Vegan Energy Revisited...

silky parsnip 'cappuccino", apple pave, yuzu glaze, onion soubise, maple, crispy beets
micro greens

roasted potato napoleon, leeks, lobster mushrooms, fairy tale eggplant, brussel sprouts
crosnes, candied walnuts, carrot emulsion

"banana split"
coconut chocolate stuffed bananas wrapped with dates and peanuts
pear butter, roasted pineapple, cashew cream, banana chip

stuffed indigo rose tomatoes, quinoa, corn, chanterelles, vadouvan, black garlic,
persimmons salad, tropical micro spinach, saba dressing

pumpkin risotto, farro, shallot confit, matsutake, truffle oil, micro celery
~

Releasing the demons again...the vegan demons! Every now and again, we get a request, an urge or an inspiration to cook vegan cuisine. Not vegan cuisine really, yet an inspiring and exciting representation of my own cooking lacking animal proteins and products or derivatives. In simplistic terms...local, seasonal, experimental, modern, flavor-forward, technique-driven and taste primary vegetables! Whether served in the dining room, lounge, private rooms or in this case...at the chefs table for 6 folks who all but one were NOT vegan. Always fun to showcase this unique and very vibrantly flavorful way of preparing and combining foodstuffs to those especially who are not of that genre. I myself am not vegan or vegetarian, nor would I want to, and yet...this way of cooking is so exciting. (reads- "am I contradicting myself"?). I have always enjoyed and loved vegetables in most any form ever since I was a young shit. Chefs and guests alike ask me "isn't that difficult to do" or "why do you want to do that, that's boring" or "how in the hell do you get creative with such restrictions"? Well, to me, it is not a restriction, yet an opportunity to explore an ambition. A reason to challenge yourself creatively and technically. I embrace it with every cut and slice of vegetable that lay before me. I can cook vegan just as as well as I can any other ingredient...with care, dedication, professionalism, commitment, passion, desire and skill. Bring it on. Here is what we ended up serving. Hoping they all enjoyed it as much as we did cooking it. My advice for fellow chefs...don't reject it or shun it...embrace it. Have fun with it. Get inspired and make it tasty! Food is food people.