Nourishing Conversations with Maya Feller
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In case you missed our amazing conversation with Maya Feller last Thursday on Instagram Live, we're excited to share some of the highlights with you! We embraced the opportunity to step outside our usual routine and dive into this engaging discussion….
HOW IT ALL BEGAN FOR LAROOT
Natasha: “First of all, we originally met because I decided to start Laroot. I brought Chef in, and we started this company, which is rooted—I mean, the name is Laroot because it's all about the roots and how our inherent cultures connect us. It's important to cherish and respect those cultures. Food is such an important aspect of our lives, and we must give homage to our DNA and also respect the DNA from around the world through the food we create. So, when I started our meal delivery service, I said we did not want any fusion or fads. We wanted to dive deep into what eating in different cultures is really like and bring that into people's lives and meals. And here we are.”
HOW LAROOT MET MAYA FELLER
Natasha: “I subscribed to Goop newsletters, and one day, I received a newsletter about Maya Feller's book, Eating from Our Roots. The cover was so vibrant, and it spoke to my soul. I thought, ‘Who is this person?’ She was thinking exactly as I was, except she's a world-renowned nutritionist, and I just love to eat—that's basically the difference between us. So, if I remember correctly, I wrote to her saying, ‘You are legitimizing everything I feel and think about, and I want to read and learn everything you’re saying.’ It's nice when someone agrees with you, but they also have the knowledge, education, and experience to back it up. Maya has been a guiding light in the development of what Chef and I set out to do.”
Maya: “And when you sent that message, I answered. The best part is, when I looked at what Laroot was offering—flavors from around the world, focused on nourishing people while expanding the palate—it literally made my heart explode. When I received my first delivery, it came in beautiful glassware with a wooden top engraved with Laroot and a handwritten note. I thought, ‘Oh, they’re just doing this for me.’ But then I realized this is how everyone gets their deliveries! For anyone who saw my stories earlier today, you saw what I had for lunch—the Kingston, which Chef will tell us about. It’s that kind of thoughtful curation that solidified the love affair for both of us.”
A BIT ABOUT THE DISH MAYA ENJOYED SO MUCH—THE KINGSTON…
Chef Makai: “Maya, we’ve talked about island flavors during our tastings, and Kingston as a dish has stewed greens, braised cabbage, chicken with molasses-rich jerk sauce, coconut rice and peas, and plantains. It’s quintessential Jamaican food—a plate you’d eat at someone’s house or in your favorite spot on the island. We try to keep it as authentic as possible. When we talk about roots, we want to honor them. We also acknowledge the ancient wisdom in these foods—they’ve been good for generations and still nourish both body and soul.”
EXPLORING SYNERGIES BETWEEN MAYA AND LAROOT
Maya: “I remember this summer when we sat together in my backyard, everything growing wild from all the rain. As I got to know you both better, I realized our synergies come from our lived experiences and from how we think about food, flavor, and nourishment. There’s also the way we care for people. I invite you both to share what resonates with you about our synergies because we’ve got something exciting to hint at.”
Natasha: “I have to mention your podcast. I haven’t listened to every episode, but each one I’ve heard resonates. One recent episode was about supplements, and I was anxious, thinking, ‘What if Maya says we need them?’ But then I listened, and it reinforced everything I believe about getting nutrients from food. You and your co-host have education and experience that gives us confidence in what we’re doing at Laroot—bringing people what they need, not just what’s trendy.”
Maya: “When someone makes food for me, it feels like a hug. The way you curate your meals with such care and intention resonates with me deeply. It aligns with what I think about nutrition—our bodies need high-quality ingredients, especially under stress. Laroot's meals are fulfilling emotionally and spiritually, but they also taste delicious. When you ground yourself in that moment of eating, you want to return to it, and I love that you’ve mastered that balance.”
Natasha: “I completely agree. When we started Laroot, we wanted to create a foodie company. It had to be delicious and bring joy through eating. If we couldn't check off that box, we wouldn’t send it out. Wellness is important, but it comes after flavor. We’ve also been careful with the presentation because we eat with our senses. Chef Makai has been incredible at creating dishes that look cozy, approachable, and beautiful, even when they’re unfamiliar.”
