Eating Rye (and Eating Harrison) is an occasional feature to meet the chefs and other professionals in the restaurant kitchens across Rye and its neighboring towns. When you dine-in, pick-up or call for delivery these are the folks working hard for you, your friends & family and your taste buds. Do you have a suggestion for who we should profile on Eating Rye? Tell us.
Today, we meet Moshira Soliman of The Pureganic Cafe in Harrison. Pureganic Cafe moved from Rye to Harrison in December 2022, but Soliman and her family still reside in Rye.
Your Name: Moshira Soliman
Your Role: Chef/Nutritionist/Owner
The name of your restaurant: The Pureganic Cafe
MyRye.com: Describe yourself in one word.
Soliman: Healthy.
How long have you been a chef at your restaurant?
Soliman: 7 years.
Previously, where did you work?
Soliman: Nutrition counseling.
What and when was your first paid job?
Soliman: Bank Teller.
Describe your path to becoming a chef
Soliman: I became interested in a healthy eating lifestyle to help manage an autoimmune illness (RA). This led to my training to become a nutritionist. My clients had issues finding healthy foods that were tasty and fulfilling. I decided to open The Pureganic Cafe to provide customers with an option to eat delicious, fresh, healthy, organic, kosher, vegan and gluten free food and drink.
What are three attributes that make someone a good chef?
Soliman: A vision, attention to detail, listening to customers.
Describe your restaurant’s clientele.
Soliman: Our customers are interested in eating healthy food that tastes great. They are selective about where and what they eat. Our clients are one or more of the following groups: Kosher, vegan, gluten free, plant based, health conscious, interested in fresh and organic food.
Describe the atmosphere of your restaurant.
Soliman: We are a casual eat-in, take-out café with a spacious and modern ambiance.
Describe the physical attributes of your restaurant.
Soliman: We have seating, take out, heat & eat to go meals, and an expansive fresh veggie bar and bakery.
Match a recommended meal with each season:
| Warm Summer Evening | One of our many salad bowls or a selection from our fresh veggie bar with wine, or one of our freshly made juices, smoothies, lemonades or waters. |
| Crisp Fall Afternoon | A gluten free pizza or pasta with soup and wine or a hot tea or coffee. Or one of our amazing gluten free, sugar free Tarts, muffins, cupcakes with hot coffee or tea. |
| Cold Winter Day | Hot bowl, burger or wrap, hearty tacos, pasto or pizza with soup and wine or hot tea or coffee. Or an afternoon treat of a heated muffin or tea & coffee. |
| Muddy Wet Spring Night | A warm bowl, burger or wrap, pasta, pizza, with soup and wine and warm or cold drink. |
What is your favorite dish on the menu and why?
Soliman: Our gluten free truffle & mushroom pizza, the gluten free spaghetti puttanesca or the Hearty Meatless Taco are all my favorites because of the complexities of textures and flavors.
What’s the most underrated day of week and time of day to enjoy your restaurant?
Soliman: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at lunch and in the afternoons are a great time to get a seat & great service.
Thank you, Moshira!
