True Food Kitchen files for Chapter 11 and shuts 12 restaurants
The health-focused chain True Food Kitchen filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, closing 12 locations and reducing its footprint to 34 restaurants in 14 states.
True Food Kitchen, a restaurant chain backed by Oprah Winfrey and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a Texas court on Sunday and announced the closure of 12 sites, leaving 34 locations operating across 14 states. The company said the remaining restaurants will continue to serve customers as usual.
The bankruptcy filing lists roughly $42 million in debt and attributes the filing to extensive management turnover, costly expansions outside core markets, and the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A court document noted that “significant management turnover” led to frequent changes in expansion strategy, brand direction and menu offerings, and that investments in new concepts “were ultimately unsuccessful and outside of the Company’s core mission and menu.”
Founded in 2008 by wellness author Andrew Weil and restaurateur Sam Fox, True Food Kitchen aimed to provide anti-inflammatory, health-forward meals. Oprah Winfrey invested in the brand in 2018 and joined its board, though a spokesperson said she is no longer a board member and remains a minority investor.
CEO Jeff Chandler said the bankruptcy filing is “the best path forward to simplify the business and focus on what we do best: delivering craveable, health-forward food and genuine hospitality,” adding confidence that the step will help build a stronger company for the future.