in&out oF th E kitchEn – THe veg eDge™
a “vEgEtarian havEn” in toronto tExt By chEF sara harrEL - oWner oF THe veg ComPAnY
a chef, you must learn about and cook all foods regardless of your personal religious or philosophical beliefs. And usually that means copious amounts of meat, fish, dairy and eggs. But what if you won’t? Mentoring and apprenticeship, a cornerstone of chef training becomes even more essential for those following a different path. So with initiative, passion and gusto, Jillian took her initial training and marched right into Vegetarian Haven restaurant seeking just that. Turns out these are qualities she shares with manager and part owner Ms. Shing Tong. About 25 years ago, Ms. Tong began a life-changing journey after meeting with a Taoist master seeking the guidance we have all sought at one time or another – what do I want to do with my life? The Taoist master shared the philosophy that if one wanted to help one must not kill – and that included a vegetarian diet. Like others, making the decision to become vegetarian was easy; figuring out what to eat was not! So Ms. Tong frequented a local vegetarian restaurant to get food to eat. This inspired her to open her own vegetarian restaurant, to become a ‘haven’ for those who desired to become vegetarian and for those who already were. It has also become a haven for those wishing to pursue a culinary vegetarian career. Accomplished Executive Chef Jack Li gives aspiring vegetarian chefs an opportunity and gentle guidance. Jack is the unassuming driving force behind the culinary creations that have made the “Special of the Day” become the restaurant’s best seller as guests even place advance orders without knowing what it is! Such is the confidence Vegetarian Haven has instilled with its customers that other chefs and restaurants only dream of. For others, Vegetarian Haven incorporates the practice of visually showing diners what’s on the menu by physically plating up the ‘special of the day’.
Recently, during one of the vegetarian courses I teach at the George Brown Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts in Toronto, a student of mine, Jillian Leo excitedly approached me and said she was interviewing for a job at the renowned Vegetarian Haven restaurant. I’m not sure who was more excited – and proud – when she got the job! Another aspiring vegetarian chef was well on her way. Training for vegetarian chefs is a challenge in many countries where there is a deeply entrenched doctrine that if one wishes to become 52 World Association of Chefs societies
The regular menu is enticing to both vegetarians and carnivores alike by offering familiar dishes with meat and seafood substitutes. When creating a dish or during culinary competitions, most chefs first ask ‘what’s the protein’? At Vegetarian Haven, that includes tempeh, seitan, soy, ‘salmon and prawn’ made with soya and konnyaku root flour and tofu cheese. It does not include any animal products like meat, fish, eggs and dairy. It also follows the Buddhist philosophy of omitting garlic, onions and other alums including onions. The result? Clean, vibrant flavours, enticing and satisfying dishes. Voted two years in a row as the city’s best vegetarian restaurant on Dineto.com! Find out why by trying one of Chef Li’s dishes, kindly shared with us.