The Culinary Institute of America

Suzie Kang, Grocery Category Manager at Baldor Specialty Foods, a leading East Coast foodservice distributor, oversees the pricing, assortment, and sourcing of olive oils. She works closely with chefs to understand exactly what they’re looking for—whether it’s a medium-bodied, versatile oil, one from a specific country of origin, or a beautifully packaged bottle perfect for the table.

In this conversation with Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne, director of the Extra Virgin Alliance, Suzie shares insights into retail trends in olive oil, including the rise of plastic squeeze bottles and the growing practice of including harvest dates on pac...

Lisa McManus, Executive Editor of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews, first dove into the world of olive oil while researching an article in 2006—and has been exploring its flavors and qualities ever since.

In this conversation with Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne, director of the Extra Virgin Alliance, Lisa discusses how to educate the public about the different varieties and qualities of extra virgin olive oil. They also explore the potential of social media to reach younger audiences and share the importance of understanding that olive oil is a fresh, perishable product that should be appreciated for its flavor and...

Jane Black, a Washington, DC–based food writer known for her coverage of culinary trends and the evolving world of olive oil, joins Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne, director of the Extra Virgin Alliance, for a conversation about how consumer understanding of olive oil has changed in recent years.

Jane discusses the growing interest in quality, transparency, and origin, as well as the important role chefs play in telling the story behind the olive oil they choose for their restaurants.

This video was produced by The Culinary Institute of America as an industry service to the International Ol...

Chef Dominica Rice Cisneros is the owner of Bombera, a celebrated Mexican restaurant in Oakland's Dimond District, known for its Chicana heritage cooking, wood-fired techniques, and focus on community and local ingredients. 

She talks about cooking with lard, butter, and corn oil as a child, and discovering olive oil when she started working in Bay Area restaurants in the 1980s. Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne is the director of Extra Virgin Alliance, and interviews Chef Dominica about how she incorporates California olive oils into her Mexican cuisine.

This video was produced by The Culinary Institute of America a...

Join award-winning author, pastry chef, and chocolate authority Alice Medrich as she explores the surprising—and delicious—role of extra virgin olive oil in desserts. From boosting moisture in a Chocolate Marble Pound Cake to intensifying citrus notes in a mandarin olive oil icing, Alice explains how olive oil can transform classic recipes.

She’s joined by Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne, director of the Extra Virgin Alliance, for a conversation about when and why you should substitute olive oil for melted butter. Together, they discuss how using high-quality olive oil can elevate flavor, improve texture, and even make your f...

Discover how Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of the legendary Zingerman’s Delicatessen, helped introduce specialty foods—and especially *extra virgin olive oil*—to the Midwest back in the 1980s, long before it became a pantry staple. In this conversation, Ari reflects on how customer tastes have evolved over the decades and how a new appreciation for high-quality olive oil has transformed the market.

He’s joined by Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne, director of the Extra Virgin Alliance, who offers insight into what it takes to build consumer understanding, foster appreciation, and create real value for authentic extra virgin olive oil.

Chef Heena Patel from Besheram restaurant in San Francisco describes her dish of watermelon khichdi as the “mac n’ cheese of Gujarat,” her home state in India. That’s because this dish is the quintessential comfort food of her childhood, and a staple in many Indian households.

Khichdi is a healthy and hearty Indian dish made with rice and moong lentils. Pureed watermelon flesh, as well as the rind is used to add flavor and texture to make the khichdi. Topped with pickled garlic, mango, onions, chilies, peanuts, and cubed watermelon, this one-pot meal is deeply savory, deliciou...

Raita is the cooling counterpoint to many spicy Indian dishes. This yogurt-based sauce is often made with cucumber, but in this version Chef Heena Patel from Besheram restaurant in San Francisco makes the sauce with cubed watermelon. Cucumbers and watermelon are in the same family and can often be used interchangeably in recipes.  

Get the Watermelon Raita recipe here.

Muthiya is a traditional Gujarati dumpling from India, enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack—and a childhood favorite of Chef Heena Patel from Besheram restaurant in San Francisco. These watermelon muthiyas are made with a mixture of chickpea, millet, and corn flours, as well as shredded watermelon flesh, rind, and juice—so there is no wasted watermelon! The dumplings are steamed and served with watermelon raita as a dipping sauce.

