Two McDonald's alums are poised to take on the Chicago market with a health food concept called Lyfe Kitchen that's expected to open this fall in River North.
At Lyfe, healthy food might mean corn chowder made with cashew cream, a vegan version of oven-fried chicken with Brussels sprouts, or farro and quinoa pancakes topped with berries and Greek yogurt, for $4 to $13, and delivered to a diner's table in about eight minutes. There are fish tacos, margherita flatbread — and a grass-fed beef burger for the less adventurous.
"I fell in love with the concept, and I've been around a lot of concepts," said Carey Cooper, a former McDonald's produce supplier and Lyfe's first franchisee. "This was something special."
Headed by former McDonald's President Mike Roberts, Lyfe Kitchen, an acronym for "Love Your Food Everyday," operates two units in California. Roberts and his team, including celebrity chefs like Art Smith and Tal Ronnen, developed a menu of items all less than 600 calories.
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