I used to make fun of vegetarians. My worst fear was that I would fall in love with one. The journey from classically trained New York City chef to embracing plant based eating was many years long, and nobody is more surprised than I am that I’m here.
The real shift came when I was compelled to feed an exceptionally kind friend, who was something of a hapless bachelor type. He also happened to be a Buddhist and vegetarian. I made him the obvious meatless choices at first, and he was thrilled. It wasn’t until I made my own vegetable stock, “the backbone” of any meal according to my professional and very French training, that I was thrilled. I realized that the sky really was the limit. This epiphany came as I whipped up sautéed portobello mushrooms and good ol’ red wine reduction sauce with fresh thyme, and it rocked. Talk about et voila!
Since then, I have been eagerly translating the classics and discovering a new way of eating, and feeding. As trite as it may sound, if I can do it, anyone can, and I am here to help others follow. My nearly 20 years of teaching cooking and writing about food give me solid ingredients that I am happy to share as you as I embrace plant based eating.
For me, the transition was gentle and natural. It was based both on a lifelong interest in nutrition, as well as increased awareness and compassion. Seeing the unbearable lives of factory farm chickens, I decided I could do without. My background in nutrition told me that antibiotics and all that came with those unfortunate birds couldn’t be good for anyone, which sealed the deal. Lobsters, lambs, and calves followed.
For some, their health requires the shift to happen quickly, and the good news is that many have pulled it off. One friend dropped 80 pounds in 90 days by going 100% plant based, and wowed his doctors with blood pressure numbers as well. Finally the decision is ours though, and we need to want to make a change. The reasons to avoid animal products keep mounting as science continues to link them with many of our biggest health woes, and there is plenty of evidence that factory farming is unacceptably cruel.
Years ago, “vegan” meant nearly inedible to me, or foods so processed that I didn’t want to eat them. Things have changed in recent years, and the proof is this chef catching herself saying things like, “mmmm, cheeze!”
Things do change. A constant, however, is the love people have for food. For me, feeding others is way of bringing happiness to them, if only temporary. Of course, eating well brings long term benefits, and helping others do that is my favorite kind of feeding.
I was classically trained as a chef in New York City and worked there for many years in every possible every culinary pursuit. I write about food, have written a cookbook (more on the way), and developed countless recipes. I have taught innumerable cooking classes, and plenty of people to cook. It makes me happy when others enjoy cooking more, and if I can encourage anyone in the kitchen, I am over the moon. I love it when I hear that one of my recipes has made it into the weekly line-up, or I get a picture of what they are so proud to have made themselves. A favorite remark from a friend I taught some cooking basics to was: I now see ingredients when I go to the grocery store!
Welcome to my never ending campaign to feed. The photos are all of food I have prepared myself – call it visual feeding.
