7 minute read
The Ultimate Experience
New restaurant celebration is not just for vegans
BY SARAH HABER
For the past few years, chef Jason Wyrick of The Vegan Taste and Glendale’s Casa Tera had been wanting to create an experience that showcases vegan cuisine.
When Jozh Watson of Phoenix Vegan suggested they partner to cultivate the ultimate vegan experience in Phoenix, Wyrick knew he could not pass up the opportunity.
“For me, food is about community and bringing people together. Vegan Restaurant Week makes us celebrate the opportunity to do that,” Wyrick says.
From Sunday, Sept. 12, to Saturday, Sept. 18, a multitude of Phoenix restaurants, bakeries and food trucks are banding together to create pre-fi xe plant-based menus during Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week.
Each dining institution will off er its own specialized three- or fi ve-course meal that will continue throughout the week. Wyrick says this experience will allow customers to enjoy plant-based cooking at a fair price.
At fi rst glance, one may think that this week is entirely catered toward the vegan community, when in fact it is the opposite.
Brunch & Sip: Vegan veggie benedict “This week serves a couple diff erent purposes. Nonvegan diners can experience new food,” Wyrick says. “For vegan diners, there are a lot of nonvegan restaurants putting out vegan options. We can expose vegan diners to diff erent restaurants as well as nonvegans Simon’s Hot Dogs: to vegan foods.” Vegan Columbian Fare For many, the ideation of veganism may come across as intimidating or even bland. Wyrick hopes Vegan Restaurant Week will expose vegan cuisine and give restaurantgoers the “push” to step outside of their comfort zones. Wyrick, a plant-based cooking expert, understands the stigma around veganism and hopes to rewrite that narrative. His journey began when he lost more than 100 pounds, defeating diabetes, when he switched to plant-based cooking. In the process, he noticed there were limited vegan recipes that tasted good and were easy to make. Wyrick then taught himself to cook and found that vegan cuisine is handled with more care. Thus, he created his service, The Vegan Taste. “If you can make hummus out of a blender, you can make 50 different dishes,” Wyrick says. Over the years, he has mastered his craft and has noticed that his
Maya’s Cajun Kitchen: Po’Boy
Ground Control: Vegan Chilaquiles
Earth Plant-Based: Vegan Chikn n Waffl es
Vegan Taste: Bratweiler
Vegan...continued from page 20 peers have followed suit. Wyrick explains that food in the Valley is elevating every day and “plant-based is at the forefront.”
In September, attendees can expect a plethora of creative flavorful dishes at a fair price destined to open their mind to a different dining experience.
Wyrick recommends that people come with an open mind and enjoy themselves. After being apart for so long, this week is a chance to bring people together under the best circumstance: food.
“This is just great food,” he says. “We want you to come. Come celebrate food,” he adds.
MORE INFO
What: Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week When: Sunday, September 12, to Saturday, September 18 Where: Various locations throughout the Valley Cost: Various Info: phoenixvegan.com/phxvrw
ADVERTORIAL We’ve Been Doing Reverse Mortgages For Over 30 Years For A Reason… THEY WORK
When Maria and Diego were young, they didn’t think about owning a home, let alone retirement! As they grew older, as we all do, they wanted the American dream, owning a home. That dream for Maria and Diego took hard work. With a good job, paying the bills, mortgage and of course keeping up with the kids, their house is more than just a home. It is the family they’ve built and the life they have lived. It was worth it all.
Now nearing retirement age, they are looking forward to enjoying what they earned. Maria and Diego couldn’t wait to sit back and relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor. But even with all their careful planning, unforeseen events and unexpected expenses diminished the assets they set aside for their retirement. The only realistic option they could see was to sell their retirement home in Sun Lakes. It felt like an impossible task. Luckily, their son, knowing how hard they worked and desired to stay in their home, suggested an alternative; a reverse mortgage. Maria and Diego’s credit card debt were not a part of their retirement plans, but Sun American Mortgage stepped in to help turn a bad situation into an opportunity for them to stay in their home. With 30 years of experience assisting Arizona seniors in similar situations Sun American Mortgage is a leader in the Reverse Mortgage industry. Instead of selling their precious home they worked so hard for in Sun Lakes, Maria and Diego were able to turn to the equity in their own home to pay off their credit card debt and get back on track to retire better.
With their reverse mortgage line of credit, they can take money in and out of their home without recourse. They can make payments on their reverse mortgage if they want to, but also feel safe knowing that in a pinch, no payment is required. They pay their property taxes, homeowners’ insurance and HOA fees as always. Maria and Diego have options. They can simply pay the interest, make a full payment every other month, make two payments every month, or never make a payment again for as long as they live in the house. The reverse mortgage gave them the fl exibility to live the future they dreamed of, even though their retirement plans didn’t go quite as planned, they can… retire better.
Call Sun American Mortgage Company (480)467-1000
or toll-free at 1(800) 469-7383. 4140 E. Baseline Rd., Ste. 206, Mesa, Arizona 85206
An equal housing opportunity company, member of the Better Business Bureau & the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association • Mortgage Banker License #BK7548 • NMLS #160265 Parker Turk: LO-0912436 • NMLS#267132 Rex Duffi n: LO-0911707 • NMLS#169138
2022 TICKET PLANS
ON SALE NOW
