True Food Kitchen Announces Oprah Winfrey Invested, Will Join Board of Directors

Popular media personality Oprah Winfrey has made a significant equity investment in True Food Kitchen, a national restaurant brand with 23 locations across the U.S., including one in Old Pasadena.

Winfrey will also sit on the company’s board of directors and will collaborate and consult with its leadership team to advance the company’s business and marketing objectives, True Food Kitchen announced Wednesday.

A company press release said Winfrey was first introduced to True Food Kitchen by friend and health expert Bob Greene. In addition to being inspired by the restaurant’s healthful food, Winfrey was struck by the brand’s commitment to its mission of bringing people together to eat better, feel better and celebrate a passion for better living, the company added.

“When Ms. Winfrey and I first sat down to discuss her potential investment, I was impressed by her genuine passion for the intention behind True Food,” said Christine Barone, True Food Kitchen’s CEO. “My hope is that her passion and investment will continue to develop our growing brand to allow even more guests to experience a better way of eating.”

“I love bringing people together over a good meal,” Winfrey said in the press release. “When I first dined at True Food Kitchen, I was so impressed with the team’s passion for healthy eating and, of course, the delicious food, that I knew I wanted to be part of the company’s future.”

Founded in 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona, True Food Kitchen has since received national recognition as a culinary leader, with a health-driven menu of seasonal dishes and natural beverages guided by the principles of founder Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory food pyramid.

Today, True Food Kitchen operates 23 restaurants in 10 states, with plans to double its store count in the next three years. In 2018, the company plans to add two new locations in Nashville, Tennessee and Jacksonville, Florida. The restaurant brand currently has 3,000 employees nationwide.

True Food Kitchen in Pasadena is located at located at 168 W. Colorado Blvd.

For more information about True Food Kitchen, visit www.truefoodkitchen.com.