by Shriya Swaminathan
Chef Mark Reinfeld’s culinary passions stemmed from his connection with his grandfather, who was also a chef and skilled ice sculptor. He found immense joy experimenting in the kitchen and whipping up tasty dishes from a young age. After graduating college, he embarked on a year of extensive travel exploring countries across the globe. While working on a kibbutz in Israel, he learned of the detrimental impacts that our food system has on animals and thus began his transition to a vegan lifestyle. Staying true to his passion, Chef Mark dropped out of Law School and moved to San Diego to pursue a culinary career with humble beginnings at a natural foods store kitchen. His lack of training from a traditional culinary institution did not deter our plant-powered chef from his dedication to food activism. He has since ventured on to author several award-winning cookbooks, been featured in distinguished media platforms, opened vegan restaurants, offers plant-based food consulting services, and more recently, co-created the Vegan Fusion Culinary Academy– the first of its kind, all-vegan culinary training institute with business partners Courtnay and Dave Dietz, and Dr. Ashley Boudet. Motivated by his vision for a sustainable future and well-being of all animals, Chef Mark and the team hope to mentor new generations of compassionate, conscious, and creative chefs!
VW: It’s safe to say you are spearheading a vital movement in the food activism space. Tell us, what ignited that spark to develop The Vegan Fusion Culinary Academy?
MR: Our mission was driven by wanting to create a much-needed change to the status quo of our cooking culture. In my understanding, there isn’t much representation of plant-based cooking in existing culinary training programs. Even if they are offered, it’s in addition to cooking with animal-derived ingredients. The reception to vegan cooking has certainly improved in the industry but we want to strengthen the presence of up-and-coming chefs trained specifically in plant-based cooking. We wanted to amplify their platform and level the playing field by offering in-depth training on delivering world-class dishes using ingredients sourced from the Earth. Activism through food is my calling and it’s my privilege to participate in the next generation of plant-powered changemakers along the way!
VW: How has the interest been since you announced launching the Vegan Fusion Culinary Academy?
MR: The interest has been fantastic with the pilot program that we launched earlier this year. Our upcoming flagship Aspiring Chef Program will commence on August 16 this year and is an intensive 4-month training program. The program is approved by the Colorado Department of Higher Education, Private Occupational School Board. Upon successful completion, graduates will have developed core skills needed to succeed as plant-based culinary professionals and receive a professional Diploma of Vegan Culinary Arts. We had a waitlist for this program and just opened to accept applications for this training!
VW: Are the applicants only vegans? Is there a requirement for any formal culinary training or experience?
MR: Being vegan or having prior culinary experience is by no means a requirement to be eligible for the program. However, to be immersed in plant-based cooking for 4 months would require a strong connection with the cause. So far I’d say our applicants identify as vegan or predominantly plant-based.
VW: What makes the Aspiring Chef Program different from other vegan cooking classes and courses?
MR: First and foremost, it’s a 4-month program that delves into all the skills of culinary training that conventional culinary academies do. Sure, there are many vegan cooking classes that people can enroll in, but we want to take that further. Our graduates will be certified plant-based chefs with the skills to enter a career in the culinary industry. Some of the larger institutes may offer training in plant-based cuisine in addition to their existing program. Lead culinary instructor chef April Stamm brings with her over 8 years of teaching experience at the French Culinary Institute in New York, to create the highest level of instruction. I’d say that the Aspiring Chef Program is on par with the training offered at existing culinary schools but with a 100% plant-based focus.
VW: Lab-grown meats are garnering much attention and excitement. Would you include these products in the culinary program if and when they become mainstream?
MR: That’s an interesting question! While we recognize the value these products may have in replacing sentient animals in the food supply chain, they are still animal-based. We aren’t inclined to use these products in our programs. Ideally, we’d like to see that industry replaced by a whole-food, plant-based approach.
VW: When developing dishes that are a fusion of different cultures, how do you do so in a way that the cuisine’s individual cultural roots are retained and respected?
MR: Fusion dishes are part of the endless creativity in the kitchen and are something I enjoy. All cuisines are celebrated for their roots and authentic dishes are created. It also means that in some dishes, ingredients that might not be traditionally included in a dish, are added to create a unique spin of the dish, for example, making pesto with cilantro, adding a small amount of toasted sesame oil for an Asian themed dish, or even creating a Thai lasagna! We want to be mindful of showcasing the uniqueness of individual cuisines while celebrating the special authenticity of their coming together.
VW: That was beautifully said. Speaking of global cuisines, from your extensive travels over the world, which city surprised you most with its vegan scenes?
MR: From my most recent travels, I’ll have to say Paris. I’d been there several years ago and it was not nearly as vegan friendly as it is now. I was quite overwhelmed with the options available! That being said, I feel the world is becoming more vegan-friendly and it’s easier than ever before to enjoy hearty plant-based meals across the globe. Vegans are pretty good at scouting out the local vegan restaurants while exploring a new city- it adds to the joys of traveling in my opinion!
VW: Vegan travel is truly its own unique fun! Let’s go back to your “newly vegan days” for a bit. When learning the ropes of plant-based cooking, was there something in particular that amazed you the most?
VW: The creativity was huge for me and I was excited to play around with the array of spices, nuts, and seeds to add more depth and flavor to dishes. I started by recreating vegan versions of conventional dishes from non-vegan cookbooks. I experimented with tofu, made seitan from scratch, which I used to put a plant-based spin on a filet mignon. I was particularly blown away by the miracles of aquafaba- the normally discarded water in a can of chickpeas! Who needs eggs for a fluffy meringue or delicate macarons? The versatility of seitan also blows my mind- especially with how similar it looks and feels to a variety of animal-based protein ranging from steaks to poultry. To that list, I’ll have to add vegan deviled eggs where the white and yolk were recreated with remarkable textural precision. Pulled and scalloped oyster mushrooms are also a fantastic representation of the number of flavorful, innovative dishes made without animal ingredients. The brilliance in this space never fails to amaze me!
VW: Did you feel you would miss out on any particular dish after making the switch to plant-based?
MR: I found the transition easy and was able to veganize almost anything I set my intentions on. Especially now, with the innovation in the food tech industry, products are more readily available on grocery shelves! There’s no longer the need to spend hours in the kitchen for a batch of seitan. And given the current advancements in vegan cheeses and other replacements to animal dairy, I feel anything can be easily and deliciously veganized!
VW: What were your greatest misconceptions about vegan food and cooking?
MR: It wasn’t all that different from the common misconceptions we encounter- lack of flavor, inability to have a satiating meal, bland and boring food. I feel that’s natural given the animal-centered diet most of us in the country have been raised on without realizing that the flavors we have grown to know and love are from plants! Once I realized that spices and seasonings are the open secrets to a spectacular dish, it was easy to overcome those misbeliefs about plant-based food.
VW: Gordon Ramsay’s grilled eggplant and vegan lunch have taken social media by storm, to say the least! What are your thoughts on chefs of such caliber making these moves?
MR: I loved it! It was one of the more well-done, engaging videos I’d come across in a while. Regardless of where it’s coming from, I’m 100% behind any move towards plant-based however small it may be. However, I do encourage the idea of incorporating satiating, meaty textures that can be achieved from a variety of vegan products like seitan, tempeh, tofu, etc. That protein-centric satiety is often what critics of plant-based foods crave. If chefs with esteemed platforms deliver that experience, folks become more open-minded to what entails a satisfying meal.
VW: We are seeing renowned restaurants making the admirable shift to being entirely plant-based. Is there a restaurant or chef that you would like to challenge to do the same?
MR: That’s an easy one- all of them! Imagine the waves it would make if Wolfgang Puck’s went vegan! It’s such a powerful move that would undoubtedly make vegan dining a norm. I feel as chefs in the restaurant industry, we have the power to revolutionize the food system as we know it.
VW: We love that answer! Moving on to the everyday folk- if you had to plan a 3-course meal for a staunch skeptic of plant-based food, what would you serve them?
MR: I’m thinking I’d whip up some chimichurri tempeh street tacos- who doesn’t like some good tacos right? I’d also make a loaded nachos dish with BBQ jackfruit, vegan queso, sour cream, and all those fun fixings! I’d wrap it up with a traditional favorite- a gooey, molten chocolate lava cake!
VW: Sounds like a divine meal we would want in on as well! Now for a really hard one- what’s your favorite cuisine and favorite vegan restaurant?
MR: That is a really tough one! I’m going to go with Ethiopian food- it’s one of my absolute favorites and incredibly vegan-friendly. My favorite restaurant pick is this amazing vegan Korean spot in New York called HanGawi. It has a brilliant sanctuary atmosphere and is an iconic spot in the New York restaurant scenes- I highly recommend it!
VW: Everything you’ve said has been outstanding and we are grateful for all that you do! Before we let you go, do you have any words of wisdom for new plant-based home cooks who don’t know where to start?
MR: Be patient and gentle with yourself when you start on your journey. Proficiency will come with practice. Start with simple basics- rice and beans for example. Perfect that to your liking and get innovative with your spice collection! One of my favorite recommendations is getting or making your own set of global spice blends- Indian, Mexican, Moroccan, Cajun- you name it! Then you can play around with the beans and rice with different spins on the flavor profile. Don’t be afraid of developing your own vegan fusion kitchen!
I also suggest people get creative with salads- incorporate a variety of colors and textures. Challenge yourself to dismantle the “boring salad” label and make it a fun experience and view it as an opportunity to try new fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, seeds, dressings, and whole grains. Something as simple as how you cut your vegetables can influence the dish!
Chef Mark and team are pioneers in the culinary industry and we are thrilled to support the new wave of compassionate chefs in training on their upcoming endeavors. If you are an aspiring vegan chef ready to change the world, what are you waiting for? Head over and apply to the program so the world can feast on your plant-powered magic!
Images: Vegan Fusion Culinary Academy Website and Instagram
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