Kitchen Principles - Our Philosophy On Food

Kitchen Principles - Our Philosophy On Food
Our kitchen philosophy is simple. We cook from scratch using fresh, authentic ingredients. We start with food in its simplest, most natural form. We purchase local and seasonal products. We make our food alive with flavor and nutrition. Our freezers are small and our intention to serve great food is big.
The following standards have been created to assure the highest level of food quality for our guests:

  • Menus are written based on seasonality and availability of regional fresh product. Whenever possible, these are produced locally using sustainable and organic practices
  • Turkey breast and chicken are produced without the routine use of antibiotics as a feed additive
  • Hamburgers are made with fresh ground chuck from beef raised on vegetarian feed without antibiotics or hormones
  • Other meats are raised without antibiotics as a first preference
  • Milk is free of antibiotics and artificial Bovine Growth Hormone
  • Shell eggs are produced cage-free and Certified Humane
  • Vegetarian options are plentiful at every meal
  • Healthy menu items are a mainstream offering throughout our cafés
  • Salsas, pizza, marinara and other sauces are made from scratch
  • Stocks are made from scratch
  • Turkey and beef are roasted in-house daily for deli meat
  • Tuna is dolphin-safe, packed in water
  • Seafood should be purchased fresh when available locally. Salmon is wild caught. We support the Seafood Watch guidelines as recommended by the Monterey Bay Aquarium
  • Olive and canola oils are used for everyday salad dressings, specialty oils for other purposes (i.e. walnut oil or chili oil)
  • Trans fats are not used in our kitchens
  • All salad dressings are made from scratch except nonfat and low-calorie dressings which may be purchased as necessary
  • Vegetables are prepared in batches at the last possible minute and served in the smallest possible batches
  • MSG and peanut oil are never used in the preparation of our food
  • Mashed potatoes are made from fresh potatoes
  • Fresh squeezed lemon juice is used for cooking and sauces