Get the Watermelon Muthiya recipe here.

Bhel is one of India’s most beloved street foods, famous for its bold mix of sweet, sour, tangy, spicy, and crunchy elements. Join us as Chef Heena Patel of Besharam in San Francisco creates watermelon bhel—a colorful salad made with juicy watermelon flesh and crisp rind, puffed rice, sev, red onion, and a duo of chutneys: date-tamarind and mint-cilantro. Inspired by flavors from her hometown in Gujarat, India, this vibrant dish captures the playful spirit of bhel while highlighting seasonal ingredients.

Get the recipe for Watermelon Bhel here.

Chef Toni Sakaguchi from the Culinary Institute of America shares a quick and delicious recipe designed to keep athletes energized: the Peanut Butter Protein Power Smoothie. Peanut butter aids athlete recovery by providing protein and other essential nutrients that help repair muscle damage, replenish energy stores, and reduce inflammation. Whether you’re training, recovering, or just looking for a nutritious snack, this smoothie is a simple and satisfying way to fuel your body.

Get the Peanut Butter Smoothie recipe here.

Chef Mai Pham, owner of Star Ginger in Sacramento, shares how peanuts—known in Vietnam as dau phong—are an essential ingredient woven into countless dishes, from sauces and toppings to braises and even desserts.

In this episode, she prepares Claypot Braised Lemongrass Chicken with Peanuts (Gà Kho Sả Đậu Phộng), a fragrant and comforting dish that blends tender chicken with the nutty richness of peanuts. Simmered slowly in a claypot, it delivers the perfect balance of savory, salty, sweet, and smoky flavors.

We’re also joined by Mason Becker, a peanut farmer from Texas, who hig...

Feeding thousands of kids every day is no easy task—but school nutrition professionals are up for the challenge! In this video, Chef Aaron Smith, Director of Culinary Services for Seattle Public Schools, shares his creative Peanut Butter Toast Bar concept: a fun, customizable option designed to keep students excited about school meals.

He’s joined by Angela Gomez, RDN, SNS, who specializes in making meals both nutritious and kid-approved. Angela also explains how schools can safely manage meal modifications and communicate clearly about peanut allergies.

Together, they build peanut butter toast with a lineup of t...

The combination of rose and pistachio is a classic flavor combination that appears in a myriad of desserts all around Europe. From Mahalebi in Cypress, Rožata in Croatia, and panna cotta alla rosa in Italy. Chef Rebecca Peizer from The Culinary Institute of America was inspired to deconstruct this dessert and make her own updated version using products from all over Europe, such as Croatian Rose Hip Jam and Italian Pistachio cream (Pistacchio Verde di Bronte PDO). This milk pudding with rose is light, refreshing, and a perfect summer night treat.

Get the Rose Pudding recipe h...

One of the most delicious and iconic comfort foods in the European Union is moussaka and its many variations, depending on where it is made. Moussaka is cousins with the shepherd’s pie, and is a layered eggplant or potato-based dish, often including ground meat, tomato, and a top layer of custardy béchamel sauce. In this same spirit, Chef Rebecca Peizer from The Culinary Institute of America reimagines this iconic dish by using ingredients from all over the European Union.

Get the Moussaka recipe here.

This dish is a fresh, modern nod to a beloved classic from Central and Eastern Europe: cabbage and noodles. Chef Rebecca Peizer from The Culinary Institute of America reimagines and elevates the dish by using tagliatelle egg pasta with cuttlefish Ink for a briny, coastal twist. This pasta dish is a snapshot of European culinary traditions, blending Eastern European comfort with Mediterranean vibrancy in a way that feels both familiar and refreshingly new.

Get the recipe at: https://www.ciaprochef.com/european-products/seasonal-cabbage-and-noodles/

Chef Rebecca Peizer from The Culinary Institute of America shows us how to make her own updated and elevated version of a dish inspired by Sweden’s Rotfruktsgryta, and Germany’s Leipziger Allerlei. This medley of late harvest vegetables Like EU-certified Organic French peas and Polish green beans, and Spanish Asparagus known as Esparrago de Navarra PGI, all paired in a buttery sauce alongside fluffy dumplings and the German sausage Nürnberger Rostbratwürste PGI. This dish is a perfect way to highlight the bounty of what is available during spring.

