history

Native Foods is an organic vegan / vegetarian restaurant designed to meet the needs of today’s discriminating, health-conscious diners – vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

Chef Executive Officer Tanya Petrovna is the dynamic force behind Native Foods restaurants whose roots are firmly grounded in the gourmet world. Chef Tanya was raised in a gourmet household where mealtime was a celebration of taste, texture and companionship. Family vacations were global explorations of food and culture – visiting relatives in far off lands and discovering ethnic flavors and traditions.

It was during one such family vacation that Tanya met, and pet, a dairy cow, and learned that when a male calf is born it’s given a new name – veal! This discovery came to mind when Tanya was required to research a paper on crime for school that year. The crime Tanya investigated was cruelty to animals.

Not surprisingly, the knowledge gained from this exploration led to the decision to become a vegetarian. It was the kindness and concern of friends and family that led to Tanya’s next quest – how to maintain a healthy, balanced, nutritious diet excluding animal products. Well! Much to Tanya’s delight, she learned that contrary to the fears and concerns of her friends and family that it’s not only possible to live a healthy vegetarian lifestyle, but that it’s healthier for the planet as well as the human.

The result is Native Foods – delicious, healthy, fun food that honors the environment and harms not a single animal in the making.

Ten years ago, Tanya opened her first Native Foods restaurant in Palm Springs – that restaurant is still serving delicious vegan meals today to vegans, vegetarians, and other health conscious patrons. Since then, Tanya has opened Native Foods restaurants in Palm Desert (1996), Westwood (2000) and Costa Mesa (2003). Today, each restaurant continues to provide its customers with great food, great service and the opportunity to support an enterprise with great social causes.

More recently, Tanya decided to grow Native Foods into a group of restaurants spanning the country and the globe. After engaging a consulting firm in 2005 to create a feasible business plan for greater profitability and growth, Native Foods is now utilizing that plan and its framework to deliver value to customers, employees and investors. For more information about becoming an investor or partner of Native Foods and participating in our growth plans, see investors & franchises.