The event, at which guests dined on faux scallops (made of seared parsnips), green apple soup and smoked- ricotta-stuffed pasta, was partly an excuse to bring local culinary talent together, Mr. Vivian says, but also to demonstrate how even carnivorous chefs like himself “can also cook vegetables.”
“When you take the crux out of a chef’s repertoire, it causes them to be even more creative than they normally would be,” he says, explaining that cooking without pork belly and duck fat forced him to innovate. “There’s so many things you can do [with vegetables] besides boiling them, cutting them up and serving them.”
While Mr. Vivian’s veggie metamorphosis was temporary, it points to a subtle but significant culinary shift.
Fresh, high-quality produce is edging meats to the side, as a small but growing number of chefs are curbing the use of animal protein and bringing vegetables to the fore, thanks to a greater emphasis on locally farmed produce, on-site restaurant gardens and heirloom varieties.
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