Our Company
Meet The Founder
Chef Michel Nischan: A Culinary Visionary
Chef Michel is a four-time James Beard Award winning chef and dedicated advocate for building a healthier, more sustainable food system whose innovative approach to food is at the heart of Wholesome Crave. He is the co-founder of the James Beard Foundation’s Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change and has been a leading voice in the sustainable food movement for over 40 years. In leveraging his extensive culinary network, he has crafted a line of plant-based soups that are exceptionally delicious and both environmentally and socially responsible.
Meet The Impact Board
Celebrated chefs working toward a more equitable, just, and sustainable food system.
Our Impact Board stands at the heart of Wholesome Crave’s mission, embodying our dedication to equity, justice, and sustainability in the culinary world. These nationally renowned chefs do more than inspire innovative products—they collaborate with us to address critical issues such as equitable supply chain access and food waste reduction, with each bringing unique cultural perspectives and culinary expertise to our table. Their diverse backgrounds and experiences enrich our approach, ensuring that our products not only taste great but also make a positive impact on the world. Each Impact Board member holds an equity position in Wholesome Crave, reflecting our deep commitment to diversity in all its forms—racial, ethnic, age, and gender. This inclusive leadership ensures that our growth and success are shared, setting a powerful example of what can be achieved when diverse talents and perspectives unite.
Maneet Chauhan
Wholesome Crave Impact Board Chair.
Founding Partner and President Morph Hospitality Group.
Two-time Food Network's Chopped: Tournament of Champions Winner.
Advocate and mentor for the advancement of women in culinary.
Sean Sherman
Oglala Lakota Sioux Chef.
Owner of James Beard Award Winning Restaurant, Owamni, MN.
TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2023.
Founder of Indigenous Food Labs.
Promoting the revitalization of Indigenous Food Systems.
Pierre Thiam
Senegal raised, NYC-based chef, author, restaurateur, social entrepreneur and culinary ambassador.
Founder of Yolélé Foods importing West African ingredients promoting regenerative agriculture and supporting women-owned collaboratives.
Alexander Ong
Award winning chef of Betelnut and Peju Wu.
Director of Culinary Excellence at UMASS Amherst.
Voted Best Campus Dining 7+ years by the Princeton Review.
Claudine & Jacques Pepin
Father-daughter team supporting culinary mentorship.
Renowned Chef-Mentor and prolific cookbook writer.
Voice for the power of women in hospitality.
About Wholesome Crave
Wholesome Crave is a plant-forward food company working to change the world through food. Founded by four-time James Beard Award-winning chef Michel Nischan, we are committed to crafting delicious plant-forward foods that nourish the body and support a healthier planet. As we grow to offer products beyond soup over time, we promise to always provide sustainable, chef-crafted menu solutions that meet the evolving needs of both foodservice operators and elevated eaters.
Today, we help some of the nation’s largest and most innovative foodservice institutions offer meals that align with modern values of health, sustainability, and cultural authenticity. Our soups are only made with whole, real ingredients and produced using from-scratch techniques to deliver exceptional flavor and texture. They're designed to leave a lower carbon footprint when compared to meat-based products, making Wholesome Crave the responsible choice for operators looking to offer more premium or eco-friendly options. With a portion of every sale going to support our national nonprofit partner, Wholesome Wave, you can feel good knowing that every purchase gives back to our communities.
Change the World Through Food
By partnering with Wholesome Crave, you are helping make the quality of plant-forward healthy options you provide to your eaters accessible to our most vulnerable community members – regardless of race, age, ethnicity, income, or zip code. When healthier food is affordable and available to everyone, we can credibly say we are changing the world through food – together.
Fostering healthy change among our communities
Driving food equity to new levels
Committed to restoring our environment
Wholesome Wave
Wholesome Wave is driven by a simple, yet powerful mission: to end food and nutrition insecurity across America by increasing the affordability and access to fresh produce for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, income, or zip code. Today’s challenges in nutrition and food access demand bold actions—and we have been leading the charge since 2007.
