City: Los Angeles, CA

Sami Udell & Rose Kai

Chefs Rose Kai and Sami Udell are the talented, veggie lovers behind WholeSam, a food truck they launched to bring local, “everything-from-scratch” salads, bowls, and sandwiches to the people of greater LA.

Prior to running their own business, Sami worked as a personal chef to Ludacris, while Rose worked as a chef at a vegan restaurant. When their paths crossed in the kitchen, a friendship and mentorship was born, and they soon after joined forces with WholeSam. “Sami is like the yin to my yang. It’s inspiring to know that someone sees the passion I have,” says Rose. “She guides me to help create the things we make in order to be WholeSam.” Not only does Sami see her passion, she shares in it. The two strongly believe that eating healthy is an achievable lifestyle. WholeSam can be found driving across the state of California, feeding and encouraging everyone to make healthy choices.

Kale Gone Wild Salad

  1. Set the oven to 350 Degrees. Cut the cranberry orange bread into 1-inch pieces. Toss with 2 tbsp of olive oil and lay out on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
  2. For the vinaigrette dressing, juice lemon and mince garlic, then combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Set aside.
  3. For the tahini dressing, juice the orange and lemon, mince the shallot, and combine all ingredients into a blender. Blend until fully incorporated. Set aside.
  4. Clean and chop the kale into small pieces. Combine the kale with 1/4 c of the dressing and use your hands to massage and soften the kale.
  5. Shred the brussels sprouts and matchstick the apples. Combine with pomegranate and cheese. Dress with tahini mixture.
  6. Top your salad with crunchy croutons.

LA Cheesesteak

  1. Start by making the garlic aioli. Wrap 7-10 peeled garlic cloves in tin foil along with 1 tbsp of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Roast in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Once completed, use a blender to combine the roasted garlic with mayo, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp salt. Set aside.
  2. While the garlic is roasting, slice the peppers and onions into thin, fajita-style strips. Set aside.
  3. Clean and cut the steak into strips.
  4. Season the steak with cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and 1 tbsp olive oil.
  5. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan large enough for the steak to have a bit of room between each piece. Once oil is smoking hot, add steak. Cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side depending on the steak’s thickness.
  6. Remove the steak when cooked to taste. Add the vegetables to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  7. Cut the ciabatta roll and spread half of the butter on each roll. Toast the bread using the pan or a toaster oven.
  8. Once the bread is toasted, spread the garlic aioli on either bun, and add sliced heirloom tomatoes, peppers and onions, mixed greens, and the flank steak.

Mo’Rockin Lentil Bowl

  1. Heat oil in a large pot. Once warm, add diced onion and chopped carrots, and let cook until the onion softens and becomes fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.
  2. Add minced garlic, minced ginger, and all remaining spices. Simmer together for 3 minutes.
  3. Add fire roasted tomatoes, lentils, veggie stock, and shredded collard greens. Bring to a boil.
  4. Once boiling, turn the heat down and let simmer for 30 minutes.
  5. While the soup is simmering, prepare bread bowls. Cut the top and core the center, then heat the bowl and any discards in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
  6. Once the soup has simmered for about 30 minutes, taste and adjust with salt and pepper.
  7. Serve soup in the bread bowl along with warmed bread discards to dunk and enjoy.
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