By: Shriya Swaminathan
“Chef’s have a huge virtue to shift the public’s focus on what they see as a delicious meal. It doesn’t have to be a four-legged animal.” These are the powerful worlds of Michelin-starred restaurateur Justin Bazdarich. In this eye-opening interview with VEGWORLD, he recounts his journey stepping away from academic instruction, finding his calling in the restaurant business, and the inspiration behind his new plant-based eatery- Xilonen, alongside Chef de cuisine Alan Delgado. Nestled in the lively neighborhood of Greenpoint in Brooklyn, Xilonen seeks to offer delectable dishes that pay homage to the Aztec cuisine’s humble yet revered corn crop!
VW: You’ve had great experiences traveling the world alongside your mentor Jean-Georges Vongerichten and moving on to opening reputable restaurants in the city! How has that journey led you to start a plant-based restaurant?
JB: The restaurants I’ve worked on and have opened typically reflect foods I would want to eat. Accessibility and taste were first and foremost drivers. Once my wife got pregnant with our son, she became averse to eating meat. I joined her in this switch and we started to eat more plant-forward meals, which I viewed as a creative challenge. Most chefs find it easy to simply pick a protein and base a plate around that. Why not do the same thing but with plants? In the process, I began learning about the devastation that consuming animals is causing to our planet. From an ethical space, I didn’t want to contribute to the destruction of rainforests for the sake of rearing an inefficient food source. We went from a household that ate animal protein everyday, to consuming meat barely once a week. I clued in on that experience and noticed that most vegan restaurants in the city served either salads and quinoa bowls, or “vegan junk foods.” There were barely any accessible spots that championed whole plants in more familiar, craveable dishes like tacos. Since I’m in the habit of creating the kinds of restaurants I would love to dine in, Xilonen came into fruition! I also re-enrolled as a Sustainability student at Arizona State University and hope to incorporate what I learn in my restaurants.
VW: How do you feel culinary schools are catering to training chefs in vegan cooking?
JB: I feel that larger culinary institutes might not include as much emphasis on vegan cooking as they should. Perhaps they could be cluing in that the times are changing. When I was being trained, animal proteins were always the center of the dish. Plants were either garnishes or sides. Serving vegetarians during my early restaurant days was usually viewed as a hassle but the trends are changing. I’m sure there are smaller specialty courses that focus on vegan and vegetarian cooking. However, I believe that for the future of our planet and from a sustainability standpoint, chefs have to be trained not to rely solely on animal products to showcase their skills. Based on my experience, translating those techniques to plant foods can work wonders!
VW: As you delved into veg-forward cooking, did you feel daunted by the learning curve, or was the process unexpectedly easy?
JB: There was definitely a learning curve with getting familiar with the different flavor profiles. Figuring out how to recreate the flavors and textures of common items like cheese and smoky meats using only plants called for quite a bit of trial and error. At the end of the day, plants are no longer relegated to appetizers and sides. Instead, we started asking how a potato or a carrot can be the star of the dish. Take Xilonen for example- we want to center plants in Mexican cuisine while acknowledging the restaurant’s inspiration- the Aztec Goddess of Young Corn. Our flavorful corn tortillas become the vehicle to deliver the delicious, complex flavors of whole plants and a variety of innovative culinary techniques. If anything, it was a fun, creative endeavor and we learned a lot!
VW: In your opinion, how do you think the restaurant businesses are receiving the demand for vegan options?
JB: I can speak from my experiences at my restaurants. I’d say that after “What are your hours of operation?”, our next frequently asked question is “Do you have a lot of vegan options?”. There are more people eating that way and if we are not offering these options, then it’s difficult for businesses to please groups. If there’s a group of six people, and two are vegan, they’re not coming if there aren’t options for them. From a purely business perspective, it’s only wise to offer a variety of vegan options for your customers. I personally see the trend towards plant-based cuisine as a positive, which more businesses are becoming aware of.
