Shannon Bowman has begun a new delivery lunch service, bringing “An American Twist on a Japanese Tradition” to central Columbus.
Bowman, who’s lived in Columbus for the past seven years, started developing Bentos Lunch back in June 2014. She’s been in catering for a good while, but wanted to work days as opposed to the night and weekend schedule that typically comes with the catering business. The Bentos tagline is based off of bento boxes. traditional Japanese meal containers that typically carry rice, protein, and a vegetable, often with separate sections for each element.
The lunches are all made from scratch, purchased the day before then freshly prepped day of delivery. Ingredients are organic whenever available. Meals can be made vegetarian, vegan, or paleo, accommodating a range of dietary and allergy needs. Bowman cooks out of The Kitchen, a cooking and venue space located on the North end of German Village.
“I love serving people, and this was a great way to do it,” said Bowman.
Bentos currently offers eight varied lunch options, explaining that she wanted meals “from all around” the culinary world. Tacos, sushi, peanut chinois, and a BLT wrap are just a few of the choices available. All meals come with a side or two: fried plantain chips, salted edamame, thai-style cucumbers, and a few salads. You’ll also find a mini dessert tucked in your box, usually a tasty square of pecan rum cake.
Bowman is also committed to providing an eco-friendly meal. The packaging is entirely biodegradable, from the compostable box down to the wooden utensils. Orders of 10 or more are delivered free of charge. Check out the list of available zip codes here. Live outside the delivery area? No worries – you can pick your order up from the Kitchen from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m at 231 E. Livington Avenue.
For more information, visit www.bentoslunchcolumbus.com.