You opened the restaurant quite soon after moving to New Paltz. How long was Karma Road an idea before it became a plan, and then, eventually, an establishment?
Jenn: We'd discussed doing our own restaurant for a few years. Seth is a singer/songwriter (known as Seth Davis) and was too focused on music to make the commitment to a business. Once he committed to the idea of owning a restaurant, we began our search in earnest.
And you moved here solely to open a restaurant?
Jenn: Being vegan chefs—when that's what you do—there aren't endless options. We wanted to leave the Island and do our thing. Yes, we came to create the business, but have gotten so much more. It was definitely the right decision for our family, for our business, for us.
What was the process of putting the idea of owning and operating a vegan cafe into action? What obstacles did you come up against?
Seth: We make fresh, delicious food without animal products. It's the way we learned. We worked at some of the best restaurants in New York, and we knew that the combination of our strengths could be something valuable. The main obstacles we face are the high cost of organic ingredients and informing people that "animal-free," "organic," and "healthy" don't mean deprivation. We help people to realize that our food is for everyone, and that it's delicious and satisfying. Someone will occasionally walk in looking for "regular" food, and once we turn them on to our soup, a sandwich, or our mixed veggie slaw, they're excited. Their whole paradigm shifts. That's been our main obstacle—letting people know this is not food just for vegans: It's for them and they will love it.
Where do you source your food from?
Jenn: We love the spring because during the next half year we'll be getting more produce from local farms like Big Little Farm and Taliaferro Farm. We have been dealing with our wheatgrass supplier, Perfect Foods in Goshen, for decades. Our coffee is roasted by Catskill Mountain Organic Coffee Roasters. We have a couple of excellent organic and natural food distributors who are doing wonders to forward healthier eating trends. But one thing is for sure, organic ingredients still cost more.
What ideas do you both hold about food and how it should be made, and how did that shape Karma Road as a business?
Jenn: Preparing food should be a holistic experience. Understanding that our materials come from the Earth connects us deeply to nature. Being mindful while prepping and seasoning the food solidifies the intention of offering a good experience to whomever will consume it. It goes along with the way we like to eat—with intention, appreciation, and pleasure.
What would you say your goal with Karma Road is?
Seth: Our mission involves people enjoying the process of eating healthy and choosing their food choices with compassion. There's abundant pleasure in eating excellent, fun, plant-based foods. Anyone who cares about the creatures we share the planet with can take this to heart, reduce suffering, and enrich their own lives.
Did you both grow up being healthy eaters?
Seth: No way. Each of us grew up on different versions of the standard American diet. We became vegetarians before we started working in food. It just was a very organic (no pun intended) evolution for us.
Jenn: Jandi's was a strong influence on shifting our views on health and awareness of what you put in and how it's going to affect your body. And how you can heal your body through food, juicing, and supplements as well.
Seth: Jandi's was a really big part of our lives during the transition to vegetarianism and really has helped us here. For all these years, we've been helping people do the same thing. For some people, coming in and having a piece of vegan chocolate cake is healthy because, "It's vegan, right?" There's no butter in it; there's no refined sugar, but for other people, they're looking to really take care of themselves and so we'll steer them toward more greens and juices, and show them how to do that.
