Our Story
Founded in 2013 by California natives Mai and Spencer and friends in Taiwan Stella Wu and Sylvia Chi, Ooh Cha Cha is your go-to neighborhood place for simple, real, whole food. The choices we make each day around the food we eat directly impacts our health, environment, community and all living beings. We work to create spaces that make the community, people, and planet healthier and stronger. That’s why we cook from scratch, work with local networks of farmers and commit to supporting and gathering groups and organizations working to create meaningful change in the world.
We hope to inspire radical change about how you look at and think about food.
Our Core Values
We have a commitment to purchase core products (at least 50% of expenses) from independent suppliers local to where the product will be used or where the company operates. We have a commitment to serve at least 75% local and independent clients or customers.
Sustainable
Modern day food production greatly contributes to many of the environmental problems we face today- water and air pollution, increased carbon dioxide emissions, and loss of biodiversity and species extinction. By 2050, the global population will be an estimated 9 billion. Feeding the growing population will put a massive strain on our resources. But currently, much of the grain and legumes produced go to animal feed. The supply chain is inefficient and lopsided. It contributes to deforestation and an inefficient use of arable land. A higher consumption of plant-based foods and inversely lower consumption of animal-based foods is more land, water, and carbon efficient.
By choosing not to use animal products or by-products, we reduce our carbon footprint and impact on the environment through more sustainable land and water usage. We also continually reevaluate our restaurant model and operations to achieve a more circular economy by investing in reusable and resource responsible products.
Healthy
You won’t find any deep fryers here. With any diet, there are healthy and unhealthy ingredients and ways to prepare food. We search for high-quality ingredients and learn the healthiest techniques to bring you food to nourish your body.
Cruelty-Free
No animals intentionally harmed in the making of our ingredients, food, or spaces.
Fair
From our ingredients to our team, we choose fair and ethical practices to build the foundation of our business. We look for fair-trade in our ingredients to support the people and communities making these products. We support our teams’ happiness with shorter work periods and higher than average pay. When you purchase a meal with us, you support a healthier work and food ecosystem.
Community
Supporting the global community is at the heart of what we do. This happens both on the macro and micro scale. In the smaller local communities, we empower them by using our spaces as a place to facilitate conversations and action around food and impact.We hope to foster strong and meaningful connections that lead to big changes in the world. We want to support your passion and purpose!
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to move people to make kinder choices through accessible, high-quality, plant-based meals. Through our spaces and food, we want to inspire you to make an impact, big and small, in your life and around you.