(Pictured, New Native Foods’ Owners Misti Rausch and Sean Reynolds)

Palm Springs, CA

At Smoke Tree Village, Native Foods has been a long time staple of the Palm Springs community offering tasty takeout, delivery, and dine-in vegan food options. For those accustomed to the comforts of traditional meat-based dishes, Native Foods offers a delicious array of plant-based alternatives that seamlessly capture the essence of familiar favorites.

Now, after years of working at Native Foods in Palm Springs, Misti Rausch and Sean Reynolds have taken over the location and are reintroducing the eatery to the greater community.

To get a better perspective on Native foods, I got to interview Misti Rausch on the past, present, and future of Native foods. Here is the interview:

What is the background of Native Foods?

Misti Rausch:* Native Foods was founded in 1994 in Palm Springs by Chef Tanya Petrovna who currently owns and manages the two locations of Chef Tanya’s Kitchen. She is a brilliant pioneer in vegan food, and without her, I don’t think any of the vegan chains such as Veggie Grill or Plant Power Fast Food would exist today. She sold the chain about 14 years ago and now for the first time since then, it is owned locally by vegans.” There were many different iterations of the brand in those 14 years. At one point, we had 33 locations nationwide. We now have three remaining locations that are independently owned by employees – Palm Springs, the Loop in Chicago and Glendale, Colorado. 

What motivated you to become the owner of Native Foods in Palm Springs, and how does your background and experience at the store contribute to your vision for its future?

Misti Rausch:* My business partner (Sean Reynolds) and I have both worked in our location for over a decade. We are both committed to the vegan lifestyle and community and couldn’t imagine having to close down the original Native Foods location, so close to the milestone of the 30th anniversary. Our main motivations were continuing to provide vegan food to the community and keeping our very hardworking and close-knit team employed. It was heartbreaking for us to see many of our friends at the other locations lose their jobs, and the vegan community in those areas losing one of their favorite restaurants. We have forged very close friendships with our regular guests and staff – we just cannot imagine abandoning them. Our vision for the future is simple – we want to provide the best experience to the community and team members that we possible can, while raising awareness of cruelty-free dining options.

Native Foods has a distinct brand identity. How do you intend to preserve and build upon this identity while also adapting to the changing landscape of vegan cuisine and consumer expectations?

Misti Rausch:* Even before the transfer of ownership, we had recently been working to get the brand “back to the basics” – drawing from our years of experience in the restaurant and the feedback of our guests to bring back the menu items that have been requested the most post-pandemic, as well as elevating the guest experience. We hope to build upon this identity by becoming more involved in the community, outside of the restaurant, in 2024. As for adapting, in the future, we plan to start introducing some of our own menu ideas, but for the time being, are focused on maintaining the experience the guests are accustomed to.

What are some of your vegan dishes that potential customers should know about?

Misti Rausch:* We have a Reuben sandwich that was the most requested item to be brought back, so we did! We have had many meat eaters tell us that it rivals the Reuben of the popular deli in town! That is my personal favorite. We have something for everyone, whether they are just dipping their toe into the vegan waters (“chicken” sandwiches and tenders, burgers, etc.) and we also have dishes on the menu for the long-time health conscious vegans, such as the sesame kale macro bowl and the roasted sweet potato and farro salad.

Popular Reuben Sandwich Brought Back Under New Ownership

What do you want new and existing customers to know about Native Foods?

Misti Rausch:* I want new and existing guests to know that Native Foods in Palm Springs is now being ran in alignment with the philosophy that it began with – our purpose is providing delicious plant-based meals to everyone, regardless of whether they are vegan or not. Every meal that leaves animals off our plate is a win for the animals, the planet and our own bodies.

Native Foods is located at 1775 East Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs California 92264. Tel: 760-416-0070. It also can be found online, here.

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