Today we’d like to introduce you to Viviana Torres.
Hi Viviana, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a 29 years old Latina entrepreneur. from Lowell, Massachusetts. I started my interest in veganism back in late 2016 for health reasons, that led my pursuit of a healthy lifestyle to be a holistic journey that went far beyond what was on my plate. I fell in love with the way my mind, body and soul felt. After starting my journey, my mother’s health wasn’t doing too well. Suffering from high blood pressure for more than a decade, diabetes, gout, severe migraines and high cholesterol. With the knowledge I had gained on a wholefood plant-based diet, I started to dig deeper researching day and night on how fruits and vegetables can help heal the human body. I began meal prepping whole food meals and created my own herbal tea blends all made from my kitchen daily for my mother.
After a few weeks of just consuming my meals my mother’s gout was non-existent, her energy levels started improving tremendously, she was no longer feeling fatigued or bloated and her hemoglobin levels were immaculate. Doctors were so impressed with my mother’s health improvement that they recommended she continue doing what she was doing which was being on a whole food plant-based diet. I slowly helped my mother reclaim her health back, and from that moment I knew I wanted to continue helping my friends and family heal through plant-based meals. I started posting my vegan dishes on my Instagram story in 2o20 and would invite my best friends and family from back home to try them out (shout out to them for encouraging me and supporting me) I remember back in my apartment I would always mention about selling my food out of a food truck or a little brick n mortar. I was speaking to the universe without noticing my passion for the kitchen would lead me to be the first generation from my family to own food business.
I didn’t know where or how to start.
In 2021, I quit my full-time day job to bet it all on my dream and began doing Pop-ups that allowed me to showcase my vegan culinary skills in different restaurants. I created menus that focused on the restaurant’s concept. I brought my own team and my own sazon to every pop-up (hehe) Doing this gave me the chance to build my social media following, help challenge my culinary skills in different cultures and experience the back end of restaurants. I am successfully revolutionizing people’s favorite comfort dishes just by veganizing them one recipe at a time.
During my first year of pop-ups in 2021, I went through many trials and errors as an entrepreneur. Honestly, I even hit a mental shut down in the middle of 2021 and took a break from popups and meal preps. I knew to be the best I know I am destined to be I had to focus on my mental health. While taking a break from the kitchen I was accepted to a 12-week intense business accelerator program called EforAll in Lowell.Mass. (Here I go again stepping out of my comfort zone hehe) it was one of the best decisions I made for myself, I was learning everything I needed to know to understand my business instead of trying to figure it out on my own like I was in the beginning stages. I surrounded myself with more like-minded people, entrepreneurs and mentors who helped shine the light I needed. I didn’t let the negative thoughts of giving up on my dreams win. During my time in the program, I was getting myself ready to spread my wings again!
That’s when the re-branding of Viv’s Garden started. I knew from my business experiences in Massachusetts that I wanted to be somewhere that is understanding of the vegan movement, which is why it was crucial for Viv’s Garden to pivot from Lowell, Mass to Georgia. Rebranding Viv’s Garden to Viv’s Vegan Kitchen has been an adventure! A good one I must say. I came to a new state with my little family not knowing anyone but my brother and sister-in-law that has been here for a year. I came with the same vision I left Lowell with and that is to own my vegan brick-and-mortar one day. I came to Georgia in the end of February to test my waters out here juggling with getting myself ready to present my final business pitch to my business accelerator program (graduated March 16th go alumni entrepreneur class of 2022!!!) and networking the first two weeks of being in Georgia I networked with entrepreneur Qyuhn Trinh who owns We Suki Suki.
We sat down in her business space and bonded with real-life experience stories and our passion for food I was given the opportunity to showcase my culinary skills in her shared food and art space! Food is ART and this was the beginning of Viv’s Vegan Kitchen. I started sampling my Latin dishes like “Viste encebollado, Arroz con gandules, Colombian empanadas (Qommunity favorite!!!) seeing the expressions and hearing the feedback from people trying my samples brought me back to the feelings I felt in my first pop-up! My passion for food led me to Georgia I knew it was the right decision-making when I made the official move in June and I was also celebrating becoming an official vendor that month! Thank you Q for giving me the opportunity and making the move to Georgia easy. I feel at home when I’m cooking and the best part of it all is that I get to share my favorite comfort foods veganized to not just vegans but to anyone who is open-minded to trying vegan cuisine! All in all, it’s not vegan food for vegans it’s vegan food for everyone.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey has not been easy. I’ve experienced many letdowns, rejection, and not having the proper business education. A big reason why connecting with mentors, entrepreneurs and communities helped keep the challenges I’ve been through and grown through easier.
I’ve experienced others tell me my business will not strive, I have shown myself that I am striving and every challenge and road blockage I’ve been through are just lessons and experiences I need to continue being the fearless entrepreneur I am today. I found the fire that ignited my soul and kept going. No matter how many no’s and roadblocks I kept my vision even though I had to pivot I’m walking proof that I will not let myself fail.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Viv’s Vegan Kitchen will show the diverse communities that being healthy doesn’t mean you have to let go of your comfort food entirely. We share our knowledge with health and strive to revolutionize the way people think of vegan cuisine one recipe at a time. We bring helpful food to people of all different cultures who don’t want to give up their comfort foods. We help our customers to live a better life not only for themselves but also for our environment while still enjoying their cultural foods. We provide customers with a complete experience not only through our food but by the environment.
I personalize in making my own faux meats, cheeses, and sauces all from scratch providing high-quality unprocessed organic whole delicious foods that help nourish your body using our neighborhood food supply. I am a self-taught vegan cook and I am so proud of it!
We vend on Thursday and Friday from 11:30am-3:00pm and Saturdays from 4pm-8pm located 477 Flat Shoals Ave, Atlanta Georgia.
Qommunity favorite is our Colombian-style empanadas stuffed with lentils and potatoes served with our special aji sauce. Our menu doesn’t stay the same but what you can always find on the menu is our delicious empanadas. I take our customer’s taste buds on a cultural experience every time!
We provide meal preps and catering on request.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I found my mentors through my business accelerator program. I’m still learning my way around networking and what Georgia has to offer. My advice is to find a community, a program and get yourself out there. Go on social media and just search there has been so many beautiful connections I’ve made through social media start there if you are shy at first like me.
Connecting and networking is what is helping me get to where I am destined to be. You have to step out of your comfort zone and ask for help cause entrepreneurship burnout is real I went through it and if it wasn’t for my braveness of breaking out of my shy shell and asking for help, I don’t know where I’d be honest.
Pricing:
- Viv’s Colombian Empanadas $8 lentil and potatoes stuffed empanada served with special aji sauce
- The Resort Slushie $8 * pineapple, cucumber and mint slushie
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivsvegankitchen/
Image Credits:
Credit Panela Restaurant – Chef Viviana Acevedo thank you for believing in me!!!!! You are an inspiring woman I am forever grateful for you. Credit Viv’s Vegan Kitchen – Chef Viviana Torres
