“Innovation hadn’t taken a turn toward flavor in products for vegans and vegetarians but that’s what we are experiencing now,” Mendelsohn says. It’s mouthwatering, familiar and indulgent. After they reached 10 stores, PLNT Burger opened up their first brick-and-mortar outside of a Whole Foods. Soon after, they were offered a second kiosk in another store, and then another. “As regulations rolled out, Whole Foods was deemed an essential business which meant that we were one as well, even though their hot food area became dormant.” To drive traffic outside of those arriving only for the Whole Foods, they developed their own PLNT Burger app to bring people in safely. “We launched a month and a half before the pandemic hit,” Mendelsohn explains. Growth came through the team’s talent and commitment, their offerings being utterly delectable and a little bit of luck. We were the sum of a bunch of Whole Foods ingredients cooked properly.” On top of that, we were highlighting all of their new products in the plant-based space that people were just starting to get familiar with-from Follow Your Heart cheese to mayonnaise. On one hand, to source completely from Whole Foods, with their level of transparency, meant we were only using the best of the best plant-based foods. “Doing a proof-of-concept in a Whole Foods is genius. We went in there, in 110 square feet and started PLNT Burger.” At that time, all the ingredients they needed were found in that very Whole Foods. “Their stores have these kiosks and the one in Silver Spring, Maryland at the time, was vacant. Goldman began to explore the formation of another startup and an opportunity arose to test a plant-based burger joint concept in Whole Foods. And then, when Goldman brought Beyond Meat to IPO, Mendelsohn began to bug him about opening a burger shack. I’d love to do a little more discovery with you.'” Mendelsohn began to partner with Beyond Meat, from content creation to recipe development. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, so I emailed Seth and said, ‘You’re onto something here. They had a reaction just like meat and they tasted fabulous. I cooked these burgers on the grill in my backyard and I was baffled by how well they cooked. Everything was always falling apart or too moist. “She’s vegan and I knew we’d always struggled in the burger category. Still, Mendelsohn gave it a try for the sake of his wife. I’d love for you to take this home and let me know what you think.’ I said thank you but kind of scoffed at it.” Courtesy of PLNT Burger He said, ‘I heard you’re the king of burgers. He brought a cooler full of both and snuck it under my seat. I ended up on a panel with Seth Goldman from Honest Tea and Beyond Meat. But then I started working on a lot of food policy in the DC area and getting intrigued by how a plant-based lifestyle can really help our food systems. “I was never out there preaching veganism or vegetarianism. “The funny thing is, I was never really into plant-based anything except for the natural vegetables that I’d work with,” Mendelsohn tells COOL HUNTING. This year will see even more expansion and, with it, greater conversations about plant-based dining. Earlier this year, Mendelsohn opened PLNT Burger’s first-ever independent brick-and-mortar storefront nearby NYC’s Union Square. The former-a vegan fast food chain with 11 locations (10 of which are inside of Whole Foods stores)-has become a cherished destination for its delicious 100% plant-based burger the latter is a snack company that’s emphasizing the power and flavor of fungi and vegetables. In the past few years, the restaurateur, celebrity chef and food policy advocate founded two brands that have the potential to change the way people eat and think about eating: PLNT Burger and Eat the Change. Visit Download our free Pause for Peace App for Apple or Android.Chef Spike Mendelsohn cares about the future of food. Visit & Get the new Your Inner World – Guided Meditations by Sister Jenna. Now, with the opening of PLNT Burger located in the Whole Foods Store in Silver Spring, MD, fans of Spike’s culinary creations can eat their heart out with delicious plant-based burgers, shakes and more. He is no stranger to mixing things up in the kitchen. He also hosted Midnight Feast and Food Network’s Kitchen Sink. From chef and restaurateur to television personality, product developer and consultant, and Food Policy Advocate, Chef Spike is a force to be reckoned with in the culinary world.Īfter making his television debut on Bravo TV’s Top Chef, Spike went on to appear on several other cooking-related shows, including Life After Top Chef, Iron Chef America, Late Night Chef Fight and Beat Bobby Flay. Celebrity Chef Spike Mendelsohn’s career, spanning nearly three decades, can be described as nothing short of creatively diverse.
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