*True Food Kitchen, the health-focused chain with investment from Oprah Winfrey, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed 12 locations. The company filed petitions in federal court in Texas and announced the restructuring Monday.
According to The U.S. Sun, the closures shrank the chain from 46 restaurants to 34. The surviving locations, spread across 14 states, will keep serving customers while executives restructure the business.
The company entered bankruptcy with about $42.1 million in debt. Court filings cite management turnover, shifting expansion strategies, and unsuccessful investments. Pandemic experiments with ghost kitchens and delivery-only operations added staffing and service problems.
True Food Kitchen has secured a commitment for about $20 million in bankruptcy financing, pending court approval. It also plans to pursue a court-supervised sale and hopes to find a long-term partner through the Chapter 11 process.
Scroll to continue reading
To keep operations going during the bankruptcy, True Food Kitchen asked the court to approve several routine “First Day” motions. They would let the company keep paying employee wages and benefits, maintain certain guest programs, and continue working with vendors and other business partners.
CEO Jeff Chandler discussed the filing in the company’s official restructuring announcement. “This process is the best path forward to simplify the business and focus on what we do best: delivering craveable, health-forward food and genuine hospitality.” He added, “We are confident this step will help us build a stronger True Food Kitchen for the future.”
Restaurateur Sam Fox and integrative medicine physician Dr. Andrew Weil founded True Food Kitchen in Phoenix in 2008. Winfrey became a customer, invested in 2018, and joined the board. She remains a minority investor but no longer serves on the board or helps run daily operations. She does not control the company or its bankruptcy process.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Soul Train Awards 2026 Fan-Voted Nominees
Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE
