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meats? Is it possible to produce eggs, dairy, or beef, in a manner that is ethical and just as healthy and environmentally sustainable as their faux plant counterparts? We’ll save this longer discussion for another time, but for now, the short
answer is “yes.” Documentaries such as Kiss the Ground research regenerative agriculture, and livestock companies such as Joyce Farms and Polyface Farms raise animals on grasslands that are biodiverse and practice seasonal pasture rotation of animals that mimic natural migration patterns. Scientists are now finding this type of regenerative farming sequesters carbon and has positive environmental impact. Growing up in a heavily agrarian community in
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Hawaii, we had great access to fresh, natural foods. In the late ’80s my friend’s parents, who were vegan, were excited to try and share with us a soy-based vegan cheese. I remember first thinking, “What? Why? If it’s not made with milk, what is it?” It wasn’t very good, the texture was like plastic, and the flavor was just not there. Unfortunately, many of us have had these negative food experi- ences with alternative foods and now associate a certain stigma with them, oftentimes before even trying them. A big part of this problem is percep- tion and managing expectations. If someone gives me a glass of strained, puréed almonds, water, and seaweed-based thickeners and tells me—who grew up drinking super local, fresh, grass-fed, pasture-raised, whole milk—that this is a glass of milk, I’m most likely (A) going to be confused and (B) be disappointed and not going to care for it. However, if this almond drink were to be made in a way that uses fresh, high-quality, whole-food ingredients with an appealing taste (maybe with a pinch of sea salt and sprinkle of cinnamon…hey, I’m a chef after all), then served to me as a deli- cious chilled almond drink, I’m much more likely to receive it with an open mind and enjoy it.
The Limitations of Labeling The plant-based food industry, my palate, and my perceptions have come a long way since I was 8 years old. I have observed that many people make one of two preconceptions upon hearing a word like vegan in the description of a food: (A) “Here we go, more of that weird, flavorless, tree-hug- ging, hipster food” and automatically assume it won’t be a good experience or (B) “Vegan, this is so great! It is made with plants, which are ‘nat- ural,’ and no dirty CO2
-producing animals were
involved; therefore, this must be super healthy for me and for the environment.” Or, on rare occa- sions we have (C) All of the above.
Let’s think about these things for a moment.
A mango is vegan; is it a weird, flavorless food? Truffles—one of the most valuable foods in the world—also vegan. Most fresh-baked breads, such as an olive oil-rosemary focaccia, is vegan. They are not described as such, however, and we therefore simply take them as they are and openly enjoy them. Do you see where I’m going? On the other hand, donuts are (or can be) vegan, as are Oreo cookies…are these foods inherently healthy for you and the planet? Much like the confused “Not A Burger” lady, many of us have been programmed to have these preconceptions that if a food is labeled a certain way, it is better for us. We are raised “in the box” of a burger being made of beef and looking and tasting a certain way. As a chef, I’m classically trained to think we must exclusively use eggs, heavy cream, and butter to achieve certain textures and flavors. But what happens when we step out of the box, ask some questions, and seek a balanced answer that connects the dots of everything we’ve just covered? I have found it to be a quite enjoyable chal-
lenge. In all the vast natural world of plants as ingredient options, can great flavors and textures be achieved without using the animal-based products I’ve been rigidly trained in while keep- ing the plant ingredients as unprocessed, whole, and close to their natural state as possible? Not because I am personally a subscriber to a vegan philosophy, but because I am a chef who, like a scientist, is driven to ask questions and make dis- coveries. Just because I was taught to use heavy cream to get a smooth, silky, rich mousse texture filled with the fats that boost flavor, does that mean there aren’t other ingredients that just as easily lend themselves to such results—without the need of a laboratory and a PhD in molecu- lar engineering? I have discovered with simple ingredients like cashews, virgin coconut fat, av- ocados, raw cacao, and bananas, amazing dishes such as mousses; rich, creamy chocolate tortes; savory silky sandwich spreads, and many others can be created. As with any other type of cooking, all you need is high-quality, natural ingredients, a solid understanding of said ingredients, and good technique. The only dilemma left is whether to describe the dishes as vegan or plant-based— which appeals to some diners but turns away others—or to drop the need for labels altogether and simply call it food. Perhaps then we could skip the vaudeville act and go straight to enjoying delicious, clean, whole, unprocessed foods that are good for you, the planet, and the future. •
WINTER 2021
ESSENTIAL Naples
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