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• Smoked-chicken Cobb salad

When he ran into health issues last year, chef Levi Carter started following the low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet to lose weight and get his blood pressure in check. Last Friday, he launched Carter's Keto Kitchen, a ketogenic-friendly takeout biz in Essex.

Dishes such as smoked-chicken Cobb salad, wild mushroom bisque, pan-roasted Faroe Islands salmon, and marinated steak tips with roasted garlic-Parmesan cauliflower purée and grilled asparagus fit the keto bill with a target of fewer than eight net carbs per serving, Carter said. The rotating menu is currently available via preorder, with pickup at Carter's certified home kitchen at 111 Center Road in Essex from Monday through Saturday, 4 to 7 p.m.

"Even if you're not keto, it's delicious," Carter said. "It's all hot, fresh, chef-made food."

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• Korean barbecue shrimp with kimchi "fried rice"

Currently popular for weight loss, the ketogenic diet "aims to force your body into using a different type of fuel"; unlike the paleo and Atkins diets, it focuses on consuming fat rather than protein, according to Harvard Health Publishing. The long-term safety of the diet has not been studied.

One of the main criticisms of the diet is that it's hard to stick to. Carter agreed that the lack of variety was a challenge, especially at restaurants. His takeout biz is a way to offer more options to the community; it's also a lean model that helps the chef avoid current industry staffing problems.

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• Wild mushroom bisque

After 20 years of working at places such as Harrison's Restaurant in Stowe, the Lighthouse Restaurant and Lounge in Colchester, and Barkeaters Restaurant in Shelburne, "I'd rather rely on myself," Carter said.

"People want to-go food to eat at their house, anyway," he added. "They've usually got big TVs and a better wine selection."