From $6 Ready-Mills to Four Seasons Beverly Hills: Matthew Kenny’s Vegan Empire Expands

Chef Matthew Kenny’s influence on the plant-based movement is undeniable. During his decades-long career, the chef has advanced plant-based cuisine through his more than 50 restaurant concepts and businesses worldwide.

Always informed by his wholly food-centric approach, Kenny’s concepts span the gamut from fast casual to fine dining. On the high end is Plant Food + Wine (PFW), which Kenney opened in 2015 on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, CA. Here, high-quality dishes are made from locally sourced ingredients and enhanced with organic and biodynamic wines.

Four Seasons Hotel

On the other end, Kenny runs a business aimed at making vegan food more accessible. For example, in 2021, the chef opened vegan drive-thru VEG’D in Southern California. Here, the menu features everyday fare such as just egg-stuffed breakfast burritos, vegan cheddar cheese-topped burgers and plant-packed bowls.

Kenny is also behind Plant City, Rhode Island’s first plant-based food hall that serves as a showcase for several of his concepts, including pizzeria Double Zero, Mexican eatery Basina, and sandwich and smoothie shop Makeout. There is also a burger bar, grocery store, coffee bar, bakery and speakeasy.

Overall, Kenny uses these businesses to make plant-based meals ideal for every budget. And he’s taken two new steps to keep the momentum going.

Affordable vegan ready meals

Kenny and entrepreneur Max Koenig recently launched Earth Company, an initiative aimed at empowering individuals to make conscious and sustainable food choices.

Earth Company

The draw here is the chef-made, nutrient-packed vegan meals that cost $6 or less per serving and ship nationwide. Sold in multi-serve jars, Earth Company currently offers chili, bolognese, and curry—all of which can be prepared in three minutes for a filling lunch or dinner. The company also offers three not-so-sweet breakfast mixes that contain pea protein, oats and other nutrient-dense ingredients.

Made from “attractive products,” Earth Company’s products are also shelf stable, which minimizes food waste while expanding with convenience.

Kenny Earth was inspired to get involved with the company by Koenig, whose style, business vision and creativity he admires. The chef says they both share a vision to “change how the world eats and the impact of food choices on the planet and its citizens” and found a solution with Earth Company due to the rising cost of healthy food.

“Earth Company has done a really nice job of identifying how we can make all the cuisines accessible,” Kenny told VegNews.

When it comes to nutrition, Earth Company foods are formulated using the latest in health science to combine more than 80 nutrients to optimize energy, immunity, cardiovascular and gut health and more.

Earth Company

“After my grandfather was diagnosed with multiple chronic illnesses, I quit my job and devoted all of my time to supporting him throughout his health care journey, which included researching naturopathy,” Koenig said in a statement. “After understanding the benefits of a plant-based diet, we both switched to a new routine and saw immediate benefits.”

“I was inspired to bring the same impact and knowledge to others with Earth Company,” Koenig said.

In the future, Earth Company hopes to expand into new food categories and occasions and eventually offer consumers a full day’s worth of nutritious meals for $10 or less.

Plant Food + Wine moves to Beverly Hills

On the other end of the spectrum, Kenny is moving PFW from its Venice, CA location to the legendary Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles in Beverly Hills. Kenny has a long-standing relationship with the hotel and launched a vegetarian menu (known as “Folia”) there in 2018 with vegetarian Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal.

Four Seasons Hotel

On July 20, Kenny and the Four Seasons are kicking things up a notch with the opening of PFW Poolside on the fourth floor of the Beverly Hills property.

Kenny says that shifting the restaurant to a more “resource light” model at Four Seasons allows him to have a stronger support system and scale more efficiently as plant-based concepts continue to grow and evolve.

The move also maintains some key elements of the original restaurant, including “PFW’s outdoor spirit” and allows his team to “serve three meals a day, providing an opportunity for an enhanced menu at night that might not have been ideal. Venice and hopefully Four Seasons will enhance our global partnerships with hotels and resorts that we greatly appreciate.”

“They make it fun and inspiring, and that’s what we want to convey to our guests,” Kenny said of the Four Seasons.

David Wilkie, general manager of the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles in Beverly Hills, explained that the move is mutually beneficial.

“Our patrons will now be able to sip and savor Matthew Kenny’s elevated, plant-based cuisine surrounded by the natural beauty of the property,” Wilkie said in a statement. “This partnership proves to be a milestone in the brand’s continued emphasis on wellness offerings.”

This collaboration not only enhances the culinary offerings at Four Seasons but also provides an exclusive platform to showcase PFW’s innovative plant-based cuisine to a wider audience.

Plant Food + Wine’s new menu in Beverly Hills

At PFW’s new home, the menu will be updated from the Venice location while maintaining a focus on organic, locally sourced ingredients and artistic presentations.

For breakfast, guests can expect both sweet and savory favorites like French toast with coconut whip and hibiscus syrup; oyster mushroom confit with a porcini sunflower pate; and smoked tofu benedict, along with juices, smoothies and kombucha.

The afternoon menu is rounded out with dish innovations like Climax Foods’ innovative dairy-like cheeses and a vegan cheese plate featuring sliders made with Black Sheep’s vegan lamb. Kenny’s will also offer a vegetarian Caesar salad with baby gem lettuce; his signature raw heirloom tomato and zucchini lasagna; burgers; just egg frittatas; Broccoli Asada Tacos; and more

Four Seasons Hotel

In the evening, the menu will expand to a variety of dishes, including charred broccoli with butternut cashew fundido; udon noodles with baby vegetables; Summer Squash Enchiladas with Spicy Tofu; And more dessert options include Banana Cream Pie, Stone Fruit Creamsicle, Olive Oil Panna Cotta and more.

Kenny also wants to introduce an evening tasting menu.

Outside of his partnerships with Four Seasons and Earth Company, the chef is still opening brick-and-mortar restaurants — three in the works for this year. However, he tends to diversify his projects for maximum impact.

“We need to be more agile in order to fulfill the greater potential for plant-based not only fine dining, but for the general public and to participate in activities that will hopefully have a positive impact on supply chains and sustainability. health initiative,” Kenny said.