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-fixe plant-based menus during Phoenix Vegan Restaurant Week. Each dining institution will offer its own specialized three- or five-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 first glance, one may think that this week is entirely catered toward the vegan community, when in fact it is the opposite. “This week serves a couple different purposes. Nonvegan diners can Simon’s Hot Dogs: Vegan Columbian Fare
Brunch & Sip: experience new Vegan veggie benedict food,” Wyrick says. “For vegan diners, there are a lot of nonvegan restaurants putting out vegan options. We can expose vegan diners to different restaurants as well as nonvegans to vegan foods.” For many, the ideation of veganism may come across as intimidating or even bland. Wyrick hopes Vegan Restaurant Week will expose vegan noticed that his peers have followed cuisine and give restaurantgoers the suit. Wyrick explains that food in “push” to step outside of their comfort the Valley is elevating every day and “plant-based is at the forefront.” zones. In September, attendees can expect Wyrick, a plant-based cooking expert, understands the stigma around a plethora of creative flavorful dishes veganism and hopes to rewrite that at a fair price destined to open their narrative. His journey began when he mind to a different dining experience. Wyrick recommends that people lost more than 100 pounds, defeating diabetes, when he switched to plant- come with an open mind and enjoy based cooking. In the process, he no- themselves. After being apart for so ticed there were limited vegan recipes long, this week is a chance to bring that tasted good and were easy to people together under the best cirmake. Wyrick then taught himself to cumstance: food. “This is just great food,” he says. “We cook and found that vegan cuisine is handled with more care. Thus, he cre- want you to come. Come celebrate ated his service, food,” he adds. The Vegan Taste. “If you can make hummus What: Phoenix Vegan Restaurant out of a blender, Week When: Sunday, September 12, you can make 50 to Saturday, September 18 different dishes,” Where: Various locations throughout Wyrick says. the Valley Over the years, Cost: Various he has mastered Info: phoenixvegan.com/phxvrw his craft and has
Ground Control: Vegan Chilaquiles
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Vegan Taste: Bratweiler
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Maya’s Cajun Kitchen: Po’Boy
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SEPTEMBER 2021
Earth Plant-Based: Vegan Chikn n Waffles
Hot Sauce & Pepper: Mambo Califiyah Wings and Fried Rice www.LovinLife.com
