Check Out Jenn Kraus’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenn Kraus.

Hi Jenn, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I am the founder and head chef at Uprooted. We were born and raised in Western New York. I say it that way because there is so much more to the state than the tiny little SE corner everyone thinks of. After a few years of slightly suspicious medical ailments, I was diagnosed with renal failure in April 2004. From that moment on, I knew that one day I would eventually need a transplant or live on dialysis at some point in my life.

I wanted to extend that reality as far as possible so in June 2010 my daughter and I chose to adopt a vegan lifestyle from our already vegetarian one. By changing my diet, my kidney function went from 19-24% to 29-32% in 3 months and up to 38-40% in 6 months. With those changes, I was able to prolong my inevitable declining renal function an additional 8 years by sticking to a strict vegan “diet“.

In 2018, I chose to start peritoneal dialysis to offer my remaining kidney function some additional support while I actively searched for a living donor. After failing to find a living donor, I ended up receiving a deceased donor kidney transplant on September 29, 2019, after 3 years and 8 months on the transplant list. How we got our name is a multi-part concept.

My husband and I always had the idea that we would move someday to support our daughter’s education. so in order to fulfill her desire to attend her dream school, we UPROOTED ourselves and moved over 800 miles to Aiken, South Carolina. Polliwog (my kidney) was “UPROOTED” from its original host and flown across the country to give me newfound freedom.

I “UPROOT” plants to create my dishes. Primarily sourced from local farmers and small purveyors I aim to make plant-based options more accessible and appealing by melding classic dishes with a unique spin on textures and flavor profiles.

Uprooted Vegan Cuisine was founded in the midst of the Covid pandemic in May 2020, just shy of 8 months after my transplant. I wanted to take the opportunity to offer plant-based, healthier options to those who enjoy variety in their weekly routine along with helping out those that prefer not to dirty their kitchens. Leave that to me!

Over the past almost 2.5 years, we have grown from a single preorder meal to a fully involved weekly menu, a grab-and-go location in Martinez as well as doing events and popups almost every weekend throughout the region. We are also working on several new offerings and a bigger presence at events which will be announced later this fall.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course, haven’t always been smooth. Being on a timeline to get meals made from scratch, prepped, and sorted into the appropriate boxes for delivery comes with challenges.

Sometimes the vegetables I picked up fresh yesterday aren’t ripe enough (or too ripe), maybe I don’t have the right size boxes due to shipping errors or traffic holding us up from meeting delivery deadlines across 4 pickup locations. Thankfully customers are awesome and have rolled with the punches and have been super flexible with our growing pains.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in offering a dynamic menu that is ever-changing due to the availability of what is in season and only limited by my creative mind. I feel that since I am currently the only fully vegan caterer with a gluten-free option for almost every menu item and the ability to customize for most allergens I meet so many needs across the spectrum.

I am proud of starting this business on a simple whim which has led to such amazing support from the community and offered such growth. My ability to adapt the business to meet the demands of customers while continuing to stick to morals and methods sets me apart along with those I employ who have outstanding customer service skills and a true passion for what I do.

What matters most to you?
It’s all about the community and supporting other small businesses. We are all in this together so whenever possible I support others, from partnering with them at events (SoulShine Wellness for one) to using their handmade products (August and House) in plated meal photos to using locally sourced produce (Circular Farm Mushrooms and NKBJ Microgreens for a couple).

Each week we go out on Tuesdays and visit other small Businesses l, make a purchase, and of course post and tag on social media. We also use sustainable packaging for our products whenever possible to lessen our environmental impact

Contact Info:

• Website: www.eatuprootedvegan.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/uprooted.vegan.cuisine?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/100063584528450/