JustVeggiez

from Madison Essentials March/April 2022

From the Publisher

by Kyle Jacobson

Veganism—a word more loaded than a Parrot Head retirement party at Margaritaville. When I was a teenager, the idea of being vegan just didn’t click. I had decades worth of pop culture telling me it was dumb and a waste of effort. In fairness, vegan food in the 90s was failing really hard at trying to be meat; I was just thankful barbeque sauce existed during my first and only vegan Thanksgiving. But that was yesterdecade, and yesterdecade’s gone.

In 2018, JustVeggiez in Madison joined the ranks of those taking on the impossible, recreating meat that the vegan-curious struggle to different from the real thing. When owner/chef James Bloodsaw made the switch to vegan, he found he’d entered snackfood dysphoria. He was an executive chef at Upstairs Downstairs Catering, a job he’d had since 1996, unable to eat his old favorite foods as he prepared and catered them.

“So I started making my [vegan] food and bringing it in,” says James. “And then everybody wanted to try it, so they tried it and said, ‘Wow, this is pretty good. You should be selling this.’” What started off as James making food he could snack on became a mission to perfect his recipes. He was asking people at work to evaluate how close he was to the real thing, no frills.

be his best seller. “People order like 12, 15 drumsticks and some sides. ... Some come back and say, ‘Are you sure that wasn’t chicken?’” He also makes custom barbeque, buffalo, and garlic parmesan sauces.

James is a Chicago native, and though there isn’t a Chicago dog on his menu, there are deep dish pizzas. He even heard his calling for cooking at Chicago’s Reggio’s Pizza when he was 17. Supreme, veggie, or chicken ranch, it’s all on his evolving menu, and he takes pride in each item he adds.

“JustVeggiez is a 100 percent Black, family, vegan catering and vendor service that provides a healthier version of your favorite foods,” says James. Much of what he cooks is meant to be warmed up at home, like his meal plans. For $150 a month, people receive three meals a week to balance out the rest of their diet. Offerings range from Korean BBQ and lasagna to grain bowls and even mac and cheese.

Another testament to the quality of James’ food, “I was at a vegan fest. I make a vegan shrimp po-boy. One of the coordinators here in Madison, I do a whole lot of catering for him, he came back with his mom and said, ‘This is too close to shrimp. We don’t even know if we want it. Are you sure this isn’t shrimp?’”

The above story almost makes it sound like vegans expect vegan food to taste bad. Of course, they may just be saying the flavors of vegan food are distinct, but this is what makes people cheat on their diets. Whether for health, environmental, or moral reasons, every vegan has taken their own journey to choosing veganism—most not for the love of tofu. For James, it comes from family.

“I had a conversation during the winter of 2012 with my late father, James Bloodsaw, Sr., about his health issues. ... ‘Don’t end up like me. Whatever you do.’” James’ dad would die later that year from diabetes, but the conversation set him on a course to take care of his body. Along with exercise, he needed a healthier diet, and veganism spoke to him. Family, including his nine kids, is the largest motivator for James to continue his diet, though it’s an easy decision these days. James gets his children as involved with the business as he can so they not only learn to cook, but about the importance of making healthy choices. One of his daughters even designed the logo. “My daughter made this. It’s real personal. She designed it and everything.”

Collard greens are highlighted in the logo and on the menu. Not a fan of the spring roll, James found that using collard greens instead of rice paper makes them something he enjoys. There’s also the Collard Green Burrito—chipotle hummus, purple sweet potatoes, pico de gallo, microgreens, avocado, lettuce, and sour cream. Initially he wasn’t too sure about it, but customers have made this burrito a menu staple.

The future is looking promising for JustVeggiez. James is working with an architect for a physical location. “I want a place where you can dine in, maybe like

JustVeggiez Famous Vegan Italian Sandwich

five tables, the majority takeout. Also, I want kinda like a patio, so summertime we can do things on the patio.” He envisions different kinds of events, including live music. If everything goes according to plan, you’ll also so be able to find JustVeggiez Italian beef at local grocery stores.

As vegan food has evolved, James would like to also use his space to educate young and veteran chefs about vegan cooking. There’s still a lot of unlocked potential in vegan cooking, and if the food is destined for ubiquity, then it may as well taste good. To that end, customers are coming from all over to try James’ food—some of his regulars coming from Milwaukee. “I did a Christmas meal, and someone came down from Green Bay.”

If you’d have asked James 10 years ago if he’d ever open his own restaurant, he’d have thought you were crazy. But things have changed, and there’s no other way James wants to imagine things panning out. “I just love seeing people try different stuff and enjoying it.” If

Vegan Carolina Reaper Chix Sandwich

something you’re hankering for isn’t on the menu, reach out to JustVeggiez on their Facebook page. James just might take you up on the challenge of making something new that’s as tasty as it is healthy.

Kyle Jacobson is lead writer and senior copy editor for Madison Essentials.

Photographs by Eric Tadsen.

Kyle Jacobson Photograph by Barbara Wilson