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Keto cheesecake from Manchester. Chilly-pressed juices from Mystic. Vegan pasta from New Haven. Kombucha from Danbury. All delivered to your house in a single order.
That is the idea behind My Native Cooks, a brand new culinary startup by Vanessa Sena, which launched July 5. Sena’s platform brings collectively Connecticut cooks, bakers and producers who create contemporary and wholesome meals, and delivers merchandise to clients across the state on a twice-weekly foundation.
“I needed to do one thing that was an Amazon-type really feel, however for individuals who needed wholesome meals,” she mentioned. “I began inviting myself to all these Fb teams, and I used to be seeing what folks have been asking for. Persons are out right here searching for wholesome meals, and it is not [always] simply attainable. Or you have to drive all the way in which throughout the state to get it.”
Sena envisioned a “one cease store” idea for wholesome choices, accommodating clients with particular dietary wants. The 18 chef/producer companions she works with supply vegan meals, gluten-free merchandise, keto objects, juice cleanses and meal-prep providers for assorted existence.
Prospects should place orders by 11:59 p.m. on Monday for Thursday supply, and by 11:59 p.m. Thursday for Monday dropoff. Cooks convey their merchandise to a central hub, and drivers ship orders from there. The service is accessible throughout Connecticut.
Present cooks embody Al Williams of Candy n’ Savory in Windsor, who crafts gluten-free cupcakes with greens and superfoods; Chris Haylett of Hearth & Spice in Hartford, who makes a speciality of vegan Jamaican meals; and Lori Weisenbach Cornett, whose Make It GF enterprise, based mostly in Canton, is licensed gluten-free for these with celiac allergy symptoms. Mallory O’Conner of Macaroni with Mal in New Haven makes vegan rustic pastas, like ravioli with seasonal fillings, and Sharyce Graham of Manchester creates decadent keto-friendly cheesecakes.
Liz and Ian Ceppos of Cross Tradition Kombucha in Danbury supply the gut-friendly fermented beverage, and Liz Alina of Karma Kitchen in Mystic makes cold-pressed juices and juice cleanses. Salomey Adomako of Ezra Wellness in Simsbury, an RN and licensed vitamin counselor, sells a keto-compliant almond “bread” and Kim Prada of Tribe Energy Bites in Manchester creates wholesome vitality snacks. Kelly and Derrick Caisse of KDCrop Farms in Chaplin are identified for specialty relishes, jams and pickles, and Vibrant Farm of Bantam gives contemporary produce.
Jordanian chef Amir Orjani, will be a part of the slate in August, providing halal meals, and Dorjan Puka of Doro Restaurant Group and Doro Market will supply artisan multi-grain breads, contemporary salads, rotisserie hen, sides, dips and signature hummus from his West Hartford Mediterranean restaurant, Zohara. Yawovi Simpini of Artwork Meals Love will convey Afro-fusion delicacies to the lineup in August as effectively.
Meal-prep providers by James Bannon of Field Bistro and Chevon Schand of Preppers can accommodate sure way of life wants, together with paleo, dairy-free and low carb. Chef Chrissy Tracey will be a part of the chef lineup in October, with plant-based meals.
Sena mentioned a kosher chef may also come on board. She’s working with a vendor who prepares natural child and toddler meals. There’ll even be meals for furry buddies, with the addition of Paul and Lynn Gallant of Paul’s Customized Pet Meals later this fall.
Although the present individuals are situated all through the state, in Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, New Haven and Tolland counties, Sena mentioned she’s trying to get a bigger geographical illustration, with extra cooks and producers in Middlesex County and doubtlessly extra from the New London space. She has different cuisines in thoughts that she’d prefer to see represented: Filipino, Thai and Indian, in addition to fermented meals like kimchi.
The platform helps the smaller companies with advertising and marketing and networking, Sena mentioned, the place they could not have capital or the ability set for promoting campaigns. The web site will quickly showcase particular person profiles of every producer
“They make a very good product, however getting it out to the buyer, particularly exterior of their county, is actually robust,” she mentioned.
The pandemic, and its results on the meals and beverage trade, drove Sena’s mission as she labored to launch My Native Cooks, she mentioned.
“Seeing how susceptible the restaurant trade is, it was one other catalyst to principally get me pondering that there is obtained to be means for us to be self-sustainable,” she mentioned. “To not be as susceptible, no less than. If there is a means for these cooks and restaurateurs or small meals companies to diversify and to nonetheless be capable to attain households and houses, that is excellent. We do not ever need to be within the place that we have been in final 12 months.”
Be taught extra about My Native Cooks at mylocalchefs.com.
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