Selecting and gathering the most flavor-bursting ingredients like zucchini or avocado — commingled customarily in a cardinal of ways in various kitchen laboratories of sorts across the world — to create appetizing, health-friendly gourmet dishes is more than a successful profession for Vegan Fusion co-founder Mark Reinfeld — it is an imaginative remedy for fortifying the heart and health of human beings, and the verdant global environment.

His “prescription,” or culinary vision, was tremendously influenced by several odyssey-like travels throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East, where he experienced new lands by wayfaring through their epicenters of cuisine, and picking up their local vernacular for what is palatable. Those muses (preceded by the initial instruction that he received from his grandfather, a widely-known chef and New York City ice carver, Ben Bimstein) cultivated his deep love and knowledge of distinct cultures’ food preparation styles: a heartfelt affinity that has lasted for more than 20 years, in which he has earned a master’s degree in holistic nutrition, wrote several popular cookbooks, and opened the famous vegan cuisine Blossoming Lotus Restaurant with a thriving location in Portland, Oregon. Not to mention, he has won countless accolades for his out-of-the box, transcendent style and collection of vegan and raw food recipes, featuring foods which are ravishing in appearance and savory in taste. Take for instance, his barbecue tempeh kabobs, assembled on skewers with cherry tomatoes, portobello mushrooms, and other luscious components, with a barbecue sauce, which is a collaboration of sweet-sounding things like barley malt syrup, natural ketchup, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, among other elements. Or the Vegan.com 2011 Recipe of the Year — a Mediterranean pistachio crusted tofu with a saffron quinoa pilaf (sounds like a lush, fragrant smelling delight), made with seasoned tofu, tahini marinade, crust, vegetables and homemade dressing, along with the accompanying quinoa with saffron threads.

Creating these tasty, visually stunning recipes is like making art, he says, describing the process as one that is driven by passion, and enriched by the foods’ radiant colors and textures. In addition, one can think of cooking vegan food as “empowering” because “consumers take their health in their own hands,” as stated on the Vegan Fusion Web site. You can make boundless alterations and substitutes to such dishes, like that award-winning tofu “template” creation that would satisfy any ravenous appetite in a beneficial way. However, once finished eating the last bite of your unique, hearty creation, you might just be entranced by a prevailing, enticing thought of wanting more (the feeling is similar to the longing induced state that renders you helpless after, let’s say, your favorite music group played their long-awaited last song of the night — you hope for another musical morsel that will keep the party continuing on.)

Through his sophisticated creations, and cookbooks like Vegan Fusion World Cuisine (co-authored with business partner Bo Rinaldi), he promotes a botanical, and more robust way of eating to society-at-large. His kinetic energy propels him to teach that message at invigorating trainings, and conduct epistemic consulting services and liberating retreats throughout Europe and North America. In fact, in about two weeks, he will be the head chef at the North American Vegetarian Society’s 38th annual Vegetarian Summerfest in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where he will dazzle a mobilized group of hundreds with his culinary finesse, and his notable humility and passion for veganism and humanity.

But before that high profile event helps to further contextualize his career in the exclusive realm comprising distinguished culinary artists, Reinfeld revealed to GALO his reason as to why he feels eager anticipation for the Vegetarian Summerfest. He also drops tidbits about his enthusiastic ardor for Mediterranean ingredients, the cooking process, and healing qualities of food, as well as his life’s work to inspire people to feel better and live more flourishing lives.

GALO: Your cooking seems to be a refreshing escape from ordinary, processed foods that so many Americans consume regularly. Simply put, your recipes are for the soul, but what would you say being vegan means to you?

Mark Reinfeld: It is about eating and living in a healthy, sustainable way that respects the earth and the other life forms we share it with. Vegan cuisine is inspired, exciting, and delicious!

GALO: Why is this cuisine so buzz-worthy? Is it a crusade for you to share your recipes?

MR: I believe this is the culinary wave of the future. As we realize the fragility of the earth and its limited resources, as well as the countless health benefits of plant based eating, it will be more of a mainstream accepted way of living. I love showing people that vegan cuisine can be of the highest caliber and absolutely satisfying.

GALO: You received your initial culinary training from your grandfather, Ben Bimstein, a renowned chef and ice carver in New York City. How was that learning experience under the tutelage of such a talented, multi-disciplined predecessor? Do people draw comparisons between the two of you or do they think of you as distinct?

MR: It was mainly him teaching by his presence, his creativity, and his resilience in life. So, I would say, my style is my own. He was just beginning to see the possibilities of vegan cuisine before he passed away over 10 years ago.

GALO: Oftentimes, artists say their creative process is just as substantial as the art itself. What are the highs and lows for you in crafting fresh, original recipes that sizzle with taste? Do you ruminate over finding the conventional, appropriate ingredients, or are you liberated by experimenting with what is tasty to different palates? Is the production process more gratifying than the finished product?

MR: I rejoice in the creative process and the final product. Creating food as art is one of the ways I like to express myself. My grandfather used to say that a true artist can create beauty in any medium. Food is one of my mediums. I am reminded of the Tibetan sand paintings when I prepare food. It is a reminder of the impermanent nature of life and our lives — to create beauty, through food, knowing that [it] is to be appreciated for a moment and then it is gone.

GALO: Your 2011 award winning recipe of the year on Vegan.com was the Mediterranean pistachio crusted tofu with saffron quinoa pilaf. The gourmet dish sounds so mouth-watering, one can only imagine how colorful it is to see. It is a template recipe, meaning that you can create variations to the dish. What are some of your favorite alterations for it?

MR: It is one of my favorite dishes to introduce folks to the culinary potential of tofu. There are many layers of flavor. I particularly like changing the crust on the tofu, replacing the pistachios with toasted macadamia nuts, pecans or walnuts, and experimenting with different fresh herbs. You can visit www.vegan.com to see the recipe.

GALO: Tell me about a classic recipe that you would use to dazzle a crowd of let’s say, Parisians in France. Could you do an innovative spin on something classic like carrot soup?

MR: I like making a raw, lavender infused carrot soup that is garnished with colorful vegetables such as grated beet, corn, fresh dill, and a vegan and raw crème fraîche topped with black sesame seeds.

GALO: I know you hold a master’s degree in holistic nutrition — a feat that undoubtedly took much discipline. Could you share your particular expertise on the specific healing, transformative properties of vegan foods?

MR: I have been interested in the healing qualities of food for many years. That is why I pursued the degree. Every food has a unique healing quality. I encourage people to eat a wide variety of plant based foods, in a rainbow of colors, with lots of focus on dark greens. Each color has its own phytonutrient composition, so by including many colors, we are obtaining these nutrients.

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