Founder of Rooted Restaurants, Lily Rivkin: Building a Transparent Healthy Restaurant in Public

In this episode of Rooted, I sat down with Lily Rivkin, founder of Rooted Restaurants. Yes, this is a Rooted x Rooted episode, because we share the same exact philosophy.Rooted is a fast-casual restaurant based in NYC built around transparency, simplicity, and trust in our food. Each meal uses seven ingredients or less, with every ingredient, down to the oils and spices, listed on their public-facing menu. Lily shares her journey from Yale, to working as a trader, to realizing through a series of experiences that food was her true passion. That realization ultimately led her to pursue an MBA at Wharton with the goal of opening Rooted.We explore why Rooted has gained traction so quickly, from Lily building in public on social media, to early partnerships with Alo, a Forbes feature, and well-known voices like Melissa Wood Health and Gary Brecka sharing the brand.We also discuss:Sharing the behind-the-scenes realities of restaurant ownership on social mediaHow transparency builds trust and communityWhere Rooted’s menu ideas come from and how Lily’s culinary background influences the foodBuilding community beyond the plate through events, partnerships, and cateringLily’s long-term vision for Rooted and where she sees the future of food and wellness headingI hope you enjoy this episode and if you’re in NYC, make sure to check out Rooted.