Vegan Action
Chef Stephanie Rich, RD
Eating with Intention
by Anayeli CamachoEven as a teenager, Stephanie Rich didn't want to see food go to waste. While volunteering at a summer camp she saw food go to the dumpster. It didn't sit right with her. Wasting food wastes the resources needed to produce the food item — and since meat has a great environmental impact, she didn't want to support that lifestyle.
“Full sheet trays of whole chicken breasts being thrown in the garbage didn't seem right,” she said. The same year, at age 17, Rich went vegetarian. She transitioned to veganism at 20.
Today Rich is a registered dietitian, CEO, marketing manager, head chef, and mentor devoted to helping people live the healthiest version of themselves. She owns vegan eatery Verdine, named “Houston's Best Vegan Restaurant” by Houston Press and in the “Top 100 Restaurants in Houston” by Houston Chronicle.
Once becoming vegan, she learned the nutritional aspects of the lifestyle and obtained her Registered Dietitian (RD) title in 2011 after attending Texas Woman's University in Houston, where she earned a master's in nutrition science.
“I was and am passionate about nutrition,” said Rich. “The vegan diet is the healthiest way of living.”
Rich wanted to help others see this themselves and started the vegan food blog Ripe Cuisine in 2010 to share recipes for nutrition-packed options. She even attended culinary school at Natural Gourmet Institute in New York, New York to further develop her skills.
The Ripe blog became a success, gaining followers and fans. It inspired Rich to move forward with her goals of sharing healthful vegan food, and in September 2014, she opened a food truck.
Serving locally-sourced, produce-based entr??es, the food truck's main focus was plant-based nutrition. The truck was in operation all over Houston, including three weekly farmers markets, coffee shops, office buildings, local breweries, and private events. In 2019, the truck closed and Rich moved on to her next great accomplishment: Verdine.
With the success of her food truck she felt the need to have a vegan restaurant where purposeful eating was the number one intention.
“I wanted to see more restaurants that provide people with food that supports their well-being,” Rich said.
Verdine is in Houston, and menu highlights include Tempura Hand Rolls, Green Forest Pizza with cauliflower crust and almond ricotta, and Wings & Waffles, with tempeh wings and house-made gluten-free waffles.
Info on Verdine can be found at eatverdine.com
