Their elaborate menu includes dairy, gluten, refined sugar, GMOs, antibiotic, nitrates, sulfates, organic, paleo and gluten-free. “Plate Therapy came out of necessity, to be honest,” she said. “I have two thyroid disorders and I started doing research on what causes autoimmune diseases. I decided to make a lifestyle change and came across paleo, gluten-free and dairy-free and cooking that way. I saw and felt the benefits of making those changes.”
“My friends noticed that I regained my energy back and I was losing the weight, and that’s how Plate Therapy came about,” she added. “My story is very relatable to a lot of people out there since 80 million people in the U.S. alone are affected by autoimmune diseases.”
She shared that Plate Therapy has a nutritional consultant, Nadine Young, who helps balance their meals. She praised her staff and their customer service for being “amazing.” “We are a female-driven business and we use top-notch, organic ingredients,” she said.
Digital age of food service
On being an entrepreneur and business owner in this digital age, McPartlin said, “When I started this business, one door opened after the next. Then, you get into the logistics of being a business owner and hiring people. In California, having a small business is not easy but it’s a passion project for me and I love going to work because I love my team and I love helping people. Food really does make a big difference in people’s lives.”
For hopefuls that wish to go into the food service industry, McPartlin encouraged them to definitely “do it.” “I have never been to culinary school or business school. I’ve been a great cook at home,” she admitted. “For any young person getting into this business, find a mentor and don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and ask questions since people are willing to help.”
Regarding their use of technology in their daily routine, she said, “We really are a grassroots company, and we have a website with our ordering page. I have a lot of people in place that help.”
The best advice she has ever given was to “keep her priorities straight.” “Go in with a daily plan, stay organized and keep your priorities straight. For us, it has been family and then business since family is the most important,” she said.
In her personal life, she is married to actor Ryan McPartlin (who is the Chief Taste Tester and Co-Founder of Plate Therapy), and they have two sons together, ages 13 and 10. On balancing family life with her career, she said, “I always pick up my kids from school and I am able to pick them up from sports. We make our family a priority,” she said.
McPartlin defined success as “life being smooth.” “When Ryan’s career is going well, when my business is doing well, and when my kids are doing well, that’s a success,” she said.
She concluded about Plate Therapy, “Check us out. We deliver all over Los Angeles and we are looking to grow a lot this year. We are definitely the best food business in the Los Angeles area, in my opinion, and we are looking to expand. I look forward to people trying our food. We have ‘Grab and Go’ locations as well.”
To learn more about Plate Therapy, check out its official website and Instagram page.
