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Lizzo visited FoodChasers’ Kitchen, and now they’re sharing 5 dishes from the vegan menu they served her

Chef Naren Gosine got last-minute instructions to whip up vegan food for the music star, who was on her way out to Elkins Park from her Center City hotel.

Lizzo ate at FoodChasers' Kitchen in Elkins Park, owned by sisters Kala (left) and Maya Johnstone, on Sept. 28, 2022, the night before her concert at the Wells Fargo Center.
Lizzo ate at FoodChasers' Kitchen in Elkins Park, owned by sisters Kala (left) and Maya Johnstone, on Sept. 28, 2022, the night before her concert at the Wells Fargo Center.Read moreCourtesy of Taryn Flood

FoodChasers’ Kitchen in Elkins Park usually does not serve dinner. It’s also closed on Wednesdays. But when old friend Andrew “Pop” Wansel called owners Kala and Maya Johnstone and asked for a table that night, they happily obliged.

Wansel, a music producer, was asking on behalf of singer-rapper Lizzo, who was in town for a show the next evening at the Wells Fargo Center.

There was one other challenge for chef Naren Gosine, giving up a day off: coming up with vegan dishes for Lizzo, who has kept a vegan diet since 2020 after seven years as a vegetarian. The FoodChasers’ menu is a collection of eggy, cheesy brunch food, burgers, and steak sandwiches.

Lizzo and her family rode out from Center City to join her for the meal, and they all played Uno in the dining room.

» READ MORE: Lizzo gets Philly love

The Johnstones, the retired Philadelphia school principals and identical twins who opened FoodChasers’ Kitchen less than a year ago, are offering some of the Lizzo dishes on Oct. 13 and Oct. 14, in addition to the regular menu.

All are plant-based:

  1. fried mushroom tacos with avocado and a fruit pico de gallo

  2. cheesy grits topped with seasoned mushrooms

  3. meatball grinder with portobello meatballs with an herb tomato sauce smothered with vegan cheese

  4. mushroom ravioli with roasted grape tomatoes in a vegan butter herb sauce

  5. cheesesteak made of herb mushrooms with vegan cheese and mayo

Kala Johnstone said any dishes that sell well would remain on the menu.

» READ MORE: How two school principals got a lesson in the restaurant business

Unrelated to the Lizzo visit, the Johnstones were flown out to Las Vegas two weeks ago as part of the Pepsi Dig In, an initiative by the soft drink company to support Black-owned businesses.

FoodChasers’ Kitchen will have a four-week residency at several restaurants at the Luxor and Mandalay Bay Casinos; their shrimp and grits will be available from Jan. 1 to Jan. 28.