Native Foods Owner Wants People To Try Plant-Based Foods

Dame Dia became the owner of the Native Foods in the Loop last year. Prior to that, he was the Chicago District Manager. Photo provided by Felicia Apprey.
Dame Dia became the owner of the Native Foods in the Loop last year. Prior to that, he was the Chicago District Manager. Photo provided by Felicia Apprey.

Native Foods Owner Wants People To Try Plant-Based Foods

By Tia Carol Jones

Dame Dia has worked in the restaurant industry for 15 years, starting in New York working at Red Lobster as a dishwasher. Now Dia is the owner of the only Native Foods left in Chicago.

Dia had been working at Native Foods as the Chicago District Manager when he was told the Loop location was going to close. He had been working with Native Foods for more than five years. He asked if they would sell him the location at 218 S. Clark. He wanted to help the people in the crew who had been working at the location for a long time. Dia’s wife is Vegetarian so he was further prompted to see the restaurant stay open. Dia was able to retain all of the crew when he took ownership of the Loop location in November 2023.

Native Foods is a 100% plant-based restaurant that began in 1994 in Palm Springs, Calif. It is committed to environmental sustainability and animal welfare. Menu items include plant-based chicken tenders, panko-crusted cauliflower for cauliflower dippers and orange cauliflower, as well as grilled tempeh for the sesame macro bowl.

He said owning a restaurant for the first time has had its ups and downs. He wants to see the guests who used to come to the restaurant to come back, and hopefully have new people come into the restaurant. When Dia started at Native Foods, there were 33 restaurants in the country. Now, there are three. The other two Native Foods are in Glendale, Colo., and Palm Springs, Calif.

Dia is Senegalese and would like to bring some of his culture and items to the menu. Right now, he is just focusing on making the restaurant successful since it is the only one in Chicago now. He said that he will make it successful because he cares and his reputation is important. He said it is not very different working at the Native Foods and owning the restaurant because he had experience overseeing eateries where he felt like the owner.

Dia said people who are filming TV shows and movies stop in the restaurant to get their food. People are finding health benefits in eating Vegan and coming to eat at his restaurant. Some of the most popular menu items are the twister wrap, the chicken bacon avocado, the gluten free Buddha Bowl and the Munchwrap. Dia’s favorites are the Soul Bowl and the Orange Cauliflower.

January is Veganuary, a time where people are challenged to eat Vegan for 31 days. It was started in 2014 as a way to bring visibility to veganism and make it more accessible nationally and internationally. According to Veganuary.com, more than 1,610 new vegan products and menus were launched during Veganuary 2023. Also on the website, there are recipes and lists of restaurants that have vegan menu items.

“We are Vegan and we are plant-based and if you try our food, you’re never ever going to regret it, because we have the best food and our food is delicious,” Dia said.

Dia is the only Black Native Foods owner. When he was the District Manager, he was the only Black District Manager. He also created opportunities for other Black people within the company. He hired two Black women as general managers while he was District Manager.

For more information about Native Foods, visit www.nativefoods.com.

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