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True Food Kitchen goes seed-oil freeTrue Food Kitchen goes seed-oil free

The casual-dining brand transitions to avocado and olive oils at all 46 locations

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

February 4, 2025

1 Min Read
True Food Kitchen seed oil
True Food Kitchen says that, beginning this month, it has gone seed-oil free.True Food Kitchen

True Food Kitchen has gone seed-oil free, the company said Tuesday.

The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based casual-dining brand, which has 46 locations, said that, beginning this month, it had removed seed oils from menus at all restaurants, across 18 states.

The brand is using avocado and olive oils, eliminating industrial seed oils from every ingredient of its more than 100 menu items, the company said.

Some experts have linked excessive consumption of seed oils and omega-6 fatty acids to various diseases and chronic illnesses, including arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease.

"This isn't just a trend or a tagline. This is who we are," Matthew Padilla, head of culinary at True Food Kitchen, said in a statement. "Most people don't realize how pervasive seed oils are in everyday ingredients and eliminating them meant reevaluating hundreds of items across our kitchens.”

True Food said the effort to eliminate seed oils had taken years.

In 2022, True Food Kitchen committed to cooking with only avocado and olive oils, and shortly thereafter eliminated seed oils from 98% of its menu.

"By eliminating seed oils entirely, we're staying true to principles that have guided us for decades," Daniella Voysey Olson, True Food Kitchen’s chief growth officer, said.

In January, Steak ‘n Shake announced it was switching from vegetable oil to beef tallow for preparing its shoestring fries.

Related:Hawkers Asian Street Food strikes a deal to escape bankruptcy

True Food Kitchen was founded in 2008. It has locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected]

Follow him on X/Twitter: @RonRuggless

About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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