The beloved vegan mac and cheese that once ruled the Whole Foods Market hot bar is back—this time, as the centerpiece of a new weekend brunch spot in Los Angeles. Mac & Yease, the plant-based comfort food brand created by chef and entrepreneur Ayindé Howell, has taken over the kitchen at Donna Jean’s vegan restaurant space in Sherman Oaks every Friday through Sunday morning through the end of November.
It’s a fitting comeback for a dish that became a cult favorite long before vegan mac and cheese went mainstream. Howell first introduced Mac & Yease to shoppers at Whole Foods in 2018, where it quickly became one of the most-sought-after items at the store’s prepared-food stations.
From hot bar to hospitality
That recipe, which is on the menu at the new pop-up, traces back to Howell’s family roots. He explained that it was inspired by his great-grandmother, Mary Fluker, who made baked mac and cheese for Sunday suppers in St Stephens, AL. “I’m so happy that we get a chance to get this recipe out,” Howell previously told VegNews. “My father loved it so much that when he went vegan before I was born, he wanted me to have it.”
Sarah McLaughlin | VegNews
Now, Los Angeles is getting a taste of that same Southern soul. Starting this Friday, October 31, the brand will host a happy hour from 11am to 3pm and brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 2:30pm. The rotating brunch pop-up will run through the end of November, serving up an all-vegan menu that channels Howell’s signature comfort-food sensibility.
The decision to expand into a physical dining experience marks a new chapter for Mac & Yease. Whole Foods gave the brand an instant audience and years of grocery-store visibility, but the pop-up at Donna Jean allows for something more intimate: a chance to reconnect with diners in real time. For Howell, who has spent the past two decades blending culinary art with activism, the move fits neatly into Los Angeles’ growing appetite for chef-driven vegan concepts.
A new concept in vegan dining
Donna Jean, the host venue for this brunch residency, is already a mainstay in California’s vegan dining scene. Founded by chef Roy Elam and named after his mother, it’s known for scratch-made comfort fare—wood-fired pizzas, seasonal pastas, and creative brunch specials—and operates locations in both San Diego and Los Angeles. The Sherman Oaks outpost is a spacious, plant-filled restaurant that’s become a destination for diners seeking elevated takes on nostalgic dishes.
Sarah McLaughlin | VegNews
BECOME A VEGNEWS VIP: Get exclusive product deals, freebies, and perks galore!
Pairing Mac & Yease with Donna Jean makes sense: both share a commitment to indulgent, approachable vegan food that doesn’t rely on imitation but on a legacy of craft. The partnership also helps expand Los Angeles’ already dynamic plant-based brunch landscape, where comfort food and sustainability increasingly intersect.
The brunch menu will feature Southern dishes such as fluffy biscuits smothered in savory gravy, yellow corn grits in a buttery sauce served with ginger-shiitake tofu, pancakes with tofu bacon, French toast, and of course, Mac & Yease. Mac & Yease—an intentional play on “mac and cheese” and “ease”—remains its cornerstone.
As one Reddit user wrote about Mac & Yease on the Whole Foods hot bar: “I still think their vegan mac and cheese is the best mac and cheese ever.”
Now, Howell is betting that same loyal following will line up again—this time, for brunch.
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Subscribe