Chef Makai: “I think if we were to add one more pillar to our mission, it would be community. That synergy we felt in Maya’s backyard was all about good people wanting to eat well, treat others well, and make a positive impact. Food is the vessel for that. It’s a bridge, a simple language we all speak—good food.”
IS THERE GOING TO BE A COLLABORATION...
Maya: “I love that. Good food is good food! We should make a t-shirt that says that. As a dietitian, I often get asked where people should get their food, and Laroot has always been on my list. In fact, you’ve given me a new idea—actually, it was your idea! Should we tell everyone about what’s coming next?”
Natasha: “I don’t know if we’re allowed to say just yet…”
Maya: “I mean, I think we can tease what we're doing, right?”
Maya: “So, I think what we can say openly today is that we're working on a collaboration together. What do we want to say about it?”
Natasha: “That it’s going to be delicious and nourishing!”
Chef Makai: “It’s going to be thoughtful and beautiful!”
Natasha: “Respectful. It’s going to be very aligned with our deep, respective cultures.”
Chef Makai: “And really reflective. I think the shared commonality we have is around how to eat well and treat your body well at the same time.”
Natasha: “I would also say it will be gentle and empathetic to the lifestyles that people live. There’s a lot, and this goes back to why Laroot is a meal delivery service, not a restaurant. My grandmother and my grandfather were over for my birthday a couple of days ago, and Makai cooked up a storm!”
Chef Makai: “I made full-on Southern soul food: mac and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, the whole nine.”
Natasha: “It was crazy! I told Makai I wanted this for my birthday. It wasn’t a work thing, so I said, ‘It’s not Laroot, we don’t need to be gluten-free.’ At Laroot, everything, of course, is gluten-free because we're always conscious of reducing inflammation.”
Chef Makai: “But still all organic!”
Natasha: “I said, ‘Just cook what you want.’ I told them, ‘Can I have home food?’ That’s all I wanted. Then my grandfather, who’s like... he’s spent 60 years of his life in Russia, said, ‘Wait a second, so this partner of yours knows how to cook?’ I said, ‘Yeah, they're GOOD.’ He was like, ‘They're not bad, they’re GOOD.’”
WHY LAROOT IS A MEAL DELIVERY SERVICE (NOT A RESTAURANT)
Natasha: “And then his next question was, ‘Why don’t you guys open a restaurant? Why a meal delivery service?’ The answer to that lies in the fact that we’re empathetic to the lifestyles of people here in New York. Going to a restaurant means sitting down, ordering, deciding what you want from the menu, getting servers to bring you things, and paying the check. It’s time, energy, decisions—all things we already have to spend a lot of living in this beautiful city we love so much. So in creating Laroot, we wanted to offer something that fits the pace of people’s lives.”
“This goes back to our philosophy: food for people who care for other people. We’re happy for you not to have to make all those decisions. We want to bring the food to your home so that whenever you have time to eat—maybe it’s 3 p.m., maybe it’s 1 p.m.—you’ll have the most nutritious, delicious food, good for your body, brain, heart, gut—all the good stuff.”
Maya: “Yeah, the lack of judgment, right? And the care. What’s good business? It’s making sure that as a whole, we’re taking care of everyone. That’s the best business model ever.”
LAROOT’S SUBSCRIPTION PERKS
Maya: So I know that Laroot World has something exciting happening with subscriptions. I’d love to hear about it so you can share with everyone, because I saw it in the newsletter. I want to make sure people know about the three things they’ll hear at the end of this: more about our upcoming collaboration, ideas we’re gathering for folks, and more about your subscriptions. Go ahead!
Natasha: Laroot offers three subscription packages to fit different lifestyles:
- Weekly Orders: Perfect if you’re new to Laroot and want to try it out with no commitment.
- Monthly Subscriptions: Ideal for those ready to commit. This comes with perks like early tastings and special gifts from our wellness partners.
- VIP Membership—The Club: This is for people who love Laroot but may not order weekly. With this package, you get free delivery, exclusive events, and quarterly gifts, without the need to order all the time.
We want to create a community where people can take better care of themselves with nourishing food and thoughtful perks.
Thanks to everyone who joined us for the Instagram Live! If you missed it, we hope this recap gave you a taste of the fun and insights shared during it. Stay tuned for more collaborations and delicious meals coming your way—there's so much more to explore together!