Tabay’s Mindful Kitchen to End 18-Month Maui Run on January 18; Vegan Food Truck to Relocate in Montana

Tabay’s Mindful Kitchen will end its 18-month Maui run on January 18. The Kahului-based vegan food truck will reopen soon in Bozeman, Montana.

Maui customers are invited to visit to say goodbye and enjoy a final meal on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, January 16-18.

Tabay’s Mindful Kitchen opened on Maui on July 1, 2024 at 520 Keolani Place, Kahului, in the OGG food truck pod across from Costco. The food truck has focused on providing plant-based vegan meals “that promote health, compassion, mindfulness, and positive impact for the mind, body, and planet.”

“Without a doubt, having Tabay’s Mindful Kitchen leave Maui was the hardest decision I’ve made in my life,” explains Tabay Atkins, who operates with establishment with his mother, Sahel Anvarinejad. “We’ve been debating all our options for months, and as difficult as this decision was, in the end it felt like the most reasonable and responsible way forward for where I am in my life right now.

“I’m moving to Bozeman to study paleontology at Montana State University,” notes Tabay. “I decided the best path forward was to ship the food truck back to the mainland so I can keep it going with me as I begin this new chapter.”

Tabay’s sadness about leaving Maui is tempered by excitement over his future goals.

“I’m looking forward to making vegan food more accessible and enjoyable for everyone in Bozeman, and I hope to inspire meaningful and much needed change in doing so.”

Tabay has no regrets concerning his time spent on Maui.

“Over the past year and a half, we’ve been so lucky to be embraced by this incredible community that I now consider family. It’s this love, support, and connection that’s made this transition so emotionally difficult. Through the highs and lows, celebrations and challenges, we’ve just been surrounded by such genuine aloha.”

Tabay’s Mindful Kitchen originally opened in Orange County, California in 2022.

In addition to operating the food truck, Tabay is the youngest 500-hour certified yoga teacher in the world, as well as a vegan chef. He received his 200-hour vinyasa certificate at the age of 10 and became a 500-hour certified vinyasa teacher at the age of 14. He is now 19 and holds more than 10 specialty yoga certificates. He is a Reiki Master, a certified chef, and is certified in plant-based nutrition.

With the loss of Tabay’s Mindful Kitchen, Maui now has only seven fully vegan restaurants. Fortunately, health-conscious and animal-loving airport visitors and Maui Costco shoppers may still take advantage of another vegan establishment, Ahonui Foods, located at a nearby food truck pod.

His imminent relocation has put Tabay in a philosophical mood. He ponders the extent to which anyone’s life may be fully planned. 

“You never know in what wild new direction life will take you. When we originally shipped the food truck to Maui, it was only meant to be a brief pop-up, but it turned into this incredible, life-changing journey where one thing led to another, and so many wonderful opportunities unfolded. And this transition is just the next chapter of that constantly evolving story.”