Meet the Founder
Obosoye

Hi there! I have been vegan since 2017. It has been an interesting journey for me as I continue to learn about plant-based foods, as well as what foods I can source locally not only for myself, but for the people Plant Soul Vegan feeds.

I’ve always had a love for food. I remember running home after school just to watch Rachel Ray's 30-minute meals at 5:30 pm. While attending after school program, I always looked forward to the days we had cooking classes. A group of chefs would teach us how to make different foods that I was not used to eating. I enrolled in a local cooking class during my senior year of high school where I learned how to make crab cakes, chicken piccata and shrimp scampi. I was introduced to fresh herbs such as parsley, dill and chives, as well garlic and freshly squeezed lemon juice. This program played a big role in me attending culinary school where I received my Associates degree, but that wasn’t enough for me.

I grew up consuming lots of canned fruits and vegetables, fresh collard greens (but only if it was under $2.00 and the bunch was a reasonable size) and my favorite canned beef ravioli. I come from a space where I have seen multiple family member deal with multiple health issues. Majority of these health issues came from the foods they ate because of the ingredients they used. But this was also because of what we had access to. Some places the fruits and vegetables didn’t look as fresh so canned fruits and vegetables seem like the better option.

I was given the opportunity to work at vegetarian restaurant called ABCV. We purchased majority of our produce from a farmers’ market that was just a few blocks away. I was able to learn about different types of fruits, vegetables and cooking methods. It was here where I began to understand the farm to table concept. But most importantly I learned about food security. Having the ability to access fresh fruits and vegetables, knowing where exactly our food came from and building a relationship with the farmer. I loved my background of culinary school and working in restaurants but seeing the way things were typically done left me motivated for change. I knew foods could be prepared in healthier ways and still taste amazing, so I started cooking my way. Plant Soul Vegan is the result.