Meet Roy Elam; Owner & Chef of Donna Jean. 

As the former head chef of SunCafe in Studio City, CA, his cast iron Mac’n Cheese won accolades and was named ‘the best vegan mac and cheese ever” by the Huffington Post. While working for Matthew Kenney and Executive Chef Scott Winegard at Plant Food and Wine in Venice, CA, he honed his craft, helped them win the Most Sustainable Restaurant Award, and got the chance to travel to Bahrain where he assisted in opening that country’s first vegan restaurant.

Chef Roy has since returned to San Diego to open his own signature dinner house in loving memory of his mother, Donna Jean.

Donna Jean Owner & Chef Roy Elam highlights and discusses:

• How honoring his mother is integral to educating others on the endless health benefits of eating a vegan/plant-based diet. 
• Being fully in charge as a CEO is when you need to moderate yourself; with a big focus on both your personal strengths and understanding the importance of your business numbers as well. 
• A continued goal is to start a conversation about what plant-based cuisine can be and hopefully further set the wheels in motion for a larger movement.