Meet our team
Our Story
Where Chicago Grit Meets Louisiana Soul
Resilience, roots, and reinvention—one plate at a time.
Chef Tre didn’t set out to be a chef. As a child on the South Side of Chicago, he spent time in the kitchen with his grandmother, Viola—a Chicago Public Schools nutrition manager whose legendary butter cookies were just one of the many lessons she passed down. Over the stove, she taught him more than recipes—she taught life skills, resilience, and the value of feeding others.
He lost her at a young age. Life took unexpected turns, and eventually, he found himself at a crossroads. It was then that he returned to the lessons he had learned in her kitchen, rediscovering his passion for food. Culinary school followed, then years of rising through the ranks as an executive chef.
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Tre launched Tre’s Street Kitchen in Louisiana. What started as a bold vision has since grown into an award-winning food service powerhouse, earning national recognition from the NFL LIX Super Bowl Program, Kraft Heinz, Amazon, Urban League of Louisiana, Baton Rouge Business Report, and most recently, Aramark, a global food service company.
Led by CEO Tremaine Devine and CXO Kristen Smith, Tre’s Street Kitchen is more than a food company—it is a family-owned, nationally acclaimed brand redefining campus dining, corporate catering, and stadium concessions. With a dedication to bold flavors, deep community roots, and an uncompromising commitment to excellence, Tre’s Street Kitchen has built a reputation for delivering high-quality culinary experiences. From its signature Tre’s Street Sauce to high-impact partnerships, the company continues to set new standards in the food service industry.
Meet the COFOUNDERS
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Tremaine Devine grew up on the South Side of Chicago, where he was raised by his grandparents, Mississippi natives who instilled in him the values of hard work, faith, and family. His grandmother, Viola, introduced him to the kitchen at an early age—Sunday mornings before church became the foundation of his love for food and service.
He is now the Co-Founder and CEO of Tre’s Street Kitchen®, a rapidly growing food service company headquartered in Baton Rouge. The company delivers chef-driven, culturally rooted meals across higher education, government, and corporate sectors. Under his leadership, Tre’s Street Kitchen® has secured contracts with LSU, Southern University, and Baton Rouge Community College and established trusted partnerships with Compass Group and Aramark.
As CEO, Devine oversees strategic growth, multi-unit management, culinary operations, and high-volume food production. His responsibilities span supply chain and vendor strategy, contract development, and team leadership—ensuring every aspect of the business is aligned for scale and impact.
His work has been recognized nationally and regionally. In 2025, Devine, along with his co-founder and wife Kristen, received both the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Entrepreneurial Success Award for Louisiana and the Ernest N. Morial Small Business of the Year Award. He is also a Kraft Heinz Black Kitchen Awardee, recipient of the Aramark Best of Growth Award, featured by J.P. Morgan Chase, and he has been profiled in The New York Times and named an Intelligent Entrepreneur by the Baton Rouge Business Report. He further strengthened his executive expertise through Dartmouth’s Building a Successful Diverse Business program.
More than building a business, Tremaine Devine is building a legacy—rooted in culture, community, and excellence.
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Kristen C. Smith-Devine is the Co-founder and Chief Experience Officer of Tre’s Street Kitchen® (DBA Devine Foods), a family-owned food service company based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Since launching in 2020, Kristen has led the company’s growth from a mobile food truck into a multi-channel operation—spanning campus dining, concessions, corporate and government catering, and the launch of a retail product line, Tre’s Street Sauce®.
In just a few years, the company has achieved 99% growth, secured contracts with major institutions like LSU, Southern University, and BRCC, and earned national recognition as one of only 16 companies selected for the Aramark Local Restaurant Row Growth Award. In 2025, Kristen, along with her husband and co-founder, Tremaine Devine, received the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Entrepreneurial Success Award for Louisiana and the 2025 Morial Small Business Award held at the Ernest N. Moral Convention Center in New Orleans, highlighting her leadership in building a high-impact, community-rooted enterprise.
Kristen is a graduate of the SBA T.H.R.I.V.E. program, the LA Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Technical Assistance Program, the Morgan Stanley Small Business Academy, and a winner of the Urban League of Louisiana's Women in Business Pitch, as well as a 101 Women in Business honoree. She is passionate about workforce development, equitable access to high-quality food, and creating lasting opportunities through entrepreneurship.