Great Chefs Cook Vegan - Linda Long [1]
Joanne Black, Francine Epstein, Dusty Stamper, and Josephine Hall have the ability to hone into the bottom line of any situation. I thank them for knowing me so well and setting me straight at strategic moments.
It took love of food to test and make good notes. Joining me in testing and rewriting recipes were brilliant home economist friends Connie Binns, Jane Belt, Ronda Martinez, Sarah Ott (who also involved husband Henry), Judy Lindahl, and Cathy DeVries. Since the chefs were located around the country, some also provided housing, and transportation, and served as photo assistants—beyond the call of duty.
Some recipes required a professional tester, and Carliss Pond soldiered forward in that capacity time after time. Melissa Maly tackled and won when testing the raw vegan offerings. I am very grateful.
The students at Secchia Institute for Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College were enthusiastic to learn while testing some of the food of the great chefs they had only heard about in the media. Huge thanks to Professor Kevin Dunn and his select students who assisted, among them was the now-graduated and talented Joel Boone. I owe special thanks to now-graduated Joshua Siudyla, who tested frequently, sometimes retesting problem recipes, eager to find clearer procedures. I am watching the star futures of these talented chefs-in-the-making. I will always remember them.
Sometimes, I asked vegan chefs to come to my rescue. Thanks to exciting Chef Cathi DiCocoa, masterful Chef Saulau Tupolo, super creative visionary Chef Tal Ronnen, and tireless caterer Chef Del Sroufe and international entrepreneur Chef Chad Sarno.
Some vegan chefs are friends who have their own cookbooks and understood the need to assist me through the process, such as dear friend, the extraordinary Fran Costigan (More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts), whose lusty chocolate cake must be the main event at my birthday each year! Thanks to forever energetic Chef Beverly Lynn Bennent (Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Living), Jill Nussinow (The Veggie Queen) and multi-cookbook author Bryanna Clark Grogan (Nonna’s Italian Kitchen).
American Vegan Society president Freya Dinshah, and cookbook author (The Vegan Kitchen) tested and gave me support in so many ways. North Carolina’s Triangle Vegetarian Society president Dilip Barman not only tested but offered advance publicity on their popular website. Bob “Vegan Bob” Irish, supporter of vegan causes, gave constant encouragement.
A few New York–based students and interns require special accolades when it came to testing, rewriting the tested recipes and incorporating the tester’s notes; I was truly blessed to have found Victoria Fernandez, Berthsy Ayide, and Hannah Hoffman. Amy Mekemson was there to add her help when it really counted. Thanks to the staff at New York University’s Elmer Holmes Bobst Library for some of the great interns.
And sometimes I turned to really good home cooks. Thanks to my sister, Aileen Sharar, and hometown friends Bobbi Boock, and her restaurateur husband, Tom Boock. Thanks to Chef Neil Annis for standing by to solve any culinary questions.
Besides recipes to test there were many photos to take of the wonderful food. Those who were especially interested in photography and worked tirelessly were Anita Lombri, Helene Seligman, and Sarah Jonard. Photographer Mellissa Mallow was endlessly helpful not only in correcting some of my photos but in patiently teaching me some valuable techniques over the phone!
Special thanks to Sandee Garihan, Inger Lonmo, and Diane Fleck for being willing to assist with a restaurant shoot. It would have been difficult without you.
When it comes to retouching photos there is nobody better than photographer Dan Demetriad who saved me in the last moments, and Maria Ferrari who helped me along the way and who deserves every accolade for her fine work as a teacher and photographer. Interns Jarrett Baston often came to my aid as did Kelly Murdoch-Kitt. Oh my! Thank you!
Amie Hamlin and Nathalie Stewart gladly shared their inside information