Nicolas Jammet: Redefining Fast Food, Hot Take On Seed Oils + Secrets To Sweetgreen’s Success

In this episode of The Art of Being Well podcast, I sit down with Nicolas Jammet, Co-Founder & Chief Concept Officer of Sweetgreen. We explore the inspiring backstory of how Sweetgreen came to be and the mission that drives their success. Nicolas provides a deep dive into the evolution of fast food and its declining quality, and how Sweetgreen’s unique partnerships with farmers differentiate them from others in the industry. We discuss the hurdles of maintaining food quality as the company grows, Sweetgreen's philosophy on protein consumption, and their new chef-crafted menu items. Learn about Sweetgreen’s dedication to cooking with extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil, ensuring every meal is both healthy and delicious. Whether you're a food enthusiast, health-conscious eater, or interested in sustainable practices, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of fast food.

Nicolas Jammet is Co-Founder & Chief Concept Officer of sweetgreen, the mission driven restaurant brand that serves healthy food at scale. Nicolas and his co-founders started sweetgreen in 2007, opening their first location in Georgetown, DC, just three months out of college. Their vision is to be as ubiquitous as traditional fast-food, but far more transparent and honest.

Nicolas has been recognized as a key innovator in food and business, named to Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business,” Inc.’s “30 Under 30”, Forbes’ “30 Under 30” and Food & Wine’s “40 Big Food Thinkers 40 and Under.” Sweetgreen was named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in 2019 and 2020, won the 2020 and 2021 Webby Award for Food & Drink in the category Apps, Mobile & Voice and recognized as a Top 100 Most Loved Workplace by Newsweek in collaboration with Best Practice Institute.

Born and raised in New York City, Nicolas grew up in a family of hospitality entrepreneurs — the son of André and Rita Jammet, owners of NYC’s beloved La Caravelle. Nicolas graduated from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, where he met fellow sweetgreen Co-Founders, Nathaniel Jonathan. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Holly, son Julien.

A few of my favorite things we cover in this episode: 

• How Sweetgreen started and the backstory.
• The rise of fast food and its impact on food quality.
• How Sweetgreen collaborates with farmers and stands out in the industry.
• Why food quality often declines as fast food chains grow.
• How Sweetgreen maintains quality despite growth pressures.
• Sweetgreen's intentional approach to protein consumption.
• Introducing new chef-crafted dishes.
• Sweetgreen’s commitment to cooking with extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil.

Links to things we talked about in this episode: 

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Happy listening and we hope you learned a little bit more on the art of being well!

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In Health,

Dr. Will Cole