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Two New Haven food truck chefs Poreyah Benton, owner of Vegan Ahava, and Tisha Hudson of Edible Couture told News 8 reporters that they were complete strangers before Benton posted on social media looking for a business partner.
Both entrepreneurs started their businesses on wheels before opening their business on Court Street, which had an official ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Sept. 23.
Benton was raised in the vegan community of Dimona in Israel, she wrote on her eatery's website, and grew into her cooking passion with guidance from both master chefs and hobbyist cooks alike.
"I approach cooking with an emphasis on originality, creativity, and making flavorful and enjoyable healthy and affordable eats," she wrote.
Vegan Ahava is best known for its vegan lasagna. Also on the menu is:
- Vegan mac and cheese
- Vegetable quiche
- Vegan eggplant parmesan
- "Sweet and Sours," consisting of eggplant, tofu, seitan, and cauliflower
- "The Jackson Five," consisting of sweet potatoes, kale, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese
Also available are a number of sandwiches, like an oyster mushroom po'boy, soups, salads, and dessert items.
Hudson said she grew up baking with her grandmother. Before she began selling desserts for profit, she would put a twist on her grandmother's recipes as a hobby.
"It wasn't until seven years ago when I had a dream of my deceased father that forever changed my passion for baking," writes Hudson. "Since that dream, I created the banana pudding cupcake."
The banana pudding cupcake, according to Hudson, is her best-selling item. She sells over 20 different types of cupcakes, including some atypical flavors like sweet potato pecan and chicken and waffle.
Along with full-sized cakes, Edible Couture is known for its Gourmet Cake Cups - literally cake that is delicately layered into a to-go container- and sells flavors like triple chocolate cake, caramel apple cake, and red velvet Oreo cheesecake in cup form.
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