Toss Up Salads Interview (3/30-4/3)

   Our interview for "Toss Up Salads" went really well! We learned so much about what goes into an organic restaurant's design and ode to remaining natural. The developer of the cafe, Emile Patel, was our interviewee, and he explained why is it so important to have fresh products. The food we sampled was delicious and truly lived up to it's hype (and the best part was that we got a twenty-percent discount)! We also tried three of their smoothies and drinks: Gangsta Baby (peanut butter and various fruits), Super Fruit Smoothie, and a greek yogurt juice as well.

Here is a transcript of the interview:

How has your background affected how you set up the restaurant and chose the menu options?

"It was already set up by a previous owner, and my job was to develop the restaurant as a whole, such as concepts, expanding the menu, and designing the atmosphere."

How do you know that all of your products are truly organic?

"All of the products are certified and I don't buy anything unless it is. It has to be guaranteed by law and it's important that we maintain genuine organic cuisine."

How can consumers become more aware of what they're eating and how can they avoid false advertising, which is common among organically-labeled products?

"I would say that extensive researching is the best way to go and finding out which produce markets near you are selling the most organic, locally-grown products. Taking the drive to a farmer's market may be a little more inconvenient you'll be living healthier. For example, if you know that an apple normally is five inches and you see an apple at the grocery store that is eight inches, you can clearly tell that it is not organically grown, it has to have some sort of chemicals; this type of knowledge comes with informing yourself on what is actually organic. Stores are going to try to sell you something falsely labeled, so that is why is it so important to look at the product yourself."

How important is it to the business that the products you receive on a daily basis are locally grown and domestically produced?

"Most of the time, if the product is not locally grown, it's not going to be organic and will not be fresh. For instance, if the restaurant purchases produce from California, it will take at least two to three days to arrive here, which means that it most likely will contain chemicals; it's no longer organic." 

Below are some pictures of the most popular menu options at the restaurant:

Falafel Sandwich

Chicken Pesto Wrap

Terry Toss Salad

Kool Kucumber Wrap

Falafel Sandwhich

Chicken Pesto Wrap