CATALINA FOOTHILLS, Ariz. (KGUN) — It was a busy first day for True Food Kitchen, 2905 E. Skyline Dr. STE 298, with people passing in and out of the restaurant and many of the tables full.
It’s Tucson native’s Dr. Andrew Weil’s 45th restaurant in his chain, a chain he says focuses on healthy ingredients.
“A lot of restaurants that I eat at, I don’t feel great when I leave. This food you feel great when you’re finished,” Dr. Weil said.
That’s why his menu offers some of his favorites like ahi tuna lettuce wraps, grilled salmon, and of course his original recipe, the Ancient Grains bowl, which he said kickstarted the idea to open his restaurants.
“The Ancient Grains bowl that’s got a mixture of grains. It’s got snap peas, sweet potatoes with a miso glaze,” he said.
The food he serves is something he said you can’t find at very many other restaurants anywhere or even in Tucson. That’s why he wanted to bring his restaurant to Tucson, where he’s lived for about 45 years.
“I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been asked over the past 15 years why is there no True Food Kitchen in Tucson,” Weil said. “It’s been very embarrassing to me that we haven’t had one. I’ve been pushing and finally we got it open.”
When you walk into the restaurant, you’ll find his legacy in the back corner with pictures of him and his family in the “Founders Room”, which is a section of the restaurant tailored for larger parties.
“This decor is different from the other restaurants. It’s how future restaurants are going to be,” Weil sad.
As for the future, he’s hoping his Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona is going to connect with his restaurant.
“We teach them all the things they should’ve learned in medical school but didn’t including nutrition,” he said.
While he’s already thinking ahead to his future, which includes opening a True Food Kitchen in North Carolina next year, he’s hoping to open up another one in Tucson.
However, opening a restaurant is something he found tough and wants future entrepreneurs to keep in mind.
“Especially in today’s economy, so I think you really want to know what you’re doing,” he advised others.
——-
Andrew Christiansen is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before joining the team, Andrew reported in Corpus Christi, Texas for KRIS6 News, Action 10 News and guest reported in Spanish for Telemundo Corpus Christi. Share your story ideas with Andrew by emailing andrew.christiansen@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
