Vegetarian Star

“If you really look at the way people eat in North America today, it’s so different from other cultures. When we think of the word protein, it’s almost the same meaning as meat. In other cultures, protein comes from plant-based sources: In South America, it’s whole grains; in Mexico, it’s beans; in India, it’s lentils; in Asia, it’s soy. Not all of those cultures are vegetarian, obviously, but the bulk of their protein intake is from plant-based sources. In the U.S., we don’t know how to address vegetarian protein.”

“A lot of chefs today who have been well-known for cooking with every animal protein are doing really beautiful vegetarian tasting menus — six or seven courses, it will cost you $250, it will look great and taste great, but it’s all vegetables. There’s no protein component, and that’s because these chefs don’t know how to address a vegetarian protein component. That’s why people, when they go out and order a vegetarian meal, they often don’t feel satisfied. They’re just given veggies and starch and they walk away feeling unfulfilled.”

–Vegan chef and author Tal Ronnen, during an interview with Oregon Live on why vegetarian meals may be a foreign concept in America and how Meatless Mondays may unfortunately be viewed by some chefs. Maybe that’s why Ronnen created Gardein, what some call the closest faux meat product on the market to date. It’s a lot easier to slap a faux Mandarin Orange Crispy chicken on a plate than teach a chef to properly cook a nutritional yeast breaded tofu plank dipped in tarragon vegan mayonnaise sauce or a cashew cream cheese log sandwich. Still hoping those chefs eventually get schooled in the latter, though.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills
• Controversy Over Pro-Vegeterian Curriculum In Schools
• Ellie Goulding Creates Protein Bar “Everlasting Joy” With GoMacro