Kamila’s Kitchen celebrated the grand opening of its third location downtown on Thursday, January 9, with an evening dedicated to vegan cuisine, Rastafari principles, holistic wellness and family. Owner Kamila McDonald led the momentous occasion, which brought together family, friends, and supporters of her expanding culinary journey.

The launch exemplified Kamila’s mission to promote health-conscious dining with a fully vegan menu inspired by natural ingredients and Rastafari ‘Livity’—a philosophy embracing holistic health and mindful living. Guests had the opportunity to enjoy Kamila’s expression of love through an array of plant-based dishes, each prepared to reflect cultural authenticity and wellness.

Kamila’s younger sister, Kadiya McDonald, served as the evening’s host, embodying heartfelt enthusiasm for her sister’s achievements and sharing the surreal gravity of the occasion. Their parents, longstanding supporters of Kamila’s vision, and restaurateurs themselves were present and delivered an emotional speech recounting the family’s early days in the culinary industry. They reflected on the family’s beginnings on Skyline Drive, where they launched their first restaurant, elucidating how those roots shaped their goals to promote wholesome food and community wellness.

“I want to thank my team—This couldn’t happen without the incredible team behind all of this… my incredible kitchen staff, working so hard, thank you so much for being so amazing,” Kamila said.

Kamila’s Kitchen’s third launch, this her second in under a year, featured live music and messages of togetherness—unity. 

The space encompassed warmth and positivity, with each speaker contributing to an atmosphere where the values of natural living and personal health were genuinely celebrated. A prayer by Filmmaker, Donisha Prendergast, Live music and wellness elements further enriched the experience, aligning with Rastafari teachings on balance, unity, and respect for the body, mind and the earth.

“I’ve been on my own personal journey since about 2009,” Kamila said. “I was born in Rasta family who taught me a livity that gave me so much… I was born with a consciousness, but I think when I took that individual step for myself in 2009, I was a little over 200 pounds… I was you know struggling with obesity, I was struggling with that eating disorder at that time and it’s something that I find important to share because it was a time when I felt very alone, very afraid, very embarrassed,”

Sharing her journey with food and conscientious efforts to a healthier version of herself, Kamila says she felt charged with the responsibility to share her livity with others.

“I have dedicated or as we say ‘livicated’ my entire life to showing people a different way and hope that through these changes, people can feel the amazing benefits… I know that it takes a lot of commitment because as creatures of habits making any change in your life is really difficult,” she said. “So, I pledged when I was able to overcome that and change my own life, that I wanted to show people how incredible and fascinating a holistic lifestyle change can be,”

Sponsors Worthy Parks, Gizzada Software, visuEATS, and Arts Chic and more, were all present to watch Kamila’s third brainy baby come to fruition.

Kamila’s Kitchen is an inspiration to not only healthy eaters but to all women—and men, who want to better their lives inside and out. She announced Well-fit classes being offered several times a week

“The Well-fit club offers a holistic wellness experience, focusing on seven pillars: Move Well, Eat Well, Drink Well, Sleep Well, Rest Well, Live Well, and Feel Well. Join their high-intensity interval training, yoga, Pilates, and dance sessions from Monday to Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. “

Folks were also asked to visit Kamilaskitchenja.com to book their spot and explore their comprehensive approach to health, emphasizing movement, nutrition, stress management, and quality sleep.

Her parents, Errol and Kerida McDonald were also present to support their daughter’s venture, giving the patrons a history lesson on their humble beginnings on Skyline Drive where they started their journey serving the community with vegan meals.

“We want to thank you all for the continued support,” said Kerida. “We had one of the first Italian kitchens up there..ital food is a livity from the Rastafari faith.”

“The journey is a long journey, a generational journey…the fact that we are now mainstream, where when you see a McDonald’s or a Burger King, Kamila’s Kitchen is right there as well, ” said Errol. “We have to be a little more conscious of the food that we eat.”

Kamila’s Kitchen and its visionary owner continue to inspire, serving as a model for all. With its expansion, the establishment offers a space where food, culture, health, and family intersect. This third location has bolstered Kamila McDonald’s influence in the plant-based food movement while honouring her Rastafari heritage and spreading messages of holistic health and wellness.

More photos from the grand opening: