Richmond chef Danny Sterling recently launched a healthy take on an old concept, introducing a vending machine-type fridge that serves natural food options.
While he named his company ELYA, for Eat Like Your Ancestors, the concept reflects modern-day pandemic realities. By storing to-go meals in a fridge equipped with a credit card scanner, he can deliver a contact-free experience. To launch, Sterling opened his first ELYAFridge at the former Plant Zero Cafe location, 7 E. 3rd St., a space that doubles as his food prep site.
“It’s a really good way to make nutrient-dense, sustainable food more accessible to more people,” he said.
Sterling studied at a culinary school in Baltimore, Md.; earned an apprenticeship at The Greenbrier, a luxury resort in West Virginia; and worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Chicago. To him, ELYA represents a departure from a career centered on fine dining. Experiences in the industry shifted his focus, he said, as did a 2016 cancer diagnosis.
“It completely changed the way that we look at food and look at wellness,” he said.
Indeed, Sterling can trace ELYA’s origins back to a particularly bad meal of sea bass he ate while recovering from surgery at a New York City hospital. In a hospital environment, he thought then, the food and service should be excellent. The idea stayed with him, as he wondered how to get nutritious food into hospitals and other businesses.
Sterling moved to Richmond in late 2019, and soon he had an answer to his question: he would deliver a pop-up restaurant experience, first to coworking spaces and business parks and then other types of businesses.
He planned to launch his new venture on April 1; then the pandemic hit.
So Sterling came up with a new plan. In October, he launched the contact-less cafe, stocking a fridge with items like a beef bulgogi bowls, overnight oats and cauliflower curry, using locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible. Prices range from $6 for breakfast items and $11 to $15 dollars for lunch fare.
“Overall, the experience, people love,” Sterling said.
After just a few weeks in business, Sterling said he received seven requests to bring his smart fridges to other businesses. As he perfects his concept, Sterling is seeking to hire additional chef/cook positions. He is currently self-funding the venture, and while he’s open to outside funding, he’s not yet pursuing it.
Once his business is established in Richmond, Sterling said he’d like to expand along the East Coast, and he still has his eye on healthcare. From firsthand experience, he knows the difference a good meal can make to a recovering patient.
“From a mission perspective, that’s where we want to be,” he said.