| Working in private clubs, we have all seen a number of “fad fashion food trends,” and diets come and go through the swinging kitchen doors. From the cabbage soup diet to the craze of the Atkins diet, catering to our members to meet their demands and whims of the plate is always priority. But vegetarianism is no fad. It has been growing in popularity and separates itself from trends due to its plethora of practitioners (both voluntary and medically and religiously influenced), the growing number of reasons to be a vegetarian, and its shear staying power. Whatever form of vegetarianism our members are choosing, they are choosing for a reason, their lifestyle, and it is permanent. Incorporating vegetarian philosophy and understanding is important for every club and especially the kitchen. Taking the old fallback pasta and tomato sauce dish beyond to meet today’s standards is a must. A great way to start is: - To understand the definitions of vegetarians. If you know what you’re dealing with, you can rise the challenge successfully.
- Communicate with the front of the house. It is vital that both front and back of the house staff understand the guests’ needs and know the right questions to ask vegetarian patrons.
- Have an action plan and set creative standard recipes to meet requests. Proactive planning and organization mean you aren’t scrambling to meet a request that you could have predicted.
Looking for inspiration? Check out Chef Tal Ronnen, who gained his “celebrity” by creating and preparing Oprah Winfrey’s 21 day vegan cleanse and Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi’s vegan wedding feast. As another fabulous source of inspiration, Chef Sarma Melngailis has developed a fine-dining, raw, organic restaurant in New York City “Pure Food & Wine”, going strong since they opened their doors in 2004. They offer such inspiring dishes as: cauliflower couscous with pickled Persian cucumbers, pistachio, almond, dried fruits, mint, Moroccan tomato jus, and another amazing dish offered on their menu is sweet corn and cashew with chili spiced portabella verde, avocado, cashew coconut sour cream, raw cacao mole. Changing the perspective on vegetarian requests may be considered the first step to enlightenment. Instead of looking at it as a frustrating restriction, try thinking of it as the ultimate challenge, a chance to flex your muscles, to really push the V. See also:
About the author: 
Liana Robberecht, Executive Chef, Calgary Petroleum Club, began her training with the Professional Cooking Program at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (Edmonton), passing the Red Seal qualifying examinations in 1995. Chef Liana is passionately committed to regional cuisine, and a farm-to-table philosophy pervades the three kitchens and staff of 45 under her leadership. She has a number of professional memberships under her belt, including the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Board and the SAIT Advisory Committee for the Professional Cooking Program.
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