Life and Work with Lynn Torres

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynn Torres.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Lynn. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When my husband was diagnosed with diabetes, I decided we had to change the way we ate. I went to culinary school and overhauled our diet. In my journey of healing my husband, I realized that a lot of my Latino community had no idea what a plant-based diet could do for them, their families, animals, communities and the environment. I decided I want to share my love of all things vegan with the community. I opened up a pop-up restaurant that has quickly grown to a gourmet food truck.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been smooth at all… the hardest part has been the changes in my relationships and realizing I can only count on myself and my family. Don’t get me wrong, I have met amazing people that have guided me and helped me tremendously, but when it comes to the day to day and the constant struggle you have to be really strong to make it in the food industry. Being a Latina in an industry dominated by white male chefs, it is extremely difficult… especially when dealing with contracts and negotiations.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Eat Love CA – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We provide vegan comfort food to communities in LA and OC with our pop-up tent and food truck. My mission is to provide delicious vegan food to vegans and non-vegans. We have family meals because I believe food is love and if the love that is infused in food is shared families can have healthier options for themselves and the environment.

I want to remove labels and stigma from food… I am vegan for many reasons, but I am not a vegan that will scream and expect change. I think that if we come from a place of love people are more open to accepting concepts that are foreign to them. I see that especially in minority communities… it was very hard for my Mexican parents to understand my vegan lifestyle but now, they fully embrace it and although they are not vegan they are vegan advocates (don’t tell my mom you don’t have a vegan option for me.) I want to change communities concepts about what veganism is… let’s remove the judgment and the labels and just share the love of food.

Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
I think women are made for the food industry even though we are underrepresented. I read somewhere that the ration was about 80% to 20% but if you think about it how many times do you hear someone say this was my grandpa’s or dad’s recipe? I am still trying to make sense of that… how can that be? I feel if, from a young age, we are given more opportunities and also supported and SEE other women in the workforce it solidly the idea that women can do ANYTHING.

I know I would have loved to see a female chef and not a mom slaving away in the kitchen for her family, but for her own restaurant.

Contact Info:

• Website: eatlove.co
• Phone: 7142775403
• Email: lynn@eatlove.co
• Instagram: eatloveca
• Facebook: eatloveca
• Twitter: eatloveca

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