Nourish Restaurant: About the founders-

Karen and Kevin Masterson have been involved in the food service industry for more than 30 years. Karen has focused her energy on environmental and social justice issues, while Kevin has infused his entrepreneurial spirit into a number of restaurant concepts, including Big Fresh Café and Tennessee’s BBQ. Nourish restaurant is their partnership in business and spirit.

Karen Masterson has had a passion for social justice and environmental issues for over 30 years. In the early 90's she spearheaded the Taste of the Nation event for Share our Strength in Calgary, Alberta, raising money for hunger relief organizations. Following a move back to Massachusetts, Karen sat on the Board of the Natick Community Organic Farm for many years and continues to play an active role in supporting community farms. From 2001 to 2004 she was on the Board of Directors for Coop America (now Green America), a national organization "dedicated to creating a just and sustainable society by harnessing economic power for positive change." She also spent several years on the Board of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston, a network of BALLE (Business Alliance of Local Living Economies). These organizations work to create vibrant, healthy and sustainable communities, focusing on the benefits of locally owned businesses. Her newest volunteer efforts are focused on THIS IS MY FACE, a not for profit organization she founded in 2009 dedicated to raising awareness about issues relating to women and aging. The organization’s goals are to provide funding for re-constructive surgery and educational opportunities to women in need both in the U.S. and abroad.

Her volunteer work extends to her family life - the Mastersons have spent several years volunteering as puppy raisers for the service dog organization NEADS based out of Princeton. For 30 years, NEADS/Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans has carefully partnered children and adults with highly trained canine assistants. Although no longer raising service dog puppies, the Mastersons share their home with three of their own rescued dogs: Jasper, Roma and Hope. So far the goat to cut the grass is just a thought... but a really sustainable one!

Welcome!

We are a family-owned business and have been in the hospitality industry for the past 30 years. Our sister restaurants, Big Fresh Café and Tennessee's BBQ, have happily served up real food at a reasonable price to the people of Framingham for over 20 years. And now we're delighted to be offering the best of both restaurants to the Lexington community.

We believe the word ‘nourish’ is about more than sustenance. It is also about feeling welcomed. In the spirit of both nourishment and hospitality we offer a diverse menu that reflects a wide variety of tastes. We are bringing both Big Fresh and Tennessee’s BBQ under one roof to bridge the divide that often results in families or amongst friends when it comes time to decide where to eat. The inevitable question of ‘what does everyone want’? often results in a compromise for someone. The vegetarian ends up scanning a meat laden menu hoping to find something other than a salad while the kids are hoping for pizza and someone else has their heart set on ribs.

Our menu was created to offer a diverse selection of well-chosen protein options. We believe that a healthier, balanced plate has a reasonable protein portion along with generous amounts of vegetables and grains. We have tried to make our menu as flexible as possible to accommodate our customer’s individual dietary requests.

But we also recognize that as much as we all are trying to eat well and maintain a healthy lifestyle there are also times when we’re going to choose some ribs or a yummy dessert over a plate of brown rice and veggies. So we have done our best to offer you a selection of some of our favorite dishes.

SAY WHAT?! (some terms you may or may not be familiar with)

Tofu – tofu is made from soy milk that takes on the flavor of any sauce it is served with. It is high in protein with little fat and contains all eight essential amino acids that cannot be synthesized in the body and are vital for the renewal of cells and tissues. It also contains phytoestrogens (a chemical that mimics the role of estrogen in our bodies) which can be both helpful or not depending upon the individual. As with most things, moderation is wise!
Tempeh – is made by fermenting cooked soybeans with a cultured starter and has a nutty, somewhat mushroom-like taste. A more acquired taste than tofu, tempeh is high in protein, relatively high in fiber because it is a whole soybean food, and therefore contains all the B vitamins and amino acids. It has a higher nutrient content than tofu and the added benefit of being an enzyme rich food because it has been fermented.
Tahini – a paste made from ground sesame seeds commonly used in middle eastern cooking. It is the main ingredient in our tahini sauce and also makes an appearance in our hummus.
Falafel – is made from cooked, spiced chickpeas. It is considered Middle Eastern fast food and usually served in a pita or flat bread with salad, tahini sauce, pickles and hot sauce.
Taboule – another middle eastern dish that is made with bulgar wheat, mint, lemon juice and parsley.
Harif – a hot sauce often added to middle eastern dishes but can be used to spice up any dish.

We have a dual mission which is best expressed by the line RESPONSIBLY SOURCED – RESPECTFULLY PRICED which you will see printed on the menu. That means that we will do our best to purchase as much organic food as possible, and support our local growers during the New England growing season. It also means we will strive to keep our prices reasonable so that we may invite a diverse group to our table. But it does not mean we are 100% organic, we juggle organic, local, regional, national and conventional food purchases to maintain prices that allow more people to walk through our doors. Our food philosophy incorporates not just responsible sourcing but also the understanding that consuming more plant foods is an important aspect of nourishing our bodies. This is reflected in our plate presentations which generally will have smaller protein portions and larger vegetable and grain components than some people may be accustomed to. But we also respect that we all eat for a variety of reasons and each one of us has a different idea of what constitutes the perfect meal. We know you'll love our food. Stop in today and find out for yourself.

Some of our farm/local business partners –

Tangerini’s Spring Street Farm, Millis
Blue Heron Organic Farm, Lincoln
Vermont Quality Meats Rutland , VT
21st Century Foods, Jamaica Plain
High Lawn Farm Lee,Ma.
The New England Cranberry Company

Nourish Restaurant

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About the founders-

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SAY WHAT?! (some terms you may or may not be familiar with)