©2019 Saratoga Photographer.com
By Jennifer Farnsworth
A new business is opening on Caroline Street in Saratoga Springs, just off Broadway.
Whole Harvest Company will make and serve food at 5 Caroline St.
Owner Kelsey Whalen said she has a few simple rules when it comes to food: keep it local, sustainable, respectful of animal rights, fresh and limit the waste. Her cafe-style restaurant will be a reflection of her lifelong love and understanding of how food can be done in a healthy and delicious way.
Whalen said the 5 Caroline Stret location opened up in November and she knew it would be the perfect fit for her vision. Since then she has been hard at work transforming the former 600-plus square foot cigar shop into a place where people can stop in for a bite or take it on the go.
“I am really pleased at how the space has turned out. This is is something I have thought about doing for a while, and having been in the industry my whole life. I knew it was time,” said Whalen.
Whole Harvest is a vegan and gluten-free environment. The menu will include local chicken, cheese and eggs, in addition to a few items that contain gluten, like local breads.
Whalen is working closely with local farmers and artisans such as Malta Ridge Orchard and Gardens, Gomez Veggie Ville, Saratoga Apple Orchard and Nettle Meadow Farm and Artisan Cheese. She is working closely with chef Maxwell Schroeder.
“Chef Maxwell has been an integral part of opening my first business. His expertise in finessing the menu, setting up the kitchen and hiring trustworthy kitchen staff has made this all possible,” said Whalen.
A native of Saratoga, Whalen has a masters’ degree in business and nutrition from Northeastern University. She said that food service has always been a part of her life, because of her family’s involvement in the industry, including her father, a sales representative for U.S. Foods.
As for the menu, Whalen will work with Schroeder to create weekly specials and seasonal dishes. Some of their options will include things like grain bowls, salads, wraps. Avocado toast, soups, smoothies, homemade dressings, and desserts.
She also plans to introduce online ordering and will later implement a system for regular delivery meal subscriptions, with daily lunches and dinner deliveries to nearby businesses.
Whalen hopes to have Whole Harvest Company open its doors for business will sometime in mid-March. The hours will be Tuesday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Its website is wholeharvestco.com.