VW: What are your thoughts on France’s first ever Vegan Michelin Star award? Is this recognition important in the food industry?
JB: It’s exciting that vegan restaurants are gaining positive attention. There really isn’t any denying that veganism is the future. As one who has dramatically changed his eating habits from mostly animal products to a plant-rich one, I feel that others shouldn’t be far behind! We shouldn’t have to rely on animals and their by-products to make great food. In fact, treating vegetables in a similar way can accomplish the same things- texture, and flavor wise. Michelin also awards restaurants for sustainability efforts. A sustainability nod from Michelin in the future would be awesome for Xilonen!
VW: We love how mission-driven the business model is! Do you foresee yourselves possibly including the animal ethics aspect as well?
JB: For sure! It’s something I think about often and feel we can certainly do. I’d say at Xilonen, we’re almost there- dinners are 100% vegan and we also plan to do a vegan tasting menu. There are only a couple of lunch items that include egg. Perhaps we can experiment with the new vegan egg replacements that are available and see how they work in our recipes!
VW: Some chefs with “traditional” training might not be as willing to embrace vegan cooking. How would you advise shifting this mindset?
JB: I think with more people realizing how shifting away from animals and towards a plant-rich lifestyle benefits their health and the planet, the demand for eating animal protein at restaurants is going to decline. If chefs aren’t willing to cater to the shift in demand, they will be left behind. There are going to be more people going vegan than vice versa, and with that alone as a metric, we need to be embracing change to stay relevant in the business.
That being said, this year I plan to work on a Chef Collaborative Initiative, which enables and empowers other chefs to come together and work on a plant rich menu metric. This entails a gradual shift away from an animal product- centric menu, and designating a set percentage of options to be vegan and vegetarian. If I can get more restaurants to embrace this decrease in meat consumption, it would be an outstanding move in the right direction for the well-being of our planet!
VW: That’s a wonderful initiative and we hope more chefs hop on board! Moving on to the remarkable food you’re creating, which menu item are you most proud of?
JB: We’re doing some chorizos that we sought to recreate the “ground beef” texture in. We tried a blend of ground tofu, pecans, and mushrooms that we cooked together in some spices. We perfected the crispy texture and amazing flavors of the cuisine! Now we use it in our crispy tacos. We also do a great chorizo quesadilla with cheese from Numu cheese– a local vegan cheese company. The cheese melts really well and tastes great with many of our dishes! We top off our quesadilla- grilled to perfection, with a black bean and avocado salsa. Definitely a favorite of mine and our customers! It’s important to me that these creations are not viewed as “fake meats” or a “meat alternative”. Rather, they are their own dish with the familiar flavors and textures we love.
VW: Is there any ingredient that you’ve been amazed by and wouldn’t have become aware of if not for your foray into vegan cooking?
JB: That’s a hard one! I guess I’ll have to say it’s the corn that we source from Mexico from an importer named “TAMOA”. We made it a priority to source our products from their cultural origins and support businesses that pay their workers fair wages. I believe that reflects in the quality of corn we receive, and the same applies to our fair-trade coffee and chocolate suppliers. Sustainably, and ethically sourced ingredients add to what makes our food so special!
VW: That sounds divine and we cannot wait to visit one day! To wrap up with a final question- If you had to invite a Michelin-starred or celebrity chef to dine at Xilonen and open an all-vegan restaurant, whom would you pick?
JB: I’d probably pick my mentor Chef Jean-Georges. Granted he does have ABCV, which though not entirely vegan, is still plant-forward. He has always been an inspiration and I would love to see what he could do with an all-vegan menu. That would be really great!
We hope Justin’s passion to transform our current food system for a healthier future on this planet inspires more chefs to tap into their creativity and celebrate whole plant foods in their dishes. When in NYC, be sure to dine at Xilonen and check out Justin’s other eateries- Speedy Romeo, and the Michelin- starred Oxomoco!
