69°
CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. - Kendall Callahan has taken the old adage, “You are what you eat,” to a spiritual level. Her new Chappaqua storefront, Kendall’s Om Kitchen, is a little like a juice bar for the soul.
“Sometimes I tell people it’s like Build-a-Bear,” she laughs, “except with food. You make it yourself and stuff it full of love. We call it an interactive health bar.”
When you enter the little corner shop in the Village Yard in Chappaqua, your senses are awakened. The space is awash in bright sunlight, the back window looking out onto a private garden where Callahan plans to host small yoga or meditation classes. “Or people can just use it as a calm, quiet space,” she says.
The premise behind the kitchen is simple. Members can enjoy a whole spectrum of classes and experiences, or they can just drop in and use Kendall’s ingredients and recipes to create their own snacks, most with clever names like “Mantra Munchies” and “Chakra Shakes.”
“I have a lot of primary foods in the kitchen,” says Callahan. “Primary foods are foods that nourish you, foods that are filled with light energy. These are the foods that will feed your body and your spirit, and they’re good for your whole family, even the kids. We expect so much from our kids, but they can’t perform optimally if they’re not well nourished. Your brain is not being fed with white flour.”
Even if you’re not well-versed in chakras, primary foods or Eastern philosophy, Callahan insists you’ll still find something unique in her kitchen. “I’m a big believer in the idea that, whatever path you’re on, just go with it. But you’ll be better for bringing some balance into your life, and that can begin with the right food and a thoughtful process. Process is the essential ingredient.”
Kendall's own path took her from a corporate job as Director of Urban Depot at FreshDirect, all the way to India, where she spent four years immersing herself in research, spiritual nutrition, conscious eating and food pyschology. "I never set out to arrive here," Callahan says. "I'm from Boston. I was corporate. The first time I heard about chanting I thought, 'What? That's definitely not for me.' But it transformed me. We have to be willing to make space for a miracle."
Whatever your path, you’re likely to find something “om, om” good at Kendall’s Om Kitchen. Drop by her grand opening celebration, Saturday, May 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., when 18 percent of proceeds will be donated to the Jamie Oliver Foundation.
Kendall’s Om Kitchen is located at 140 King St. in the Village Yard in Chappaqua. (914) 519-7278
Comments