Saveur Editor Touts Veg Cuisine

Vegan cooking went primetime Wednesday, August 6, at 10pm when Top Chef Masters took on the ultimate vegan cooking challenge. Actress Zooey Deschanel asked chefs to prepare a vegan, soy-free, gluten-free lunch, which made some chefs and judges flinch while others took to the challenge like fish to water. One judge who highly praises vegetarian cooking is James Oseland, the editor-in-chief of Saveur magazine. Oseland wrote his reflections on the challenge in a blog post, sharing that many people in the food world bash vegetarian cooking. Standing up for the meat- and dairy-free fare, Oseland posits that vegetarian cooking turns one into a more thoughtful cook, as he or she cannot fall back on the rich and robust flavors that come with butter and bacon. He says that when done right, “vegetarian cooking can be extraordinarily sophisticated and refined.” The editor and author also notes that this was the only meal of all the competitions that didn’t leave him feeling like “an overstuffed cushion.” Though Oseland does eat meat, he remembers his vegetarian periods as well rested, healthier, lighter, and clearer minded. To all vegetarian cooks, whip up an exquisite meal and bon appétit.