Two True Food Kitchen locations in New Jersey are among the dozen that immediately closed in the wake of the health-focused restaurant chain’s bankruptcy filing.
The Arizona-based company said it permanently shuttered 12 of its 46 restaurants nationwide Oct. 4, in a petition filed that day in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
The move affected True Food Kitchen outposts at The Shops at Riverside in Hackensack and Menlo Park Mall in Edison, the company said.
According to a filing with the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development, the company will lay off 89 workers across those two locations Jan. 3, 2027.
True Food Kitchen said it will use the Chapter 11 process to cut costs, reduce its restaurant footprint and improve operations at its remaining 34 locations. The company added that it secured $20 million in debtor-in-possession financing to keep the lights on at those locations during proceedings.
Additionally, the chain is pursuing a court-supervised sale, according to the filing.
‘The best path forward’
Wellness physician and author Dr. Andrew Weil and restaurateur Sam Fox founded True Food Kitchen in Phoenix in 2008. Built around Weil’s approach to anti-inflammatory eating, the casual dining chain’s menu includes seasonal salads, bowls and vegetables.
The company attracted several high-profile investors, including Starbucks co-founder Howard Shultz, as well as Wyckoff native and musician Nick Jonas and his wife, actress Priyanka Chopra. Media mogul Oprah Winfrey also backed True Food Kitchen as well as joined its board of directors.
Wellness physician and author Dr. Andrew Weil and restaurateur Sam Fox founded True Food Kitchen in Phoenix in 2008. – PROVIDED BY TRUE FOOD KITCHEN
Following its New Jersey debut in Hackensack five years ago, True Food Kitchen added a site in Edison in 2022. Those were True Food Kitchen’s only restaurants in the state.
In its bankruptcy filing, True Food Kitchen cited management turnover, changes in expansion and menu strategies and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among the factors that hurt the business. It also reported about $42.1 million in funded debt.
True Food Kitchen CEO Jeff Chandler said in a statement, “This process is the best path forward to simplify the business and focus on what we do best: delivering craveable, health-forward food and genuine hospitality. We are confident this step will help us build a stronger True Food Kitchen for the future.”
Chandler continued, “We know these decisions are especially hard on the team members affected, and we are deeply grateful for their contributions to True Food Kitchen and their communities. We are committed to approaching this difficult moment with care and respect, and we will share information on resources and next steps with affected team members.”
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