Meet Kristie Jeffrey of Imagine Vegan Cafe

More than a decade ago, a disappointing night out to eat inspired Kristie Jeffrey to combine two of her passions — veganism and cooking. The result was Imagine Vegan Cafe, her restaurant in the Cooper-Young neighborhood of midtown Memphis. Frustrated by the lack of options for vegans in the city, she and her husband, Adam, opened the cafe in 2011. Twelve years later, they are busier than ever. The restaurant lives up to its motto, “where comfort and compassion meet,” with life-sized murals of animals on the walls and a variety of vegan-spun comfort food classics on the menu, including buffalo wings, barbecue, burgers, and pizza, along with a counter full of delicious desserts.

“We want people to order food without having to customize it or ask to leave this or that off,” Kristie says. “It’s a worry-free zone.” The restaurant also serves weekend brunch and draws a steady crowd of locals and celebrities passing through town — including Stevie Wonder, Chrissie Hynde, and Bill Clinton. A mom of five, Kristie has a lot on her plate. In addition to running the restaurant, she caters events and oversees Imagine’s nationwide distribution of homemade salad dressings. Get to know our newest FACE of Memphis, Kristie Jeffrey.

What inspired you to start to Imagine Vegan Cafe?

The idea came to us on Valentine’s night, 2011. My husband and I had been vegan for almost a year, and we decided to go out to eat with our kids. Over dinner, we were discussing our future and where life was taking us. Adam was a full-time musician, and I was a flight attendant and pregnant with our third daughter — and we were both exhausted with traveling. We ordered our vegan food, but it still came out with dairy. It got us thinking, where do vegans go when they want to go out to eat?

There wasn’t really a place in Memphis for that. So we said, “Let’s open a restaurant, so we can stay in town and be together as a family,” and we just dove in headfirst. We drove around that night and saw a building we fell in love with. A few months later, we opened the doors to Imagine.

What was your vision for the cafe, and how has that evolved?

We wanted to give people a family-friendly environment where they could bring their kids and get a meal they’re somewhat familiar with. That’s why a lot of the menu includes chicken tenders, burgers, and foods like that. Just because you eat vegan doesn’t mean you have to give up hot dogs, pizza, or things you would typically eat — there’s just a different version of them.

We don’t serve fancy food; it’s things you can pronounce. You understand what you’re ordering. And we use simple products like Willy’s Vegan Pantry for many of our vegan meats, as well as Gardein and Lightlife products. We list these on the menu, and we love to encourage people to use them at home. Because if they eat at Imagine and love it but walk out the door and say, “I could go vegan if I could eat there every day,” then we haven’t done our job. I want them to feel empowered to take on the vegan lifestyle and do it on their own.

What were the biggest challenges you faced when getting the cafe off the ground, and how have you overcome them?

It’s always challenging diving into something you’re not familiar with. We opened the doors of this restaurant not knowing what to expect or what we were getting into, but it’s just been about learning the lessons. We didn’t open Imagine to make a lot of money; it was more of a passion project. So that has made the struggles — whether adjusting to the changing costs of food prices or transitioning from being business owners to members of the community — easier. [They are] really more lessons than hurdles.

What makes your cafe distinct from other local restaurants with vegan options?

We have people from all walks of life who come into our restaurant — from Rastafarians to people trying to lower their cholesterol. Imagine is like a melting pot where everyone can feel welcome. People come for all kinds of different reasons.

We’ve had parents bring kids in who don’t want to eat meat anymore and even older couples who want to eat healthier so they can cut down on their medication. We’ve had a family whose daughter was battling leukemia through her diet and was in remission. We’ve got people who come in for meatless Mondays or just want to see what the vegan food scene is like. We also have an amazing group of regulars who have supported us for nearly 12 years now. Our menu is affordable, and we try to be open to everybody.

What kind of experience can people expect when they visit Imagine?

It’s just a “come as you are, be who you are,” super comfortable kind of place that doesn’t force vegan food on you but encourages you to give it a try. There are certain foods I recommend to someone who’s been vegan for a while versus someone who’s trying them for the first time. But there is no judgment here. If you’re not a vegan but want to eat one vegan meal, that’s fantastic because that’s one more plate of animals that have been saved.

What are some of the most popular items on the menu?

We sell so much barbecue! We probably sell 150 to 200 pounds of barbecue a week. The cheese sticks that we make in-house are huge, too. We also have lots of people who come in to customize and build their own hot dogs.

How challenging was it to learn how to “veganize” food and make it taste good?

It’s taken years of sifting through and trying new products. If we couldn’t find a product we really liked, we would make it ourselves. That’s what we did with our salad dressings. I couldn’t find a ranch, honey mustard, or thousand island that I liked, so we decided to use the ones I made.

Have meat lovers come in who have never eaten vegan before? What do they think of the food?

We have so many, and we have a pretty good response! At one point, it was a 60/40 split of people coming into Imagine who were vegetarians or vegans and just trying it out or supporting a family member. Sometimes they really love it, and sometimes they don’t like certain textures or tastes, so they’ll try something different.

What’s been the most fulfilling part of launching your restaurant?

The biggest thing for me is the example it sets for my kids — teaching and showing them that when you think about a goal you want to accomplish or you dream something up, it doesn’t matter how silly or insignificant it might seem or how inexperienced you are. If there’s love and passion there, you can do anything. And [it’s about] showing them the love and kindness that go into this restaurant and the community that comes out of it all.

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received or that you would give to other entrepreneurs?

When you’re making a decision or trying to do something new, like opening your own business, let what you do be led by love and not fear. Don’t be scared about money or the future; dive in and live life!

Aside from faith, family, and friends, what are three things you can’t live without?

Chocolate (almond) milk is my No. 1 go-to. I’m pretty sure I could survive on it if I didn’t have such a passion for food! Also, there is so much vegan food I really love. I also love cooking and baking and the creative process of both. I love veganizing things I miss from my childhood. That’s where a lot of the menu came from for Imagine. Some of our specials are things I miss — food you shouldn’t have to go without just because you’re vegan, like turkey club sandwiches or Cadbury cream eggs at Easter.

All photography provided unless otherwise noted.

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