LYFE Begins In So-Cal, January 2013

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121011/CG91800)

"We are thrilled to announce that Culver City will be the second LYFE Kitchen location," said Mike Roberts, CEO of LYFE Kitchen. "Our focus from day one has been on our guests, and for that reason, we've allowed our consumers to assist in determining our growth. During the course of the past year, we have been both humbled and energized by the positive response we've received in Northern California. The time is right to take our great-tasting, good-for-you food to Culver City, and we look forward to joining this thriving community."

LYFE'S STRATEGIC ADVISORY BOARD MEMEBERS
Thomas Tull, Chairman and CEO, Legendary Entertainment – Thomas Tull is both an investor in and strategic adviser to LYFE Kitchen. A long-time believer in an active lifestyle and balanced diet, Tull will bring his creativity to LYFE Kitchen and will serve as a local voice for the brand's second location.

Jim Wiatt, Strategic Advisor to AOL – As the former head of William Morris Agency and advisor to AOL, Wiatt will also join LYFE's strategic advisory board. With a desire for creating brand awareness, he will provide guidance on LYFE's newest endeavors and help bring the concept of great-tasting, good-for-you food to a new audience.

CHEF ART SMITH AND VEGAN CONSULTING CHEF TAL RONNEN LEAD THE WAY
LYFE Kitchen, Culver City will showcase award-winning Chefs Art Smith and Tal Ronnen's trusted and thoughtful menu that features a balance of comfort food and plant-based proteins, with all dishes containing fewer than 600 calories. Tasty dishes, such as Art's Unfriend Chicken and Tal's Ancient Grains Bowl, feature responsibly sourced ingredients, from local farms and sustainable whenever possible, and rely on herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables to enhance the flavor profile.  

ECO-FRIENDLY DESIGN & THE COMMUNITY
As LYFE grows, guests can still expect the same quality, great-tasting food and drinks, along with the warm, inviting and eco-conscious practices and design. LYFE will partner with local purveyors and vendors throughout the So-Cal region to provide the freshest products available, to ensure that each location is uniquely an extension of the community. From the moment the perfect location is determined until well beyond the first fork is raised, LYFE will immerse itself in the community, engaging with early adapters and local leaders to craft a regional menu and space.

Much larger in size, the 7,280-square-foot Culver City restaurant will feature 4,000 feet of restaurant space with the remaining space used for a catering kitchen and training rooms. The restaurant will also feature staples from the Palo Alto store and a few new elements, such as:

Herb Wall

• Centerpiece of the restaurant
• Includes 25 selected flavorful herbs & spices – basil, lemongrass, marjoram and more
• Representative of the fresh ingredients used within the restaurant's kitchen to create many of LYFE's favorite dishes
• Selected herbs that play to guests' senses and evoke smell and touch

Hydroponic Garden Wall

• A first for LYFE Kitchen
• New edible garden will feature hydroponically grown vegetables – a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions in water, without soil
• Hydroponic vegetable garden wall allows nutrients to be delivered directly to the roots of the plant – which allows the plant to put its energy into greater growth rates
• Nutrient rich produce create a high crop yield
• Allows LYFE Kitchen to incorporate many of the home grown items throughout the menu

Environmental Building

• One of LYFE Kitchen's core principles is a commitment to eco-friendly materials and energy conservation
• LEED-certified building standards
• All designs built with sustainable focus in mind
• Materials of the façade benefit local non-profits
• Paint consists zero volatile organic compounds
• Use of recycled and natural supplies
• LED Lighting

"LYFE Kitchen worked tirelessly to ensure that the food, décor and overall aura of the first restaurant represented their commitment to living an eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle," said LYFE Kitchen designer and owner of Margee Drews Design, Margee Drews. "The Culver City location will be no exception, with our teams working to provide a space that incorporates some of the Palo Alto favorites – like our herb wall, chairs made out of recycled milk and juice cartons, LED lighting and more and new, exciting elements like the hydroponic garden wall. We hope that guests feel instantly greeted by a space that is inviting yet environmentally conscious, from the carefully selected ingredients on their plates down to the smallest décor details."

LYFE Kitchen will form partnerships with local vendors who share the same passion and social responsibility beliefs to provide high-quality, great-tasting food and beverages, which allow a new audience to "Love Your Food Everyday."

LYFE KITCHEN LOCAL PARTNERS INCLUDE:
Thorne Family Farm – The Thorne family is a third generation farm family located in Malibu, Calif. Practicing sustainable farming and deeply committed to providing the community with produce that is varied, flavorful and nutritious, with the upmost care for health and the environment, Thorne Family Farm produces a wide assortment of year-round fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers. They will be supplying LYFE Kitchen with strawberries and tomatoes.

Weiser Family Farms – With a long history of farming dating back to 1977, Weiser Family Farms focuses on bio-diverse farming while applying sustainable farming techniques. The farm supplies people with unique fruits and vegetables at their peak. Today, Weiser Family Farms grows in the Greater Bakersfield area, Tehachapi and the Lucerne Valley, cultivating a tapestry of high quality produce year round. LYFE Kitchen customers will be thrilled when they taste the assortment of potatoes, root vegetables, hard squash, and eggplant from Weiser Family Farms.

Kenter Canyon Farms – A family farm located in Ventura County, Kenter Canyon Farms grow lettuces, herbs, and specialty crops year round in the fertile soil along the Santa Clara River. Dedicated to sustainable agricultural practices, harvested daily, washed and packed in their own certified facility, all produce are prepared to ensure the best quality and freshness. Kenter Canyon Farms will be providing lettuces, kale and herbs for the LYFE Kitchen menu.

About LYFE Kitchen
LYFE Kitchen's menu is filled with great-tasting, locally sourced, sustainable ingredients expertly designed by celebrity Chef Art Smith and vegan culinary sensation Tal Ronnen. LYFE Kitchen is driven by proven, world‐class leadership. Mike Roberts, McDonald's former global president and chief operating officer, Chief Communications Officer Mike Donahue, a 20-year veteran of McDonald's USA who served as the former Chief Communications and External Relations Officer, and Steve Sidwell, an investment banker.

LYFE, Love Your Food Everyday, is a lifestyle restaurant. LYFE Kitchen combines natural ingredients with sustainable practices and delicious flavor profiles enhanced with spices and herbs to fuel and satisfy. All dishes are preservative and additive free and contain less than 600 calories and less than 1,000 mg of sodium.  We aim to fulfill the need for delicious food that is convenient, affordable, and as important, good for you. The first LYFE Kitchen is located at 167 Hamilton Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301. For additional information, visit www.lyfekitchen.com or call 650-325-LYFE(5933).

SOURCE LYFE Kitchen