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Westchester Chef Wants You To Make Good Choices

Laurie Gershgorn has always been about local, seasonal food. Which is why, when she opened her Ossining cafe, she went with the name Good Choice Kitchen and the tagline "Real fresh food."

Chef Laurie Gershgorn of Good Choice Kitchen in Ossining.

Chef Laurie Gershgorn of Good Choice Kitchen in Ossining.

Photo Credit: Submitted
Vegan gluten-free pizza at Good Choice Kitchen in Ossining.

Vegan gluten-free pizza at Good Choice Kitchen in Ossining.

Photo Credit: Facebook
Black Bean Pattie on Polenta Cake with Guacamole & Salsa at Good Choice Kitchen in Ossining.

Black Bean Pattie on Polenta Cake with Guacamole & Salsa at Good Choice Kitchen in Ossining.

Photo Credit: Facebook
Good Choice Kitchen in Ossining.

Good Choice Kitchen in Ossining.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Muchnick

A longtime personal chef, the mother of three saw her clients get smarter -- and more demanding -- about what they were eating (and feeding their kids). That hunger for good food, along with folks' increasingly changing dietary restrictions made her take the leap and open a storefront.

So far, so good. "I'm very happy to be in Ossining," she said.

"I definitely feel I am filling a need."

Good Choice Kitchen not only serves organic, sustainably grown, seasonal, local, and whole foods in a cozy cafe setting, the eatery also serves as a source for weekly meal plans, classes, workshops and events, many built around holistic education. 

Items on the menu range from warm ethnic one-dish entrees to the more traditional build your own plates. The cuisine spans the gamut, from Asian to Mediterranean to Italian, Moroccan and Indian and she serves breakfast, lunch and dinner until 6:30 p.m.

"We try to span across across all different diets like Paleo and the main allergens – dairy, eggs, gluten, and soy," explained Gershgorn.

She also does catering.

In other words, there are lots of options. So much so that the Cortlandt Manor resident says she sees customers from all over the county. 

"We've had people from Katonah, Somers, Chappaqua, Peekskill, Croton, Briarcliff, Yorktown and even Nyack," she said.

The goal, she said, was always to make Good Choice Kitchen a cafe and culinary center that acts more like a community hub than a straightforward eatery.

Said Gershgorn: "I want to teach people as well as feed them."

Good Choice Kitchen, which celebrates its one-year anniversary Tuesday, Feb. 6, is at 147 Main St., 914-930-1590, www.goodchoicekitchen.com/.

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