By Abigail Gilmore

Kristen Carey grew up not liking vegetables or anything from the sea, but now, eating healthy is her way of life.  Her own gluten intolerance inspired her eighth business venture: opening Nourish, a gluten-free restaurant in Scottsdale.

“I’m from Philadelphia,” Carey said.  “Cheese steak [sandwiches] and pretzels were a way of life.  And then I found out about my allergy [to gluten].  I really had to rethink a lot of food options and how they were prepared.”

The restaurant offers food options for people with many common food allergies and preferences.  “The concept is [that] nobody [needs to] feel like a freak at the table,” she said.  Nourish is gluten-free first and vegan second.  The menu also offers soy, vegetarian, nut-free, corn-free, and non-dairy options for patrons.  “We identify [on our menu] all of those [allergy] items because more and more people were asking about it,” she said.

Carey added that the way the food is prepared makes Nourish different from other dining establishments.  Nourish strives to keep ingredients separate, not crossing certain dishes with allergy-prone ingredients.  “A lot of food prep places do it that way [without considering food allergies] because that is the way it has always been done,” she said.  “The regular eater doesn’t know the difference.”

Carey often hears compliments from patrons, thanking her for taking the precautions that allow them to feel safe ordering and eating out. She couldn’t think of better compliments to receive as a restaurant owner.

While the food is prepared with the best intentions, the ingredients at Nourish are also of the best quality, Carey said, with food being organic and local whenever possible.

With great food and customers, Carey said she really enjoys owning Nourish.  The best thing about it?  “I get to eat anything I want!” she said with a laugh.  “I can never eat out and eat anything I want on the menu, but at Nourish I can!”

Nourish is located at 7147 East Highland Avenue in Scottsdale.