At Kind Cuisine, it’s about more than just food—it’s about creating a little extra ease in life while nourishing your body and mind. For busy families, professionals, or anyone looking to prioritize their wellness, Kind Cuisine offers meals that are packed with flavor, nutrients, and care. It’s the kind of service that makes eating well feel simple and approachable, even on the busiest days.
This year, Kind Cuisine is growing in exciting new ways. With plans for a new commercial kitchen and pick-up location in South Ashland, they’re ready to make their meals even more accessible. But no matter how much they grow, their focus remains the same: delivering meals that are as nourishing as they are easy to enjoy. Let’s hear from founder Courtney Gavilanes about what’s new, what inspires her, and how Kind Cuisine is helping people take better care of themselves, one meal at a time.
Hi Courtney, self-care has become a major focus for many people this year. How does Kind Cuisine support self-care through your meal services, and why is this important to you?
Hi Shields! I know we hear it all the time, but self-care is so important! Each person’s version of self-care can be different–some of us want to add things to our lives that bring us joy and wellness, others want to take some responsibilities off of their plate to make more time for joy and fulfillment. Kind Cuisine offers guests the opportunity to feed and nourish themselves with hand-crafted meals without having to prepare it. The average person spends 8-10 hours per week on meal planning, shopping, cooking, and cleaning up. This time adds up quickly, and outsourcing some of our responsibilities can create more space for the things we need to practice self-care and maintain our wellness. As a busy mom and a business owner I see more than ever how important it is to dedicate time and attention to my own needs and do things that bring me joy and wellness–for my physical, mental and emotional well being.
Can you give us an overview of how Kind Cuisine works? What makes it unique compared to other meal services?
Sure! We publish a new menu every Sunday–guests order what they like from our website by Wednesdays at midnight, and their food is delivered to them on Mondays. The food is delivered chilled and ready to heat and eat whenever they choose throughout the week. It is served in oven-safe containers with heating instructions, and delivery is free! Our service is unlike others in that the food is all fresh, not frozen, high-quality small-batch ingredients, served in recyclable containers, made with love.
Courtney, you’ve mentioned that you’ve received incredible testimonials recently. Can you share a few that stand out and how they reflect what you’re aiming to accomplish with Kind Cuisine?
Feedback is so important to us! Many of our clients have been with us since the beginning in 2022 and their feedback has really helped and continues to help to dial in recipes and methods. People love the convenience of being able to order online, the weekly changing menu, the simple but delicious menu options, and the free delivery. They also like that there is no obligation to order–they can order when something sounds good or it fits for their schedule for the week. The mission of Kind Cuisine is to bring kindness to people’s lives through food, and it really feels like we’re doing that!
Your menu changes every week. Can you tell us about some of your most recent meals that you have made?
Some favorites have been Chicken Piccata with Polenta, Hanger Steak with Blue Cheese and Confit Potatoes, Chickpea Curry, and Coconut Chicken Satay. We do a soup every week and those are very popular as well. While I love cooking all foods, my favorite to cook are the Latin and Asian dishes like the Shrimp Veracruz and Bulgogi Beef.
You’ve talked about your meals being nutrient-dense. Why is this a priority, and how are you ensuring each meal offers maximum nutrition without sacrificing flavor?
Everyone has different health goals when it comes to food. Some people want to prioritize macros and calories, others portion sizes, others want to make sure they eat in a timely way throughout the day. Because our meals are hand-made, you know exactly what you’re eating–there’s no hidden ingredients, preservatives or unnecessary fats, sugars or sodium that you would typically find in frozen meals at the grocery store or other commercially prepared foods. Our meals are seasoned with lots of herbs and aromatics–allowing the flavor profiles of each ingredient to shine, and preserving each ingredient’s nutrients in its most natural state.
Exciting news about your plans for a commercial kitchen and pick-up outlet on Washington Street! What can you share about this new space and how it will shape the future of Kind Cuisine?
It’s very exciting! We purchased a lot of land on Washington Street at the south end of town. Eventually this will be the location of our commercial kitchen and a pick up venue for online orders. Once we have this space of our own, we’ll have the infrastructure to be able to expand our delivery area, have a headquarters for administration, and hopefully contribute to the community by offering our space for other small business to use. There’s so much to come this year–stay tuned for future updates!
Courtney, what are your long term goals for Kind Cuisine?
We’re really working on making a business model that can be replicated in other cities. I think Kind Cuisine is at the front of a wave of change in hospitality and I can see our service thriving on even a national level. 2024 was a great year for us and as we continue to grow we’ll be able to fine-tune our operation to make it repeatable in other areas.
What do you love most about what you’re doing with Kind Cuisine? How has this journey impacted you personally?
Oh gosh, everything! I care a lot about people and their well-being, and it genuinely fulfills me to take care of people in all ways. It’s just a bonus for me that I get to do it through food. Cooking has been my passion since I was a little kid and to be able to combine my love for cooking and my passion for taking care of people is a dream! I’ve grown so much as a person, a mom, and a business owner since we started in 2022 and I feel such profound gratitude to have a community and family that supports me and my vision.
Ordering and using your meals seems incredibly easy. Can you walk us through the process and highlight what makes it so user-friendly?
Ordering happens through our website–guests can choose what they’d like from the menu and pay with card or have the option to pay with cash or check on delivery. You can visit our website and subscribe to our weekly menu emails. The meals are prepared and delivered chilled to your door every Monday afternoon with heating instructions–it’s as easy as that! Some people enjoy the meals the day they’re delivered, others order something different for each day of the week. I am always available to help or answer any questions about a dish or the website or ordering. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for people to access delicious, wholesome food, prepared with kindness!
Learn More:
Kind Cuisine | KindCuisine.org
