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Fill a small chilled glass with the Spearmint Ice and top with a sprig of mint. Set on opposite side of the plate. Garnish plate with sea salt and cacao nibs.

Bradford Thompson

“Preparing special vegan dishes was difficult at first and a challenge. Now, I am rethinking the way I cook. I realized that by using one ingredient in a few preparations, I could create layers of flavor and texture.”

Bradford Thompson creates luxurious French food with a modern edge using the highest quality ingredients. Growing up in New England, his summers on the coast of Maine ignited a culinary passion and his aspiration to become one of the top chefs in the country. After several years at Max-a-Mia and Max-on-Main in Hartford, Connecticut, he moved west to Phoenix to work under award-winning chef Vincent Guerithault at Vincent’s on Camelback. He learned classic French cooking with a southwestern twist and continued to pursue career-defining tutelages with celebrated chef Alex Stratta at Mary Elaine’s at the Phoenician and legendary chef Daniel Boulud.

Thompson’s five years with chef Daniel Boulud in New York included working on two cookbooks, opening Café Boulud and DB Bistro Moderne, and handling private dining for Restaurant Daniel. Thompson has been featured on the Food Network, The Today Show, and in Gourmet, Bon Appétit, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. After leaving New York, he returned to Phoenix to take the helm at Mary Elaine’s and scored some of the most coveted industry awards such as the prestigious AAA Five-Diamond award and the Mobile 5-star award, and where he was named one of the ten Best New Chefs in Food & Wine magazine in 2004. In 2005, he was named Outstanding Chef of the Year by Share Our Strength; in 2006, he was inducted into the Scottsdale Culinary Hall of Fame and named James Beard Foundation Best Chef: Southwest.

Celery Root Soup and Celery Apple Salad with Almonds

Serves 6 to 8

Celery Root Soup

1-1/2 whole onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 leek, rinsed and thinly sliced

1 cup thinly sliced fennel

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 russet potato, thinly sliced

3 pounds celery root, peeled and diced

1 quart vegetable stock

2 cups almond milk, plain and unsweetened

To make the Celery Root Soup: In a large heavy-bottomed saucepot, sweat the onions in oil until tender. Add leek, fennel, and garlic, continuing to sweat until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Add potato, celery root, and vegetable stock. Cook over medium heat for 1 hour, or until tender. Add almond milk and remove from heat; allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Celery Root Salad

2 heads celery root, 2 cups grated with remainder diced for purée

1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk

1 green apple, grated

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup crushed Marcona almonds

To make the Celery Root Salad: Place diced celery root and coconut milk into a heavy ziplock freezer bag and seal tightly. Place in a pot of simmering water (about 150 degrees F) and cook, covered, over low heat for 2 hours, or until tender; cool slightly. Remove celery root mixture from bag and purée in a high-speed blender, adding just enough coconut milk to create a smooth purée; set aside.

Blanch grated celery root and apple for 1 minute; drain and cool immediately in ice water. Drain again. Add purée to apple and celery root mixture to a desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in almonds before serving.

Garnishes

Celery root, sliced into paper-thin rounds and fried in 325-degree F oil until lightly browned

1/2 cup apple butter

Celery leaves

1 green apple, unpeeled and julienned (see note)

1/4 cup Marcona almonds, coarsely crushed

How to Plate: Serve Celery Root Soup in a demitasse and top with a few of the fried celery root chips. Place cup on one side of a thin rectangular plate. Spread a spoonful of apple butter across the opposite side of the plate and place