Running up and down a basketball court requires stamina, discipline, and determination to be part of a winning team. An avid basketball player since she was eight years old, Brennah Lambert played basketball in high school, at Rowan College, and then for the Rutgers University–Camden women’s basketball team. She was named the Garden State Athletic Conference Division III Women’s Basketball Player of the Week in 2017.
When she was 20 years old, she began experiencing health issues and started researching healthy alternatives to traditional medicine. This led her to switching her diet to all vegan and “forced her to learn to cook.” At that time, she was still playing basketball and found she had more endurance and greater lung capacity after switching to a plant-based diet. While studying at Rutgers, Lambert began a meal prepping service, catering and delivering vegan meals that she prepared in her grandmother’s kitchen.
After graduating with a degree in business management, she realized her dream of becoming an entrepreneur by opening LesbiVeggies in Audubon on Feb. 19, 2021. Although opened during the pandemic, her business boomed with takeout orders. An all-vegan and gluten-free café, LesbiVeggies serves brunch and dinner. She said she chose the name and put photos on Instagram tagging it.
Lambert creates the menu and said she has a knack for knowing what ingredients to put together. She doesn’t try to imitate meat dishes and uses her creativity to cook up her unique plant-based menu. With tantalizing dishes such as the Blackened Cajun Cauliflower Sandwich with a sweet heat glaze, BBQ Chickpea Salad, Smoked Maple Dijon Brussel Sprouts, Birria Tacos with stewed jackfruit and Coconut Curry Noodles, her creativity shines through.
The pancakes are a favorite brunch specialty. Pancake lovers can choose from peach cobbler, lemon poppyseed, or strawberry cheesecake. Brown butter peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream can satisfy any sweet tooth, either for dessert or a treat anytime. If you are out on the town and shopping, grab a peanut butter, mango, or snickerdoodle smoothie.
As a black woman business owner and member of the LGBTQ community, Lambert strives to promote diversity in Audubon and wants her restaurant to be a safe place for all, including members of her staff. LesbiVeggies was a sponsor for Haddon Township’s Pride Parade and proudly displays work by black artists. A quote from rapper-singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill is painted on the wall: “Let me be patient, let me be kind…”
She incorporates her culture into her food and says her mom was the cook in her family. Her restaurant is frequented by young and old and has become a date night attraction. Non-vegans are pleasantly surprised and have become return customers. Due to its proximity to Philadelphia, only ten minutes away, Philadelphians are flocking to LesbiVeggies.
Lambert said those interested in becoming vegan should transition slowly and take their time learning to cook vegan dishes. She said not to be discouraged by family or peer pressure and to be mentally prepared to commit to eating plant-based food. Lambert admitted to having her fair share of “vegan jokes” along the way. New vegans can start by eating tofu, beans, and raw leafy greens for their protein sources.
When asked what inspired her to be in the restaurant business, she said it was her love of making good food and getting feedback from her customers. She now employs a staff of 11 people and is training new employees. Lambert hopes to open more locations in the future and has her sights on purchasing the building next door to expand her present location.
Her secret ingredient is “love.” She says cooking with love cannot be taught, it must be felt. One of her customer’s testimonials was “The food was chef’s kiss.” It is obvious they are feeling the love in Lambert’s food.
LesbiVeggies is currently open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM and Sundays from 10 AM to 3 PM.
