Meet Sophia Marchese | Co-Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sophia Marchese and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sophia, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Simply put, Happy Seed began as a platform to encourage people to eat more plants. The idea was to speak to people through delicious food that just happens to be made with plants only. We’re so proud and grateful that veganism is moving into the mainstream, but it can still be a huge lifestyle change for those exploring a vegan diet. We wanted to meet people where they are by creating chef-driven dishes that celebrate plant ingredients while being flavor-forward and just as good (if not better) than their animal-based counterparts.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Happy Seed is a plant-based pop-up restaurant that specializes in Latin American eats. We started our business to provide nourishing, sustainable and plant-forward alternatives to dishes traditionally made with animal products. Our intention is to showcase the creativity and innovation of plant-based cuisine while working to make a lasting impact on Atlanta’s restaurant industry and beyond. We pride ourselves on making everything from scratch using plant-based ingredients and innovation, from our meat alternatives to our vegan cheeses and dairy alternatives. We are proud to offer these healthier dining options while showing those who dine with us the diversity and nutrient density of plant-based ingredients. We are also proud to be a planet positive company, meaning we believe in a more sustainable future in which individuals thrive and contribute back to the planet starting by leaving animals off the plate. We believe in supporting local farms and always opt for high-quality ingredients and organic when possible.

We got to where we are by staying true to our beliefs and never losing sight of the goal: to feed as many people as possible our plant-based food! Entrepreneurship is undoubtedly challenging, but incredibly rewarding. Creating dishes and providing quality customer service is something we love, so we never feel like it’s “work” — it’s fun!

We overcome our challenges by using our resources, networking and believing in ourselves first and foremost. We’ve found that if you truly believe in your mission, there’s nothing that can stop you from achieving your goals. Obstacles may seem like road blocks, but they are merely tests to see how bad you want it. We’re always looking for the rainbows!

We want our brand to be associated with the movement that shifts our societal norms toward a more sustainable future starting with what’s on the plate, and we are grateful to be facilitating that transition for many.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have so much love for this city. Atlanta truly has so much to offer, with so much contrast… A deep-rooted Southern city overflowing with trees and nature—parks everywhere, and hikes, rivers and lakes just a short drive away—but also so many opportunities for upbeat city living surrounded by culture and community. Museums, music, the BeltLine, a vibrant dining scene, great bars, an abundance of art, areas rich with history and our city’s legacies, and so many hidden gems… The list goes on. And each little nook of Atlanta has its own feel and character. If I have friends in town for the week, I like to make sure they get the full taste of what Atlanta has to offer. And of course we would kick off the week with dinner at Happy Seed on Monday! Some of my favorite spots & things to do: The Painted Duck for eatertainment, High Museum of Art, mural tours, Grass VBQ for unparalleled vegan BBQ, Redbird, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Freedom Park Farmers Market, oat milk lattes and doughnuts at Revolution, walk through Oakland Cemetery, food halls (Sweet Auburn Curb Market, Ponce City, Krog Street), Arabia Mountain, Chattahoochee River, Lake Lanier, The Tabernacle, Terminal West and Aisle 5 (when live music returns!), drinks on the roof at Hotel Clermont, picnicking in Piedmont park…. The list goes on!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
As they say, it takes a village! We are blessed with a loyal community that gives Happy Seed its relentless support and a network of mentors that have helped guide us to where we are today. We currently operate as a pop-up restaurant, so we have leaders within Atlanta’s restaurant industry to thank for so much of our success and growth. We are fortunate to be hosted by local restaurateurs and chefs in all capacities, from offering up their kitchens for prep to opening up their dining rooms for our dinner services. Truly encapsulating the meaning of hospitality, these folks have welcomed us with open arms and given us space to plant a seed and watch it grow, even throughout the volatility of 2020. And we are so grateful for this trust and guidance within the industry as we prepare to open a space of our own one day soon. We especially owe a huge shoutout to George Demeglio at a mano in Old Fourth Ward. He was the first person to offer up his space to Happy Seed and trust us with a residential weekly service, even during the restaurant industry’s most trying times. Thank you George!

And I can’t let the opportunity pass by to give recognition to my abuela, the woman who has inspired many of our dishes and one of our biggest supporters. If you come to a Happy Seed pop-up, it’s very likely you’ll see her there enjoying dinner with a view!

Website: www.happyseed.kitchen

Instagram: happyseed

Facebook: www.facebook.com/happyseedkitchen

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/happy-seed-atlanta