My Story

I have been vegetarian for nearly 30 years and my vegan journey began a little over 10 years ago.  I enjoy eating out and there are so many amazing restaurants to choose from.  Unfortunately, many of them only offer a couple items that are vegan friendly or they have to be modified.  This started me cooking more at home and exploring how I can make food I used to enjoy plant based and vegan.  Dining as local as one can get (at home!) is now my favorite place to eat!  Now, add in the fact that I also love to entertain and am an avid gardener, and it makes sense that Kind Café and Catering is the next step in my life’s journey!

The food I make is vegan, but it truly is food for everyone.  Who doesn’t love pasta, soup, hearty sandwiches, snacks, and dessert?!  From Southern comfort food, to Italian, Mexican, and Asian cuisines, to just good ‘ole home cooking, anything can be made from plants and still be filling, full of flavor, and most importantly, delicious.

I initially became vegetarian for ethical reasons.  I continued to eat dairy for years thereafter.  I was a bit of a  cheese-a-holic, you could say.  Then one day I learned about how inhumane the dairy industry is and how it directly correlates to the meat industry and I stopped cold turkey.  Within a month, I noticed I had lost weight, my joint stiffness had dissipated, and my skin was clearer.  So now there was not only an ethical reason to be vegan, but there was a physical reason, too.  And one only has to listen to environmental experts to know how animal farming negatively affects our environment to see that a plant-based, vegan diet benefits our planet, as well as us.

I understand that everyone is going to make their own choices and decisions on what they put into their bodies.  We all have access to the same information and we can do with it as we choose.  I can’t force anyone to make the same choices I have.  But what I can do is make simple food that is delicious, healthy, and beautiful, that ALL of us can enjoy, while at the same time protecting the things in this world that are important and meaningful to me.  If I end up being the impetus for someone to choose to make the choices I have made, well, I can’t imagine a better compliment or gift.

I hope you make the food from Kind Café and Catering part of your meal plan for special events and occasions, both at home and at work. Thank you for reading about my journey and I look forward to sharing my “kind food” with you and those you love.