Evolve Juicery & Kitchen: Focus on Taste, Healthy Food and Flavorful Options

Evolve Juicery & Kitchen is a refreshing, fun change. It’s a combination of dining out, dining in and online delivery all rolled together in a delicious, healthy premade convenient meal. 

The concept was started by Caleb Fechter, the chef and brains behind the flavors, and his husband Jason Fechter, the chiropractor, healthy eating expert and business guru. Originally working out of their garage in Johnson County, this operation has grown to nationwide delivery and five brick-and-mortar locations in metro Kansas City.

What is Evolve Juicery & Kitchen? Caleb and Jason understood that so many of us are looking for healthy food options while many more are facing diet restrictions and food allergies. And we want convenient, tasty meals that we can pick to go, have delivered or dine in. The company was born to cater to that exact audience. 

Most of the meals feature low-carb options for health-conscious customer who don’t have time to do it themselves. All meals are made without wheat, dairy, soy and legumes, and processed sugars have been replaced with honey, maple or coconut sugar.

Executive Chef Caleb Fechter said even though the food is geared to a more health-conscious clientele, there is no compromising on taste. “I like finding new flavors and bringing them to people. I think there is a thrill behind it,” said Caleb. “The biggest insult is when someone refuses to try something new based on preconceived notions. Don’t get me wrong; I love my old-standbys, but for me that’s not inspiring, it’s just eating.”

The day I enjoyed tasting several options at the Crossroads location of Evolve, I wasn’t following a special diet, but I’m a health-conscious eater by nature, and I’m also a flavor junkie, so I was excited to give it a try.

For anyone who is following keto, paleo, Evolve 30 elimination diet or primal, Evolve can be a godsend. Macronutrients are already counted for you. There is no racing to the grocery store to buy fresh ingredients to cook after a long day at work. 

First up, I snapped up one of the Grab & Go options from the large refrigerator in the restaurant/store while my sampling of entrees was warming in the microwave. The Chicken Salad looked amazing. It’s on the Paleo and Evolve 30 diets. With the garage doors open wide to the bustling Southwest Boulevard, I felt like a true urban business woman enjoying a delicious creamy chicken salad with fresh lettuce, and I washed it down with an organic, whole-pressed juice. There were a lot of yummy pressed juice options, but I chose Beet It, which is cucumber, orange, beets and ginger.

What does Caleb want his customers to think about when they’re selecting food? “Of course, macros are important. But I like to select things I have never had, something new, something fun. Food should be fun. Just because you are eating healthy doesn’t mean your food can’t be interesting and fun!”

I’m glad I took Caleb’s advice! I’d never had beet juice and it was fantastic.

Now it was entrée time. I shared two hearty and delicious entrees with a friend. We probably should have saved these for our evening meal and we weren’t able to finish because it was a lot of food. First, I tried the colorful and substantial Steak and Quinoa Bowl on the primal diet. This met my flavor guru requirements and then some. In addition to the steak and quinoa, there were large charred onions, grilled red peppers and other veggies. 

Next, I had the cauliflower rice with Evolve soy sauce complete with green onions, all served as sides to the entrée, a Sesame-Crusted Chicken, satisfying keto, paleo and Evolve 30 diets. Whoa! That cauliflower rice was fluffy, flavorful and satisfying. 

How does the chef come up with all of these flavor ideas all of the time? “I love mixing three senses together. I am trying to create food that encapsulates three of the five taste senses, spicy, sweet, salty, sour (tangy), umami (richness). If I can work three of the five into a dish, I am pretty happy,” Caleb said.

Last year, Evolve launched its nationwide delivery of healthy premade meals through its website, eattoevolve.us. In Kansas City, customers can choose to pick up their online orders in the store or select delivery for a fee. Most meals can be modified to meet dietary needs and several meal plans are available for singles or couples.

“We’ve been helping people stay and get healthy for the past nine years, and I’m always amazed at how the body reacts to a healthy diet,” said Jason Fechter. “Consistently seeing lives changed for the better fuels the motivation and passion behind what we do.” ■

In addition to locations in the Crossroads, Lee’s Summit, Mo., Liberty, Missouri, and 135th and Pflumm in Overland Park, the newest location just opened in March in the lower level of the Vue Building on Metcalf in downtown Overland Park. Visit eattoevolve.com for menus and to order online.

Journalist-turned-PR-professional Megan Neher has never forgotten her true first love: writing. Today, Megan owns her own PR firm, Megan Neher Public Relations; she’s a wife, mom, marketer, student and spends a lot of time cleaning up after her four pets and two teenagers. Her dream is to live on a tropical beach somewhere where she can stroll barefoot to a nearby grass hut for a fish taco and margarita.