OUR STORY

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Claye Cantwell, founder of TOP NOTCH LUNCHES, is no stranger to giving San Diegans food they love. Born and raised in San Diego, Claye ran a local restaurant and bar right out of college. Not long after, a friend asked him to start a lunch program for a small school their daughter attended. What started as a one-school operation out of his parents' kitchen quickly sparked a much bigger vision, a fresh, creative approach to child nutrition centered around scratch-made meals and real ingredients.

Over the past 13 years, TopNotch has grown from serving just one school to partnering with more than hundreds of schools and nonprofits across Southern California. Today, our operations span three regional facilities—in San Diego (Mission Valley), Los Angeles (Vernon), and San Bernardino (Redlands). Our dedicated team always focuses on quality, care, and community. 

 

Our philosophy is to remain local while supporting as many local small businesses as possible to create an ethical economy within San Diego County.

 

​From day one, our commitment has remained the same: to provide children with nutritious, scratch-made meals and a service experience that reflects the heart of our team and the values we stand behind.