• Courtesy Hazel Moon Creative
• Dara and Ric Lavallee with Bea Potter (center) of Nourish Deli & Bakery in St. Albans

On March 8, Dara and Ric Lavallee will celebrate the grand opening of Nourish Deli & Bakery at 15 Center Street in St. Albans. The store builds on the online plant-based food business they launched in December 2020.

The married couple, who moved to St. Albans in 2015, have many years of experience in the restaurant and culinary fields. Both earned certificates from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies online through Cornell University.

The Lavallees said they already have developed a following for their cashew-based "cheezes," made in the style of Brie and blue cheese. They have hired Bea Potter, previously of Two Sons Bakehouse in Jeffersonville, to bake a full line of breads, pastries, pies and cakes on-site. The deli will also offer soups, sandwiches and prepared meals, such as macaroni and "cheeze" and pot pies "based on good old comfort food," Ric said.

Nourish does not label its food "vegan," although it is made without animal products. "We don't want to alienate people," Ric said, pointing out that many breads are naturally plant-based.

The couple plans to offer courses and other resources to help people transition to a plant-based diet. Dara has eaten that way for most of her life, she said, but her husband is a more recent convert.

As a firefighter and paramedic, Ric said, he saw firsthand how poor diet contributes to chronic disease. "We wanted to start a business where the foods are truly healthy," he said. "We want to help people take that journey."