In this Arkansas restaurant, well-known meals get a plant-based makeover

Little Rock, Arkansas – Arkansas is thriving in terms of fine dining. So it should come as no surprise that a chef who recently took first place in a major Food Network competition calls Little Rock home.

What she’s cooking up, though, might surprise you! But first, you need to learn more about Chef Alicia Watson’s history.

A certified occupational therapist, Chef Baker. She has worked with patients who have had some of the most knowledgeable doctors, cutting-edge medical equipment, and top-notch medication over the years.

She observed a significant absence of high-quality, nourishing food during the course of her years of caring for patients.

“It’s realizing that food is medicine. It can be just as important as your medication or your doctor’s visits. It’s an adjunct therapy,” Chef Baker said.

Why then are Chef Baker’s recipes so healthy for us? They are, after all, plant-based. Instead of seeing a dull salad, consider these as plant-based replicas of the foods we all adore.

On the menu are items like lasagna, tacos, pasta, soups, burgers, and a variety of munchies. Chef Baker’s recipes are unquestionably authentic because it was frequently impossible to tell a meal was vegan.

Not a typical restaurant, Chef Baker’s business, Vito and Vera, is a meal prep service. Weekly home delivery of freshly prepared meals is available.

Due to recent demand, the company is now selling frozen plant-based meals in retail establishments like Little Rock’s Drug Emporium, The Green Corner Store, and Ozark Natural Foods Co-Op.

Chef Baker will be the first to admit that she does not consume only plants, but she cites multiple studies to support the idea that improving patient outcomes is directly correlated with increasing the number of plants in our diet.

Food is medicine. That was Watson’s guiding principle when she decided to attend culinary school, and only three years later, she was successful in applying to and winning a big Food Network competition.