Today we’d like to introduce you to Omar Abou-Ismail.
Hi Omar, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and raised in Nigeria, West Africa. I came to the US when I was 17 and studied geophysics at the University of Utah, graduating in 2002. I worked for a few years in Geophysics, however, my real passion was health and wellness. I wanted to change careers to become a naturopathic doctor, however, life circumstances did not allow me that possibility. As my father was diagnosed with cancer in 2004, and passed away later that year, December 2004.
My mother and I took care of him, and after he had passed, I was dedicated to creating change in our world through the food we eat. I was teaching classes on health and food and then was prompted to open up a healthy restaurant 6 months after my dad passed to honor him and everyone who struggles with their health. There was not any restaurant that served healthy organic food, and I was dedicated to creating change in the food industry, so I opened up my first restaurant on July 4, 2005.
It was quite difficult as I did not have the funds to do so, I negotiated a deal with a guy who ran an herb for health shop, rented half of his space converted it to a RAW FOOD BAR, and started with all used utensils that I purchased from 2nd hand stores, and built it myself, with the help of some friends that believed in my mission, so that it could comply with the health department and start serving food. I was not trained in business, and I only served in a restaurant for 6 months before opening mine, so I did not have a lot of experience.
However, my passion blinded me to what I did not know and went along with the flow, created a small menu, and had customers due to the health classes I was teaching in local grocery stores such as Wild Oats, now Whole Foods. In 2007 I outgrew my old shared space and moved into my own space, and called it Omar’s Rawtopia ‘Peace through Food’ LLC. Rawtopia was a raw food restaurant, meaning we only served raw food, no cooking involved, and created recipes using food processors, blenders, juicers, dehydrators, and fresh organic produce.
We had hummus, but it was made from sprouted sunflower seeds and almonds and not garbanzo beans. We had falafel salad, and Falafel was not deep fried, instead was made from dehydrated sunflower seed and almonds mixed with cilantro, parsley, and Lebanese spices. We made our own nut milk, desserts, pasta using zucchini noodles, nut burgers, and pizza using a buckwheat crust that we made from scratch. It was a labor of love to create the healthiest food possible, with so much flavor and texture. We survived all the odds that we were faced with because we were located in the old sugarhouse, where there was a lot of construction…
It was very intense as my food was not your average Joe’s food, and the customers we got were from word of mouth and a few newspaper/magazine/TV news write-ups on us. In 2017, we moved to a bigger location, which is our current location, and we expanded our menu to include the same raw food menu but added some cooked foods, sustainable meats, alcohol, and coffee. We called it Rawtopia Living Cuisine and Beyond. And now, I just call it Rawtopia, Sustainable Cuisine.
I could not have done this all without the help of my mother, Brother, and Sister, who all helped in create a successful restaurant that is acclaimed for its tasty food, great customer service, and healthy flair that not only is beneficial for our health and wellness but also for the planet because we support organic/local agricultural practices that source our ingredients mostly from small farmers in North America.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I have moved location 2 times. My first location (2005-2007), Living Cuisine Raw Food Bar, was in a shared space, called Herbs for Health, we were at the back and had a very small menu and a very small space to make food and wash dishes, with a very small dining area that fit maybe 10-12 people only. 2007-2017 we moved to our own space, and called it Omar’s Rawtopia ‘Peace through Food’ and survived even though we were in an odd place because we did not serve any cooked food, it was completely RAW VEGAN. Not to mention all the construction that went on in Sugar House, with road closures, parking lot closures, etc…
Then we were forced to move out of our location because of all the development in the area, in 2017 and moved to Millcreek, where we are currently. We expanded our menu, to add cooked foods, sustainable meats, coffee, and alcohol. I lost a lot of my vegan customers as they were very upset because I added animal products, so I had to build a new customer base, and in 2019 covid hit so you can imagine how hard my entrepreneurial life has been.
After covid employment was a challenge, and getting all shifts covered was a challenge. So, not a very smooth ride, however, being the change, we wish to see, and being consistent with our mission, flavorful food, and epic customer service, we have a very loyal customer base. Martha Stewart, who recently visited my restaurant, enjoyed it so much that she invited me to make food with her on her show, Martha’s Cooking, which will air next spring 2024.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Our mission: Our award-winning restaurant prides itself in our dedication to providing the highest quality organically grown, sustainable, gluten-free, non-GMO products available, and exclusively use low-temperature techniques on our raw foods to preserve all the vital enzymes and nutrients, leaving your body, mind, and soul feeling satiated with health and vigor. Patience, peace, and love are major ingredients in our recipes, and our commitment is to serve the healthiest and most flavorful gourmet, organic, raw, and cooked food you have ever experienced.
It’s truly an art, where we created different textures by using a dehydrator, food processor, juicer, and blender. We have great salads and salad dressings, we make everything from scratch; peel our garlic, and ginger, juice our lemon and limes, and make our nut milk, deserts, and ice cream. All gluten and dairy-free.
Our sweeteners are local raw honey, organic grade B maple syrup, organic coconut sugar, organic coconut nectar, organic dates, and organic raw agave. Our oils are organic, cold-pressed, and unrefined. Our eggs are organic, local, cage-free, and pasture-raised. Our bison is all-natural, and our salmon/cod is wild-caught.
We sprout all nuts and seeds before preparation, as it increases the amount of nutrients by 600 percent! It also releases enzyme inhibitors, phytates (phytic acid), polyphenols (tannins), and goitrogens; thus, allowing for proper digestion and assimilation of nutrients. Our food is prepared using juicers, blenders, food processors, and dehydrators. The produce is washed with purified water, and our living cuisine takes at least 2 days to prepare.
The few cooked items are roots and cruciferous vegetables, soups, and ethnic cuisines; all prepared in a microbiotic way, preserving the integrity of the food. We cook with organic, refined coconut oil or avocado oil. We have food from Nigeria, Lebanon, Thailand, Italy, America, and Mexico.
I’m proud to support the health of people and the planet, and our unique flavors set us apart, as we are Lebanese, raised in Nigeria, West Africa. Our cuisine is very unique and very flavorful, thanks to my mother, who is a master at delivering the best food ever!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I’m hopeful that we are evolving out of processed foods, and inorganic foods, and adopting a more sustainable lifestyle! With all the health problems in the world, I’m hoping more and more people will value places like mine and enjoy the health benefits of what we provide.
I say that we are truly a gift to our community, as our community is to us. The more places like mine are supported, the more sustainable practices are valued and supported as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: rawtopia.com
- Instagram: @omarsrawtopia
- Facebook: Rawtopia
- Youtube: Omar Abou Ismail
Image Credits
Pere Masraman
