Rod Rotondi is an organic raw food chef who own’s Leaf Cuisine, a California based organic raw cafe that has expanded to 3 locations throughout Los Angeles. He is also the author of Raw Food For Real People. Although Rod was quite busy with the release of his book ( now in paperback), he was generous enough to give us an interview.

Since adopting a Raw Food repertoire, has your family attempted to recreate your Italian dishes like Rawsagna at family gatherings to pay homage?

Since I adopted a raw foods diet, I have created many Italian raw specialties at my restaurant such as “Rawsagna” “Pizza Pizzaz”, and “Pasta Pesto”. Many of my family members have moved towards more fresh foods in their diet. However, I think it would border on sacrilege to most of them to substitute a raw version.  There is eating healthy and then there is tradition. On these special family get together meals, they are going to want the traditional versions.

What environment would you say had the greatest impact on your choice of ingredients? Living in the Middle East or in Europe?

Wow, great question. Well, I think growing up I was already exposed to many of the European palette of ingredients so living there didn’t change them that much. I definitely picked up a lot in the Middle East, though. All in all, I just think of them as both being Mediterranean influences.

What element would you identify as the greatest barrier in challenging people’s beliefs about a raw lifestyle? And how are you addressing it?

I would say the biggest barriers are psychological. And the fixation on the cooked foods that they used to eat is often the biggest challenge. I encourage people to focus on the fresh, delicious and nutritious foods they get to eat as opposed to the cooked foods they used to eat. The battle is won or lost in the mind. Watching your thoughts is important. And feeding your mind with helpful information and inspiration will help.

In making the leap from restaurateur to building a world-class live foods brand what motivated you to see it through?

I wanted to build a brand that stands for freshness, integrity and excellent value. I was partly motivated by a sense of service and partly by business factors.

What has given you the most joy about living and sharing a raw lifestyle?

That’s easy- watching as people transform their lives. For some it’s losing weight, or looking younger or just having more energy. But seeing the light come on inside is a joy.

Have you ever written anything that you thought would be controversial and the reaction was anything but, controversial?

Yes, when I decided to include some cooked vegan options on my menu at my restaurant, “Leaf Organics”, I was expecting some backlash but got nothing but appreciation.

Does your daughter Lilli taste test or add creative input?

Yes, on the kids menu especially. I get ideas based on what she likes.

What was the most fun in writing Raw Food for Real People?

I like writing about food and its role in our lives and our society. I love to use story and culture to connect with people about one of the most important but overlooked aspects of our lives- food.