Fresh, Never Frozen By Libby Hopkins
There is an old saying that, “In order to change, we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired.” Many people nowadays feel this way. They are looking for healthier food options so they feel better and get in shape. “People are moving towards healthy because they are sick of being sick,” said Felicia Lacalle, owner of HealthE Gourmet. “What ‘America’ has created, as far as processed foods and genetically modifying food, is causing our bodies great damage. People are becoming aware and more conscious of what they are putting in their temples, as I call it.” Lacalle is a mother of three boys and a Tampa native. Ever since she was a little girl, the kitchen has been her passion. “My mother was a single mother and worked grave yard shifts at the post office,” Lacalle said. “She would come home, crash on the couch and have me watch the only thing that kept me quite so she could nap a little, Julia Childs on PBS.” She was in awe every time she saw her and heard her voice. “I wanted to be a famous chef on T.V. like her is what I used to say,” she said. This is when her passion for cooking began. As she grew a little older, her mother would have her do small tasks in the kitchen. “When I turned 12 years old I started cooking full Spanish meals,” Lacalle said. “My plan was to go to medical school and become a doctor because I love kids, too, but at the last minute, I changed my mind and got accepted to Johnson and Wales in Miami. I graduating Magna Cum Laude and came back home to Tampa and started my career.”
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After Graduating, Lacalle worked at Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion for 10 years, as pastry chef and sous chef. “I left the company to pursue a little more well-rounded knowledge of the kitchen
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2017
and the different doors that could possibly open, opened,” Lacalle said. “I became the executive chef at Samba Room in South Tampa, and received amazing rewards from it for the delicious food we had. Everything from the keys to the city to front page on the TBT, I was getting great reviews.” Lacalle’s amazing culinary journey did have a few bumps in the road, but they ended up being a blessing. “I was once married, unhappy and very overweight,” Lacalle said. “When I got divorced I hit rock bottom, and had to move in to my mom’s house with my children, and was left with nothing but my skills.” She had to go back to work at Roy’s. When this happened but her old co-workers received her with open and loving arms. It was during this time that she realized she wanted something more. “I started cooking at home for myself and posting the meals on Instagram, and one day a friend suggested I make meals for him,” Lacalle said. “So I did. I was producing 200 meals out of the house, and couldn't fit anymore, so I decided to take a large leap of faith with only $3,000 left in my IRA and I prayed to God that this would work. I'm very blessed to say we are going into our second year.” HealthE Gourmet was born. HeathE Gourmet’s motto is “Fresh, Never Frozen,” and Lacalle stays true to that motto. “We have an amazing team of chefs, my co-workers from Roy’s,” Lacalle said. “Our food is made from scratch. We don't use anything processed, or anything GMO. We change our 10 meals weekly and deliver three times a week to ensure we get the freshest and most nutritious product to our clients. We don't overcook anything, to ensure that they are as nutrient dense as possible.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM