Transitioning from Vegan Chef to Rancher

Molly Engelhart, once a prominent vegan chef in Southern California, now leads a different life on a ranch in Texas. She currently raises livestock and serves as the co-executive chef at her family’s restaurant, The Barn, at Sovereignty Ranch.

Engelhart describes her journey as quite unique, stating that her identity as “a vegan chef turned rancher” is not one many people embark on. She reflected on how more than a decade ago, her food philosophy began to show signs of doubt.

“I started a vegan restaurant with a lot of support,” Engelhart recalled. “I was an environmental activist, convinced this was the future for humanity.” However, a TED talk she attended in 2013 reshaped her perspective entirely. “I realized that it wasn’t the cows that were the issue, but food waste was a significant concern,” she mentioned. This revelation drove her to start a farm focused on repurposing food waste from restaurants.

As her understanding evolved, she made startling discoveries about vegan food. “I realized that vegan food didn’t really exist,” she admitted. “All organic products are fertilized with components that come from systems vegans typically oppose. There’s no plate without some form of death—life and death are intertwined.”

When the pandemic forced California restaurants to close, Engelhart sought to pivot her business model. “I attempted to transition my restaurant to renewable practices, but the backlash was intense,” she recalled, mentioning how her vegan clientele reacted strongly against the changes.

This tension ultimately led her to close her last restaurant in Los Angeles during the wildfires in January this year. “I didn’t want my children growing up in California,” she explained, expressing her frustrations with the state’s strict regulations and bureaucratic hurdles.

Now, in Texas, she and her husband are advocates for regenerative agriculture, raising cows, pigs, and sheep, and maintaining a small dairy herd. Engelhart believes this method not only restores the land but also improves health.

There are core principles of regenerative agriculture she follows: farming tailored to the environment, reducing soil disruption, enhancing biodiversity, minimizing chemical use, and integrating animal husbandry. She strongly believes that healthy soil leads to healthier people.

Engelhart is deeply passionate about the concept of “food as medicine.” “Most foods available today weren’t even present a century ago,” she noted, linking the rise of various health issues to this shift. She insists that food should be consumed in its natural state, and advocates a return to simpler, less processed eating habits.

Her advice to families? “Let’s give up a bit of convenience to build resilience.” While she acknowledges how challenging this can be in today’s delivery-focused culture, she emphasizes the importance of supporting local farmers.

In her upcoming book, titled “Debunked by Nature,” Engelhart explores the notion that “Mother Nature is conservative,” challenging prevailing narratives about modern structures by examining them through a natural lens. She believes that many concepts in our current society simply do not align with the realities of nature.