GALO: With the green evolution spreading like wildfire across the nation, the vegan way of life has grown by leaps and bounds. Speaking to that fact is the Vegan Fusion mission, which is “to promote the benefits of the vegan lifestyle for the preservation of our health and environment, and to create a more peaceful world.” Lots of people are escaping meat-laded eating habits, and making a sizeable contribution to stopping the pollution that causes global warming. In what other ways is a plant-based diet more environmentally-friendly than a meat-based one?

MR: It’s staggering when you compare the amount of land usage, water usage, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions etc., of a meat centered diet to a plant centered one. Feeding ourselves with plants uses a fraction of the earth’s limited resources. For instance, it takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat.

I encourage anyone who is even remotely concerned about the environment to take a look at some of the statistics available.

GALO: On the Vegan Fusion Web site, it says you developed a love for world culture and cuisine while traveling through Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Was it hard to overcome any language or cultural barriers in learning about diverse cuisines?

MR: Not for me. I found that if you can learn to say “thank you” and “friend” with a smile in the native language, most of the barriers dissolve. Also, typically there are people that speak English that can help translate further.

GALO: Do you have a vegan recipe that you discovered overseas and that tickles your fancy?

MR: In general, I found that I love incorporating the flavors of the Mediterranean into my recipes, the fresh herbs, olives, artichoke hearts, and the fresh vegetables available in the region. It is simple, but I love making pesto in many different variations, using toasted macadamia nuts or cashews in the recipe instead of pine nuts, and replacing some of the basil with other fresh herbs.

GALO: Your concept for the restaurant chain Blossoming Lotus first took shape in mainland USA before growing solid roots in Kauai, Hawaii around the new millennium. Could you describe the restaurants and the inspiration behind them?

MR: We actually closed the restaurant on Kauai at the end of 2008 and the Blossoming Lotus in Portland is still striving. The idea is to create a haven of healthy and delectable dining options for communities around the globe.

GALO: You found immensely inspired souls to spread your recipes across the Hawaii landscape, and eventually, your passion mixed with their dedication to produce your first Blossoming Lotus restaurant in 2002. How did it feel to watch your recipes captivate the native people there?

MR: It was extremely fulfilling to see the restaurant take root in such a magnificent place like Kauai. The beauty and flavors of the cuisine matched the magic and natural splendor of the island.

GALO:  In 2006, you opened The Lotus Root, a juice bar and bakery as an adjunct to your main restaurant on Kauai, offering food without refined sugar and dairy products in Hawaii. You also opened up a Blossoming Lotus restaurant in Portland, Oregon in 2009. Can you tell us about yourself as a culinary visionary? How do you develop innovative ideas for the restaurants?

MR: The theme of our restaurants and cookbooks and the trainings I offer around the world is Vegan Fusion. It is also the name of my company with my partner Bo Rinaldi. The idea is to showcase the cuisines of the world as well as the wisdom, sacred sites, and beauty of our planet. Emphasizing what unites us as a people. Eating food is a universal ritual that crosses all cultural boundaries. By incorporating healthy, sustainable, and outrageously tasting vegan cuisine into this daily ritual, I feel we can foster mutual respect and tolerance among people.

GALO: Are you planning further restaurant expansion?

MR: At the moment we are focused on our consulting services, cookbooks, immersions, and culinary tours. Of course, we are always open to proposals to create future locations.

GALO: When it comes to making over North American and European restaurants by adding dazzling vegan recipes to their menu, it seems like your approach is very detailed and thorough. You evaluate their current menus, carefully select savory vegan items to complement their style, and even train the chefs. What are some of the imperative things that you want to drill into the chefs and the restaurant owners’ minds?

MR: One of the main focuses of our business, Vegan Fusion is to offer consulting services to businesses interested in adding more incredible plant based cuisine into their menu. We specialize in chef training and menu and recipe development, and can assist in creating any level of offering in the food service world. The main thing we emphasize is that by providing customers with vegan options, they are expanding their potential customer base, and are demonstrating their knowledge of a rising culinary trend.

GALO: Do you enjoy taping online cooking lessons or doing direct, personal instruction in front of a live class?

MR: I love both! The in person 10-day Vegan Fusion immersions are a life transforming experience for all who attend. Participants increase their skill level and confidence level dramatically, and learn how to awaken new levels of culinary creativity. The course is for novice cooks as well as experienced chefs who want to learn more about vegan and raw food preparation. I also offer vegan culinary tours around the world. You can learn more at www.veganfusion.com. The online course is a wonderful alternative for those who cannot make it to an in person training.

GALO: You have won countless awards like the Platinum Carrot award for living foods (a national honor given by the Aspen Center of Integral Health in 2006), and the Vegan.com recipe of the Year Award in 2011. Celebrities publicly endorse your recipes: “Mark Reinfeld’s The 30 Minute Vegan is not only a culinary delight for vegetarians and vegans, it appeals to people who relish a meal that luxuriates the palate and satisfies the spirit,” said Michael Bernard Beckwith, author of Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul’s Potential. You were described by Vegcooking.com as being “poised on the leading edge of contemporary vegan cooking.” How do doting praise and esteemed compliments and accolades make you feel?

MR: For me, it is a personal validation that I am on the right path in life. It gives me great satisfaction to see people make positive changes to their diet and lifestyle that result in greater health, a conservation of the earth’s resources, and a more peaceful world.

GALO: There are many hungry, relentless carnivores that may dismiss vegan fusion as another trivial fad. What do you say to critics, who suggest that or say that vegan foods lack flavor and taste?

MR: I understand how challenging it is to break the misconceptions, especially if people have not had positive experiences with vegan food in the past. I know for a fact that vegan cuisine can be of the highest culinary level, appealing to even the most discriminating palates. To critics, I invite them to attend one of my courses, or to try a handful of recipes from some of my cookbooks.

GALO: For those die hard meat eaters, who want to change their feeding habits, what are your suggestions for introducing plant-based foods into their diets without upsetting their digestive systems? What steps should you take to successfully make a permanent change, and become disciplined in a vegan lifestyle?

MR: I would suggest starting slowly. Get creative with salads by adding beans, toasted nuts and seeds, and vegetables that might be new to [you]. Start incorporating some key vegan ingredients like quinoa or grilled or roasted tofu or tempeh. Pick up several vegan cookbooks, venture into vegan restaurants, and discover the ingredients and flavors that work for you.

GALO: I know you were selected to be this year’s head chef at the North American Vegetarian Society 38th annual Vegetarian Summerfest in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Can you give us a tidbit or preview of what to expect?

MR: I am excited about the opportunity to prepare food for over 750 people for a five day period! The NAVS Summerfest is perhaps the longest running Vegetarian Festival in the US, and I look forward to meeting and interacting with some of the leading voices in the vegan movement.

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