Frontier Flame

In the heart of Glendo, Wyoming, a culinary dream fueled by family and a dash of green chili was realized from the shared vision of Michelle Belt, her mother Zenda Lange, and her sister Ashley Durand. Frontier Flame opened its doors in April 2024.

“My mom has always wanted her own restaurant,” Michelle explains. “She has been a chef for over 30 years. She has managed many restaurants around Wyoming and Colorado and in March 2024 she was asked by one of the local business owners if she wanted to lease their restaurant. She was so excited! She asked my sister and I if we would like to be a part of this new business. We agreed and my mom signed the contract with them.”

Soon after, Frontier Flame relocated. “The owner of Kim’s Place asked us if we would be interested in buying her restaurant,” Michelle says. “We knew buying our own place would be better for us in the long run. So, we bought the restaurant.”

Initially, navigating the seasonal rhythms of a tourist town presented its challenges. “Trying to decide what the best business hours would be with a small staff has been a challenge,” Michelle says. Through trial and error, Frontier Flame has found their rhythm. Each member of the team brings unique skills to the table: Zenda’s renowned culinary expertise, Ashley’s seasoned bartending skills, and Michelle’s diverse background and entrepreneurial drive.

Before Frontier Flame, Michelle Belt had aspirations of business ownership. Seeking more information about the process, she met with Steen Stovall at the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network. “Steen was extremely helpful! He helped me with market research for a laundromat, writing a business plan, and gave me information about business licenses,” Michelle recalls.

The Wyoming SBDC Network came back into the picture for the family’s new restaurant and proved to be a beneficial resource for the business. “From information on LLC’s to social media advice, the services and resources provided by the SBDC has been a blessing! The market research was a big help.” Michelle says of her work with Steen and the SBDC team. “There is a comfort in knowing that if I am having trouble solving a problem, that they will be there to help me solve it.”

Frontier Flame has received great reviews, and they plan to expand their business soon using the business’ secret ingredient: Zenda’s legendary homemade green chili. “My mom Zenda has developed an excellent green chili recipe over the years. We have plans to ‘can’ it and sell it in stores,” Michelle shares.

Michelle also envisions Frontier Flame expanding to multiple locations and diversifying her own entrepreneurial portfolio with other businesses. As for advice to other entrepreneurs, she emphasizes the importance of having a strong team. “You can be the hardest working person, but you can’t do it all.”

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(top) Ashley Durand, (bottom) Michelle Belt and Zenda Lange