Hispanic Heritage Month is all about celebrating culture, community, and the people shaping the future through their creativity and passion, and Healthy As A Motha embodies all of that. The restaurant fuses traditional Latin flavors with a modern, health-forward twist, honoring cultural roots while nourishing the next generation.
We caught up with the owner and founder, Yesenia Ramdass, to talk about how she’s redefining what it means to eat well, stay true to your roots, and uplift the community through food that feeds both the soul and the body.
Can you tell us the story behind Healthy As A Motha — how did it start and what inspired the name?
Healthy As A Motha (HAAM) was born out of both personal transformation and profound loss. When I was 17, I read a book that fundamentally changed the way I thought about food. Coming from a community where vegetarianism and veganism weren’t even part of the conversation, it was like being handed a map to a world I never knew existed. I stopped eating meat and, over time, dove deep into food, health, and ancestral wellness.
Years later, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. Her passing in 2018 lit a fire in me. I was angry, not just from grief but from the realization that my community lacked access to critical health education. I felt compelled to bridge that gap. So I started a blog with titles like “The influence of the white coat” or “Shame in Aspartame”. I started a YouTube channel with recipes that reimagined the foods we grew up with but in healthier ways. When the pandemic hit, I was home cooking for my three kids and sharing everything on Instagram. People kept commenting, “I wish I could try your food!” and “That looks amazing!”
My husband encouraged me to go for it. I bought a tent and table off Amazon and did my first pop-up. I sold out. Complete strangers were eating my food and loving it. That moment changed everything. Weeks later, I was laid off from my job, and instead of scrambling to find another one, I took a chance on myself. I started doing pop-ups all over NYC, at street markets, selling my food and building Healthy As A Motha.
As for the name Healthy As A Motha I wanted something with NYC swag, something that would make people laugh, spark curiosity, and most importantly, pay homage to the women who taught me how to cook: my mom and my mother in law. Everything I know started in their kitchens, and now I get to carry that forward through my own lens.
What was your journey like from concept to opening your first location?
I never sat down and said, “I want to be a chef” or “I want to open a restaurant.” The concept grew organically, driven by the needs and desires of my community. I listened closely and what I heard over and over again was that there was no place to get plant based food that felt culturally relevant, that had our flavors, our soul, our seasoning.
After I was laid off, I took a leap and rented a commercial kitchen to learn the ropes, from health inspections and order fulfillment to plating and packaging. That phase of relearning everything was humbling and intense. I’ve never worked harder in my life than I did in those first three years. There were moments I doubted myself, moments I questioned everything, but my passion and my purpose and my mom pulled me through.
When it came time to open a brick and mortar, I knew exactly what I wanted: a space that felt elevated, sexy, and sophisticated. Something that presented Caribbean cuisine in a way people are not used to seeing. So many assumed I’d go the fast casual route. It would’ve been easier, sure. But I wasn’t interested in “easy.” I wanted to build a vibe. Permits, contractors, design, equipment, hiring, I faced every possible challenge, but I did it. And now HAAM is more than just a restaurant it feels to me like a movement.
Did your cultural background play a role in shaping the restaurant’s vision or recipes?
Absolutely, 100%. When I first became conscious on the impact of food, I felt like I had unlocked something powerful. But it was heartbreaking to realize how disconnected my community was from that conversation. In Caribbean and Latinx households, if there’s no meat on the plate, it’s not a meal.
So when I started HAAM, I didn’t cater to people already eating plant-based. I focused on those who weren’t because that’s where change starts. I took traditional recipes and reimagined them using familiar ingredients and flavors. Texture and spice were everything. I needed each dish to taste like home just without the animal products.
Did your cultural background play a role in shaping the restaurant’s vision or recipes?
In every single way. The HAAM experience is rooted in cultural celebration from the music to the menu. When you walk through our doors, you’re met with the sounds of soca, bachata, reggae, and merengue. It’s loud. It’s alive. It’s unapologetically us.
We serve elevated Caribbean plant cuisine, but the energy is still rooted in joy, rhythm, and warmth. During the day, it might be a lunch break; by evening, the candles are lit and the vibe is pure fuego! The goal is to make people feel like waving their flags, dancing in their chairs, and savoring food that feels both nostalgic and revolutionary. It’s a space where culture and community collide in the best way.
Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates diversity within the community — what does this month personally mean to you?
Representation is everything. I never imagined myself in this industry especially because there are so few examples of women, especially women of color, owning restaurants that reflect our stories. To be able to step into this space, as a Latina, as a mother, and as an entrepreneur, is an honor.
Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to spotlight the people, traditions, and histories that have shaped us especially the ones often left out of the mainstream narrative. It’s about telling our stories loudly and proudly, so the next generation knows they belong at the table or even better, running the kitchen.
Let’s Talk cooking traditions:
Are there specific ingredients, cooking techniques, or traditions from your culture that you’ve incorporated into your menu?
Every single dish at HAAM is built on tradition. I didn’t go to culinary school my education came from watching my mother and mother-in-law cook, I make roti on a tawa, just like they did. I make sofrito the way it’s been made for generations, with all that sazón and love packed in.
These aren’t shortcuts or trends they’re sacred techniques. I’m not here to “modernize” or water anything down. I’m here to honor our roots and reinterpret them through a plant-based lens that keeps the flavor and soul intact.
What impact do you hope your restaurant has on the local community’s approach to food and health?
I want people to leave HAAM with more than a full stomach. I want them to leave thinking. About what’s on their plate. About how food is connected to wellness. I want people to understand that we should be eating to live, not living to eat.
Food is powerful. It’s healing. It’s cultural. It’s personal. My hope is that HAAM becomes a catalyst that people walk in curious and leave inspired to make better choices, without ever sacrificing taste or joy.
What challenges have you faced as a Hispanic entrepreneur in the restaurant industry?
One of the biggest challenges has been navigating what I didn’t know. The lack of access to industry knowledge, resources, and mentorship has cost me in time, in money, in mistakes. There were equipment purchases that weren’t sustainable, processes I had to learn the hard way, and business decisions I wish I could take back.
But I’ve also been lucky. I’ve had mentors who stepped in, who shared their wisdom. And I pay that forward. I open my doors to any aspiring restaurateur who wants to learn what this life really looks like. I invite them into the kitchen, into the grind. Because we need more hands-on support in this industry — especially for people of color, especially for women.
If you could describe Healthy As A Motha in three words that connect to the Hispanic experience, what would they be?
Culture. Spices. Vibes. That’s the holy trinity of HAAM our 3 company pillars. Everything we do from the dishes to the design is rooted in honoring culture, seasoning with love, and creating an unforgettable experience.
What’s next for Healthy As A Motha — new locations, collaborations, or menu expansions?
Right now, I’m focused on systems. I want to ensure we’re built to last. But yes collaborations are definitely in the works. The ultimate vision is expansion, but not just duplicates. I see sister concepts in HAAM’s future, each one rooted in plant-based Caribbean cuisine but with its own identity and flair.
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, Healthy As A Motha stands as a powerful reminder that culture and wellness can thrive on the same plate. Through her vision, Yesenia Ramdass is redefining what it means to feed both body and soul—with flavor, purpose, and pride.