Heirloom Kitchen Offers Healthy Meal Delivery

The Dedham-based company launched in December.

Salmon and quinoa photo provided by Heirloom Kitchen

Salmon and quinoa photo provided by Heirloom Kitchen

Gerry Coakley worked as a lawyer for more than a decade. But long hours at the office kept him away from his wife and two young children, and he found that he was missing out on the important things because his family was never at the dinner table together. That’s when he knew it was time for a change. So he left his law career and opened Heirloom Kitchen in Dedham. The new concept offers fresh, well-balanced meals for delivery or carry out for busy families in the Boston area.

Research published in 2013 in the Journal of Adolescent Health says that the more frequent a family eats meals together, the better the adolescents fare emotionally. It’s with this in mind (and seeing it first hand with his family) that Coakley knew he was making the right choice. He says that Heirloom Kitchen not only helps busy parents, but that people can feel good about what they’re eating.

“Think of it as a chef-driven Peapod service for prepared meals,” Coakley says. “Our mission is to bring family dinners back to the kitchen table.” Both of his sons suffer from a variety of life-threatening food allergies, so he knows how difficult it can be to have safe, healthy dining options. The kitchen is nut-free and all foods are clearly labeled, making safe dining easy for families with special meal-time requirements.

There’s a brick-and-mortar Heirloom Kitchen shop created for busy families who want to pick up their dinners. The store also sells homemade stocks, pastas, sauces, and breads. It’s also starting cooking classes. Chef Ed Hockey will lead the classes titled, “Cooking for Real Families” where he will teach participants how to “cook home-style favorites from scratch.” You’ll learn how to use local greens and vegetables to assemble the perfect salad with a fresh lemon herb vinaigrette; learn how to mix, roll, and cut pastas like papparedelle and tagliatelle by hand; create sauces from scratch such as a veggie-rich take on the classic pomodoro, pistou–a herbaceous Provençal sauce that is a nut-free alternative to pesto, and creamy parmesan sauce.

Delivery service is offered in Dedham, Roslindale, West Roxbury, Westwood, Brookline, Newton, Jamaica Plain, Needham, Wellesley, and Boston proper. The menus offer locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients and also offers a kids and dessert menu. Heirloom Kitchen team works closely with Allandale Farms, Eva’s Garden, Ward’s Berry Farm, Farming Turtles, Inc., Czajkowki Farms, and Wilson’s Farm to source its produce.

125 Washington Street, Dedham; 781-326-4060; heirloomkitchen.comThe cooking class is $55 a person and offered March 1 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; reservations are required.