Blossom Vegetarian Cafe

Preeyati Spence is one of those chefs who was just born with it. With a natural talent for taste and culinary creativity, Preeyati has been drawn to the kitchen her whole life. She cooked in restaurants for over a decade, devoting herself to mastering vegetarian dishes without the aid of culinary school, and it's paid off – her vegetarian dishes satiate even the most ravenous omnivores. "In the early '90s, there wasn't a lot of training for vegetarian cooking here in Ottawa," she says. "If I had gone to chef school I would have had to put up with a lot of meat! Instead, I decided to teach myself and learn from all the mentors I have had the opportunity to share a kitchen with."

In March of 2013, Preeyati decided it was time to open a place of her own, and Blossom Vegetarian Café has been flowering ever since. "I always wanted to have my own business," Preevati says. "I love the idea of using my creative skills as the base of a business and being independently employed, it's very important to me." Based on fresh, local, whole food ingredients, Blossom Vegetarian Café has quickly risen to the top of the list for affordable, healthy and delicious lunch options in downtown Ottawa.