“After a devastating diagnosis of celiac disease at age 20, Vanessa Phillips had to rewrite the menu in a city that runs on bagels and carbs.”

“After the success of her first venture into the gluten-free market, opening the beloved restaurant Friedman’s in Chelsea Market, she set out to recreate her favorite nostalgic dishes in a way that felt good for everyone — hence the name of her company, Feel Good Foods.”

“Now, nearly 15 years after sending a blind sample to someone at Whole Foods, Phillips has made her mark as the queen of gluten-free in nearly 25,000 grocery stores.”

“Phillips told The Post. ... Born and raised in New York City to a family of restaurateurs, Phillips spent her early years immersed in what she dubbed the “restaurant mecca of the country.””

“When Friedman’s first opened in 2009, it was still a time when the concept of gluten-free food was fringe — today, around 25% of Americans eat gluten-free products — but Phillips was adamant on making sure the spot was a “gluten-free safe haven” for those with celiac.”

“To this day, Phillips herself doesn’t typically go to exclusively gluten-free restaurants, but rather she has her favorite restaurants where she can find something gluten-free, such as a bagel at Sadelle’s, fried chicken at COQODAQ, the highly-acclaimed chicken parm at Rubirosa, doughnuts at Doughnut Plant, or a slice of pizza at Sag Pizza in Sag Harbor.”

“She wanted Friedman’s to be inclusive without a separate menu for those with the dietary restriction; there would be only one menu for everyone, and it would be entirely gluten-free.”