Her favorite part of the job is actually serving the food, she said, because it gives her a chance not just to cook with care but to labor with love for those who come inside. She hopes to help change people's relationships with food, she said, by infusing her own health consciousness not only into the mixture of ingredients but into the portion sizes and the demeanor with which she serves it up.

On the day this writer was there, the menu consisted of vegetarian minestrone and potato soups, quiche, spinach and carrot salads, chicken pot pie, chicken salad, various breads, pumpkin pie, cookies, organic fruit, coffee and other drinks.

Her "no waste" policy offers a clue into the essence of what customers feel inside the cafe. "Whatever is left over at the end of the day is packaged up and set outside for people in need" with no expectation of anything other than goodwill in return.

She smiles. "It's always gone in the morning."

But it's more than the portions-to-fit and the pay-as-you-decide policy that Cerreta believes keeps her clientele growing.

There's a "one-world" feel about the place that's difficult to describe, she admits, but most everyone who comes inside comments on it.

It may have something to do with how her idea of what is "enough" has changed in the past few months. "I live in a one-bedroom apartment with heat and lights and running water, and that's more than enough for me." As for her business model, "I wouldn't go back (to menus and a cash register) for anything. I want to see this grow. My goal is to help solve world hunger."

She hopes to open a second cafe on Salt Lake City's west side "near the homeless shelter" in the near future.

Though she doesn't claim membership in any one faith tradition, Cerreta believes "we can all be more Christ-like, rather than just looking to Christ to do something for the masses. Our communion with the divine is how we can personally be more like Christ or Buddha. It's that we're all divine and we can live that out."

And Denise Cerreta looks to be doing just that, one plate at a time.

Editor's note: The One World Cafe is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. It will be closed between Christmas and Jan. 3.

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E-mail: carrie@desnews.com