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Remove Images Upfront News 2 Talking Story With Vegan Chef Mark Reinfeld by Jen Russo September 06, 2012 Mark Reinfeld is a world-renowned vegan chef who comes to Maui about once a year to teach people how to create amazing vegetarian dishes. He has several cookbooks, including Vegan World Fusion Cuisine, which won several awards and was based on his Blossoming Lotus Restaurant on Kauai. Reinfeld has a celebrity following for his food and also teaches online classes at veganfusion.com. The chef will host a two-day vegan fusion event this weekend in West Maui. MauiTime got a chance to see what inspires this vegan chef, and find out where he likes to eat on Maui. MAUITIME: What does Vegan Fusion mean to you? MARK REINFELD: It means incorporating elements from different ethnic cuisines in the same dish or menu. On a deeper level, it involves integrating the wisdom, sacred sites, beauty and cuisine of the worlds cultures in one presentation. MT: Is being vegan just a food philosophy or does it have deeper implications? MR: I feel a deep connection with animals and a strong desire to preserve the earth's resources. I also feel that by switching to an essentially plant based diet we can alleviate world hunger. (Most of the grain currently grown goes to feed livestock instead of people). MT: Why did you become a chef? MR: I always loved to cook, even as a child. After completing one semester of law school at NYU, I knew I needed to do something else with my life. My love of cooking returned to me and I started working in kitchens. Around the same time I felt a deeper love for animals and decided to become vegetarian. So basically my entire professional career was as a veggie chef. MT: Tell me something about you I probably don't already know. MR: Over 10 years ago, I originally came to Kauai on a two-week vacation and didn't leave the island for over two years. I fell in love with the island, quit my job on the mainland, sold my car and started creating a new life for myself. Within a couple of months, the Blossoming Lotus Cafe had its beginnings in downtown Kapaa. MT: You travel the world teaching and sharing your cookbooks. What have you published and where do you reside permanently? MR: My first cookbook, Vegan World Fusion Cuisine, was co-authored with Bo Rinaldi and had a foreword by Dr. Jane Goodall. It has won several national awards, including "Cookbook of the Year," "Best New Cookbook," "Best Book by a Small Press" and a Gourmand Award for "Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the USA." I also co-authored The Taste Of The East, The 30-Minute Vegan and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Raw. My newest book, The 30 Minute Vegan's Taste of Europe, is due out in September. I am looking to settle down part time in Maui and part time in Portland. I am in love with Maui! MT: How do you stay on the cutting edge of vegetarian cooking? MR: By researching and writing new books I have the opportunity to continually develop creatively. I am super inspired when I see people make a change to include more plant based foods in their diet, knowing how much this helps their health, as well as the planet and the animals. I would consider raw food preparation as the upcoming trend. Half of the recipes in my workshop are cooked and half are raw. MT: What advice would you give to someone wanting to become a great vegetarian chef? MR: Practice as much as possible on your own. See if you can apprentice with a chef to learn from them. If you feel a strong desire, you can look into going to a natural foods culinary institute. MT: What are the advantages a vegan diet has over a normal diet? MR: There are too many to mention. Health–many diseases can be prevented and reversed on a vegan diet. Environment–including more vegan foods is one of the most potent forms of environmental activism. And plants use a fraction of the resources, including water, energy, land etc. when compared to a meat-based diet. MT: Will students be vegan experts after two days with you? MR: Students are empowered with some of the basic techniques of vegan and raw food preparation. The way I teach recipes is with a template system. I may go over 10 recipes over the weekend, but students will know how to prepare hundreds of them. It forms an incredible foundation for future growth in the kitchen. MT: Are there any vegan restaurants on the island you like that provide an authentic vegan experience? MR: Fresh Mint in Paia is a nice restaurant which has an Asian flare. Choice Health Bar has a selection of raw food dishes. Down to Earth provides many standard vegan options. *****  VEGAN FUSION WORKSHIP Sept. 8-9 $285/person To register, email info@veganfusion.com