— By Duncan Green

5/13/24

Lebanon, NH — As an ultramarathon runner and local chef of over 30 years, Heath Gosselin has always viewed quality food as central to his training, recovery, and happiness in daily life.

In his time working at Pine Restaurant, Simon Pearce, and Salt Hill Pub, the Lebanon native always enjoyed experimenting with cuisine. Roughly a decade ago, Gosselin gave veganism a try and quickly found that his allergies lessened and his post-run recovery took less time.  Above all, he felt better throughout the day.

In late April, Gosselin and his wife, Thao, opened Black Magic Mexican, an entirely vegan restaurant on the Lebanon mall in the space that used to house Lalo’s Taqueria and before that the Lebanon Diner. But the couple doesn’t see the absence of animal products as a limitation.

“People use vegetables and spices to build flavor. You don’t really taste meat,” Gosselin says. “We're doing the opposite. We're using the vegetables to make things taste like meat.”

During his decades at various restaurants, Gosselin’s co-chefs nicknamed him “Heathen,” which he’s turned into a central theme in the restaurant’s brand. And he has committed to this magical, devilish theme. The space is marked by Gosselin’s signature voodoo doll mascot, black walls, and red lights. With classic chorizo and carne flavors in the absence of meat, one customer noted the food may actually be made using magic.

Black Magic Mexican’s decor embraces the theme. All photos © Duncan Green.

One such flavor is his signature “Heathen sauce,” a buffalo-like dip that replicates the creamy texture usually created using dairy products with emulsified nut and plant oils. Like many of the items on the menu, Gosselin synthesized his most popular condiment through trial and error and years of experimentation.

Gosselin’s biggest experiment was launching Black Magic as a food truck on the Lebanon Green after the pandemic. As his wife, a Vietnamese citizen, worked to earn permanent residency in the United States, Gosselin split his time between Lebanon and Southeast Asia. The constant travel prevented him from owning a full-time restaurant. Once Thao earned her green card a few months ago, the couple was able to open the permanent business.

In his years serving from the truck, Gosselin says he always loved watching the shocked expressions of meat lovers as they devoured mushroom and soy-based proteins in place of typical chorizo, chicken and other favorites in Mexican cuisine.

Owners Heath and Thao Gosselin.

One of these diners, competitive arm wrestler Nick Giannetto, admits he was skeptical when he first ordered from the truck. The decorated bodybuilder—featured on ESPN—said he was “blown away” by Gosselin’s unique flavors. But nothing surprised him more than the amount of protein in his meatless burrito.

As a professional athlete, Giannetto says finding enough protein to sustain his mass has always been a challenge — particularly at an affordable price tag. At Black Magic, he can get 40 grams of protein for $17, a figure he notes is nearly impossible to replicate with meat.

Giannetto (Right), Gosselin (Left), and other athletes’ photos decorate the walls.

The Canaan resident now visits Black Magic almost daily. While the food keeps bringing him back, Giannetto says Gosselin’s commitment to building personal relationships with his customers is the “real magic.” The dining room and kitchen are all in the same space, which employee Max Loveland says allows customers to engage with the chefs as they prepare meals.

“I don’t know how he does it really,” Loveland, a Lebanon high school senior, chuckles. “Heath can prepare six meals while laughing with customers and watching a basketball game playing above the bar. He’s always having a blast.”

While plant-based dining is on the rise for various environmental and ethical reasons, Gosselin doesn’t have “an agenda.” He recognizes that the majority of customers are meat eaters and sees his new restaurant as an opportunity to share dishes that bring him joy with his community. As the only fully vegan restaurant in the Upper Valley, Gosselin says he’s happy to provide a new option to local vegans, but adamantly believes anyone with taste buds will enjoy their visit.

Heath Gosselin’s signature Heathen Chicken Taco Bowl

With its flagship business up and running, Black Magic Mexican is already planning its next move. By February, Gosselin hopes to open a second restaurant in Burlington, and intends to expand to multiple new businesses in Massachusetts down the road.