By Emily Baker

At Just BE Kitchen, the food is almost as heart-warming and comforting as the owner herself. If you’re lucky enough to meet with founder and owner Jennifer Peters, she’ll greet you with a hug and instantly make you feel at home. This mentality has carried over into the tasty, healthy menu Just BE is known for.

Just BE launched its flagship location in the Lower Highlands neighborhood of Denver in 2017, and opened its second location in the Denver Tech Center’s Landmark Plaza at the beginning of December. Peters has always been passionate about health, fitness, and comfort, and this is evident in every aspect of the restaurant. “Nutrition is so powerful and anything that has the power to make lasting change fascinates me,” says Peters, who comes from an athletics background. She grew up playing touch rugby overseas, moved to Colorado for the hiking scene, and most recently has gotten into tennis and pickleball.

She believes in the power of food as fuel for high performance but says, “I was sick of salads. Eating healthy was about lack or sacrifice. I wanted to eat really well but the stick-to-your-ribs kind of food,” she says. Enter Just BE Kitchen. The entire menu is free of gluten, grains and refined sugar without sacrificing taste.

“All of our dishes are named after different stages of well-being or enlightenment,” Peters says of their unique philosophy. Some of their most popular items include the Fulfilled, a burrito with a gluten-free almond flour tortilla; the Cozy, a chicken and dumpling soup; and the Daring, buffalo cauliflower wings with dairy-free ranch.

The menu is a collaborative effort.

Just BE’s “Wholehearted” pork green chili

“Everybody comes to the table with ideas for crave-worthy dishes,” Peters says. You’re not going to see just a pork chop or steak on the menu, all of the items are recreations of their gluten-filled counterparts. Travel inspires a lot of the dishes as well. That’s the “JBK Style,” as Peters calls it.

The new location shares the same roof as Holidaily Brewing Co., also a gluten-free, women-owned operation. A lack of gluten does not mean a lack of flavor at either establishment. Just BE was featured on Food Network’s Diners Drive-ins and Dives, and Holidaily snagged a silver medal for its Buckwit Belgian during the 2022 Great American Beer Festival. If you’d like to check out Guy Fieri’s menu, try the Cozy chicken and dumplings and the Wholehearted green chile.

Just BE's "Harmony" chicken satay — Just BE’s “Harmony” chicken satay

Not all of being a female business owner is television shows and awards, however. “Eighty percent of my demographic is women but I try not to focus on it. Being a business owner generally is a hurdle,” says Peters of her experience as a woman opening and running her own restaurants. “I have a huge amount of respect for every business owner regardless of gender because it’s a struggle. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

Additionally, Just BE Kitchen is proud to have the only Whole30-approved menu in Colorado. It’s a condensed version of their main menu, with some items tweaked to be Whole30 compliant. January is the official Whole30 month and Just BE will be celebrating! They will hold giveaways and events at the new DTC location with Whole30 coaches and meal prep plans. For more information, check out the Just BE social media pages.

Peters and Holidaily’s CEO Karen Hertz plan to take advantage of their partnership as well for fun events in the new year. They did a gluten-free Oktoberfest in 2022, and next year plan to host regular pizza and beer nights. They will be syncing the two menus with beer pairing suggestions for each food item as well.

Emily Baker is a Denver native and lifelong resident of Colorado. In her spare time you can find her reading, riding horses, hiking with her two dogs, and working on her novel.