Since there’s a lot of negativity directed at people who don’t eat animals, it’s in the interest of the animal chefs, who have to design restaurant menus that include animal-free (vegan) options for these folks, to grasp the reasons behind their commitment.
Viewing this well-made and respected documentary (Earthlings) helps the animal chef understand the decision they’ve made to abstain from engaging in the enslavement, torture and slaughter of other species by not buying, cooking and eating those who suffer. It is well-known and documented by those who experiment on animals, that they think beyond instinct, raise families, express emotions and feel fear and pain.
Slaughter industries and governments worldwide have traditionally campaigned against those who abstain from eating animals, even going so far as to label them terrorists. It’s not surprising then, that restauranteurs generally treat vegans with disdain given the negative rhetoric circulated through the media. Even Anthony Bourdain (chef, writer and T.V. personality) calls vegans terrorists on his travel shows). I’ve never heard of anybody murdering someone because he/she eats animals, and never heard of a group committing a terrorist act against either civilians or the military of any country because they support the slaughter industries.
However, governments are changing their minds about the ability of the planet to continue to sustain the massive global slaughter machine that has grown beyond what anyone thought it would. As a consequence, the rhetoric of the planners of world economies (supported by governments) is changing in a slowly rapid way in support of vegetarianism – knowing the world isn’t quite ready to give up the dairy and eggs. That’s why nobody balks much these days about a vegetarian, as long as they eat dairy and eggs and sometimes fish and chicken.
For decades vegetarian options appeared on most restaurant menus, no matter the type or size of the restaurant – and they were tasty offerings. I know, because that’s how I started out. Everybody loves a grilled cheese sandwich and fettucini Alfredo, Caesar salad, chocolate cream pie, deep-fried mozzarella sticks, ice-cream and on and on. It’s easy to be a vegetarian and easy to cook for one.
The dairy and egg industries see the handwriting on the wall and are scurrying to put dairy and eggs into everything people consume, so that it will be more difficult to take them out when called to do so. Where will the recipes come from? Certainly not from animal chefs. But the future is the future and those planet preservation wheels are already in motion.
If you’re a chef, sous-chef, or aspire to be either, then it is in your interest to know how to cook animal-free.
When designing your home or restaurant menus it makes logical sense, that if you’re going to have a vegetarian burger on the menu, that you make it animal-free/vegan. That way nobody gets left out. The meat-eaters get the meat burger they want, and the vegetarian and vegan eat the same veggie burger. The vegetarian can still have their cheese and egg on top of the veggie burger, not in it. Then offer a nondairy cheese alternative to the vegan. A drizzle cheese or a shredded or sliced cheese.
That’s just one example of one sandwich. And some restaurants have agreed to do at least that, so that when going to that restaurant, the patron has one option and only one option. Boring to say the least.
Any restaurant that serves animal-free vegans should have an an animal-free appetizer, soup, salad, salad dressing, main dish, dessert and breakfast on the menu. In other words, an animal-free option in every category on the menu. If you only serve sandwiches, or only pizzas, then you need two or three animal-free options. Tasty options.
A lot of meat-eaters, however, are trying the new meatless or vegan options in the market. And there’s a ton of them out there. Their doctors tell them to cut back on meat, cheese and eggs, and they want something tasty – not a salad with oil and vinegar on it. Especially when eating out, which the world loves to do, they want something special, something they can look forward to. Factor in the large number of people, whether meat-eaters or not, who are allergic to dairy and eggs, and it makes one wonder why the rush to add dairy and eggs to nearly all we consume.
Remember, not all meat-eaters want all meat all the time. They’ll eat the animal-free/vegan options if they’re good. It’s up to the chef to make them good.
On the other hand, many vegans won’t eat out at all, because there’s nothing out there for them. That means dollars lost. Most vegans aren’t poor. Further, when friends and family of the vegan have to go out without them, they’re not happy either. They’re not fully enjoying the occasion, knowing that Mary or Joe are sitting home alone.
The numbers are growing rapidly as heads turn toward rescuing the planet – it is our only home after-all!
The future, your future, is here. Change is happening rapidly. Embrace it. Be prepared. Learn to cook without animals. You’ll be the one others turn to for the knowledge and the teaching as the mammoth task of rescuing the planet accelerates.
Earthlings isn’t easy to watch, even though the documentary is professionally done. When you feel discomfort, you’ll know why, for moral reasons, vegans don’t eat animals. Respect that decision, even if you don’t agree. Then cook them an animal-free meal to savor!
Watch or purchase Earthlings > https://vimeo.com/ondemand/earthlings/95571304
WE’RE ALL EARTHLINGS!
A restaurant that does not have an animal-free vegan option, might as well have a sign posted out front: WE DON’T SERVE VEGANS.
A restaurant that has only salad greens, oil and vinegar and/or plain white rice, might as well have a sign posted out front: WE DON’T SERVE VEGANS.
Prejudice and discrimination are growing against vegans. Be above that. They’re the ones who will save your dog, when the economy tanks and people start stealing people’s pets to eat.
~ Sharon Lee Davies-Tight
ANIMAL-FREE SOUS-CHEF™ 