BIANCA ARANETA ELIZALDE

Restaurateur, founder and owner, The Wholesome Table

“My passion for healthy eating is what motivates me every day,” says the founder of the organic restaurant, The Wholesome Table. “My love for food goes beyond the ingredients and the manner of preparation, but all the way to how food is grown and how that affects our health and our planet.”

Elizalde has changed the way people view “healthy” food by making it more accessible and appealing. “Over the years we’ve been able to debunk the whole idea that ‘health food’ was just tasteless, boring diet food. We’ve really worked hard to change people’s mindsets about that, and what it means to be more thoughtful about the food you eat. We also helped local, organic farmers and gave them business to continue doing what they’re doing.”

This last point is equally important to her, being able to truly connect people not just through their food but how they have come to their table. “We’ve stayed very true to our values, and I think our customers see and feel the authenticity there. It’s a restaurant with a lot of soul put into it. Having regulars come back several times a week is a testimony to that, and the best feedback I get are from those who write and tell us that we’ve really changed and affected their life. That’s a powerful thing.”