over, creating more new dishes and building an extraordinary custom kitchen in the house still used by his heirs today.