Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Golden Ray and Jenny Engel.
Hi Heather and Jenny, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We have had a love for cooking since childhood. Since we were five, we both adored being in the kitchen with our parents and cooking meals for our friends and family to enjoy. Plant-based cuisine is our passion, and it has always been our mission to bring simple yet delicious plant-based recipes into as many peoples’ lives as possible. Over the course of our careers, we’ve held vegan cooking classes, offered catering services, conducted chef training and corporate events, held private cooking consultations, and innovated/sold plant-based food products to food giants like Follow Your Heart. We also authored two cookbooks, Vegan 101 and Spork-Fed, which are available on Amazon. Our dream of bringing Hey, Sunshine Kitchen to life started 4.5 years ago at a trade show in Dallas. We played with so many iterations of the menu for years. We had a plant-based BBQ idea at first, but ultimately, we decided on super fresh and healthy warm bowls, salads, tacos, and sandwiches that are all eco-friendly and non-GMO.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Absolutely, the journey of opening a new vegan restaurant came with its share of unforeseen challenges. Navigating these hurdles required determination and adaptability. For example, convincing some traditional diners to try vegan cuisine posed a challenge. To address this, we focused on educating our customers about the benefits of plant-based eating through menu descriptions and engaging staff. Remembering our initial purpose and the passion that ignited the idea of the restaurant kept us going. We leaned on our supportive team and sought guidance from mentors in the restaurant industry. Embracing adversity and finding solutions not only strengthened our determination but also reinforced our commitment to providing Culver City with a delicious vegan dining experience.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Hey, Sunshine Kitchen is a unique fast-casual concept in Culver City that specializes in serving delectable and diverse plant-based dishes in a convenient and welcoming setting. We take pride in offering a menu that caters to various tastes while promoting sustainable and ethical dining. Our mission is to make vegan cuisine accessible to everyone. We welcome both committed vegans and those curious about plant-based options. The fast-casual format allows us to provide quick service without compromising on quality. Our passion for culinary excellence, sustainability, and inclusivity is what defines us and makes us stand out in the vibrant food scene of Culver City.
At Hey, Sunshine Kitchen, we are committed to leaving the Earth in a better place for our children. With this initiative, we are incredibly proud of our partnership with Friends of Ballona Wetlands to help support pollinator conservation. Through this partnership, Hey, Sunshine Kitchen will be giving complimentary pollinator-friendly plants to guests on Mondays while supplies last when they purchase a meal. It is important for us that anyone that comes to Hey, Sunshine Kitchen for a dining experience is that they understand our passion for sustainability and the health of our planet. Through Hey, Sunshine Kitchen, our hope is that we can help people make healthier and more compassionate food choices that ultimately benefit our planet and the future of our children.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What brings us joy is living in the moment. We constantly bring ourselves into this moment here and now by breathing into it. Every moment here on earth is a gift, and there is something to celebrate each of these moments. If you look for joy, you find it. We constantly look for joy even during the most trying of times.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.heysunshinekitchen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heysunshinekitchen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heysunshinevegan
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hey-sunshine-kitchen/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hey-sunshine-kitchen-culver-city
Image Credits
James Michael Juarez
