Another restaurant chain takes a stance against seed oils

True Food Kitchen transitioned to using avocado and olive oils for its 100-plus menu items. | Photo courtesy of True Food Kitchen.

True Food Kitchen announced Tuesday that its menu is going 100% seed-oil free across all 46 locations.

The Scottsdale, Arizona-based full-service chain is transitioning to heart-healthy avocado and olive oil for all its menu applications. Industrial seed oils such as canola, sunflower, corn and soybean have gotten a bad rap lately for causing inflammation in the body. 

For health-focused True Food Kitchen, the transition began in 2022 when the team committed to cooking with only avocado and olive oils, then gradually eliminated seed oils from 98% of the menu. With 100-plus items to test, it took another couple of years to convert the remaining 2%. 

“Most people don’t realize how pervasive seed oils are in everyday ingredients and eliminating them meant reevaluating hundreds of items across our kitchens. It was a massive undertaking, but it was worth every step to deliver cleaner, better meals to our guests,” said Matthew Padilla, head of culinary at True Food Kitchen.

The restaurant company has been committed to promoting wellness through health-conscious ingredient sourcing and better-for-you food choices since its founding in 2008. “This wasn’t just about replacing an ingredient—it was about enhancing the quality of every dish while staying true to our purpose,” said Chief Growth Officer Daniella Voysey Olson. “Every recipe was carefully tested to ensure that the flavors, textures and overall experience met or exceeded what our guests expect from True Food Kitchen. We even had a few ingredients that we decided to make in-house.”

Recently, fast casual Sweetgreen made the switch from seed oils to avocado and olive oil. Other chains, including Steak ‘n Shake are returning to beef tallow as a cooking medium for fries—a swap made for flavor rather than health reasons. 

While social media feeds buzz about the evils of seed oils, which occur primarily in overly processed foods, health experts recommend moderation rather than total elimination. And saturated fats, which are prevalent in beef tallow, have long been associated with heart disease. The best advice: keep a lid on fat intake across the board. 

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