Our team
We are a team of kind, generous, fun-loving and hard-working home-trained chefs and food lovers with a rich array of backgrounds and experiences. We love cooking for and nourishing others. Passion, purpose and love go into every bowl we make.
Lead Chef: Anna
Chef Anna is the only professionally-trained chef in our kitchen. We have learned so much from her, especially the importance of mise en place (“everything in its place”). She brings a wealth of culinary knowledge and experience, exquisite knife skills and a delightfully wry sense of humor to our kitchen. Most inspiring of all is the way she honors all the ingredients by talking to them as she puts them into the pot. On chicken day we sometimes hear her singing to the chickens! It’s her way of transferring positive energy and love into our soups. Anna’s favorite soups are Caraway Cauliflower and Chicken Curry. Her favorite playlist is 80s alternative, and her favorite artist is JS Bach.
Lead Chef: Yan
Do you know that person who is like a ray of sunshine when they walk into a room? That’s Yan. Her boundless energy, infectious laughter and positive attitude create an atmosphere of joy in our kitchen. A day without Yan is like a day without sun. She infuses love and purpose into everything she does, whether she’s wielding a mighty immersion blender or brandishing a sharp knife! Yan’s favorite soup is Ratatouille. Her favorite playlist is Latin music.
Chef: Lana
Chef Lana was trained as a pastry chef and has over 15 years of experience crafting desserts that delight both the palate and the eyes. Born and raised in Ukraine, her family was forced to leave their home when war broke out. Fortunately for us, Chef Lana enjoys cooking up savory soups as much as sweet creations. She has brought new flavors and ingredients into our kitchen, including kasha (toasted buckwheat) which we feature in Ukrainian Meatball, Mushroom Buckwheat and LF Garden Vegetable. Lana’s favorite soups are Tomato Basil, “Creamy” Mushroom and Beef Stew. Her favorite playlist is pop and dance music.
Retail Manager: Lisa
Lisa skillfully manages all retail sales from our Herndon kitchen. Whether she’s helping customers choose the right soup, arranging retail displays, leading the staff in stretching exercises or picking the perfect play list to boost everyone’s mood, Lisa brings warmth, creativity and positive energy into our space. Lisa’s favorite soups are LF Curry Pumpkin and LF Fire Roasted Red Pepper. Her favorite playlist is Ready for the Day.
Wholesale Manager: Lauri
Lauri works tirelessly with individual stores and buyers, receiving, processing, packaging and often delivering weekly orders. She ensures all our wholesale orders are packed safely and accurately, and she does it all with kindness, patience, a great sense of humor and a beautiful smile on her face. Lauri’s favorite soups are Carrot Ginger and French Lentil. Her favorite playlist is anything peppy or happy.
Broth Queen: Elizabeth
Her name is Elizabeth, but we have nicknamed her “Broth Queen,” rightly so, both because of her British origin and because no one can dispense broth faster. She works tirelessly to ensure we are well stocked with all varieties of our delicious and nourishing bone and vegetable broths. Hail to our Queen! Elizabeth’s favorite soup is Borscht. Her favorite playlist is anything classical.