I began eating plant-based as a New Year's Resolution January 2018. I had no idea what I was doing, and it showed. In eight months I lost an unhealthy amount of weight, and I was desperate for help. One of my friends suggested I check out this plant-based restaurant in midtown called Veg. I sat at the bar and ate a barbecue jackfruit slider. And another. And another.

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I was hooked. And I had to learn what kind of magic was going on there.

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I applied four times. I was finally hired in November 2018, I think out of equal parts pity and frustration. But once I was in, there was no turning back. I moved into an apartment one block away. I quit my other job so I could work at Veg as much as I could. I wanted to absorb every technique, every method, every flavor, every "trick" (there are no tricks) - and I wanted to be a part of sharing Veg with the world.

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In May 2023 I bought the restaurant from the previous owners. I'm still not sure how it happened. I didn't have any experience in owning a business, but I was confident we could make it work. I lived and breathed Veg for so long, and didn't want the party to stop. Long story short, the party goes on.

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When I first began working at Veg, our focus was simply serving "vegan food". Over the years, as I have learned more about our food systems (and the restaurant industry in general), I've realized that plant-based is only the foundation. We're committed to building a future-proof restaurant. A restaurant where the terms sustainability and Farm-to-Fork aren't watered down tropes, but compasses for every decision we make. A restaurant where taking steps to a brighter, cleaner future feels like a celebration rather than a funeral procession.

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And most importantly, a restaurant where we can show the world:

EATING SUSTAINABLY DOESN'T DILUTE PLEASURE - IT DEEPENS IT.

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-Calvin Born, Chef-Owner