Get the Late Harvest recipe here!

Chilled soups using summer ingredients can be found all over the European Union, from France's vichyssoise, Spain’s gazpacho and salmorejo, Bulgarian Tarator, and German Kalte Gurkensuppe. Chef Rebecca Peizer from The Culinary Institute of America shows us her take on a chilled tomato soup – a light, bright, and flavorful soup that uses high-quality pantry staples.

Get the Chilled Summer Soup recipe here.

Chef Vinay Kumar shows us how to prepare Kerala Jackfruit Curry: Chakka Aviyal. "Chakka" means jackfruit in Malayalam, a language spoken in Kerala, and "Aviyal" is a popular curry dish from Kerala. Chef Vinay prepares his recipe at Coconut Lagoon at CGH Experience Hotels in Kumarakom, India. This dish reflects the vibrant plant-forward culinary traditions of the Kuttanad region in Southern India.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Join Chef Vinay Kumar At the Coconut Lagoon in Kumarakom, India, as he explains how to prepare this South Indian classic dish: Kumarakom Green Lentil Dal. This dish is made using a blend of split green lentil, bananas, jaggery, cashews, raisins and black sesame seeds, and ginger.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Coconut Moilee is a dish with history that dates back to the 16th century. Chef Vinay Kumar at Marari Beach in Kerala, India tells us about how the dish was originally developed to appeal to the tastes of Portuguese traders who couldn’t tolerate the spices of Indian cuisine. The dish is believed to have been created by a local woman named Moily, who diluted a curry with coconut milk. The Portuguese were so pleased that they named the dish after her, and versions of the dish are now popular throughout India, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Watch the fu...

Chef Vinay Kumar shows us how to prepare Ridge Gourd Pollichathu at the beautiful CGH Earth Marari Beach property, in Kerala, India. A ridge gourd is known for its nutritional benefits, and resembles a cucumber or zucchini with ridges. The ridge gourd is marinated in spices, then cooked with a masala sauce wrapped in a banana leaf. 

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Moringa, also known as a drumstrick tree, is known for its nutritious leaves and pod-like vegetables. At Marari Beach, in Kerala, India, we learn how to make Muringakka Nirachu Kettiyathu. This dish is made by blanching and pan frying stuffed moringa pieces. Dressed with yogurt, chili, fried moringa leaves and crispy papadam.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

In the dish Mongala Puraschetti, Chef Saiju Thomas prepares a dish emblematic of the flavors of Kerala: Mongala Puraschetti. He sautés mangos and prepares a flavorful sauce with grated coconut, turmeric, bitter yogurt, and water.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

At the historic Brunton Boatyard Hotel, located in the city of Kochi, in Kerala, India, Chef Deepak Sundaram shows us how to prepare Padavalanga Thoran, a sauté of snake gourd and red spinach. A thoran is a dry vegetable dish from Northern Kerala that combines vegetables, spices, and grated fresh coconut. The thoran is served alongside rice and curry.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

The southern Indian state of “Kerala” literally means “the house of coconut” and fittingly, Kerala's culinary traditions are deeply rooted in the use of coconut. Join Chef Deepak Sundaram at Brunton Boatyard Hotel, located in the city of Kochi, in Kerala, India, on this cooking demonstration of Kumbalanga Paal Curry, a dish made with ash gourd, mango and coconut.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Chef Deepak Sundaram shows us one of the signature dishes of CGH Brunton Boatyard in Kerala, India: roasted shallots with fish. Before grilling, the fish is marinated with a paste made from lemon and garlic and stuffed with sauteed shallots and tamarind.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

At her cooking school in Fort Kochi, India, Nimmy Paul shows us how to prepare Kerala Okra Mappas, a dish she learned how to make from her mother. Nimmy Paul teaches cooking classes from her home, specializing in the distinctive cuisine of Kerala and her Syrian Christian community. She starts by sautéing onions, garlic, ginger and curry leaves. She toasts masala curry paste, adds coconut milk, and gently simmers the okra. She finishes the dish with coconut cream.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Prepare a nutritious banana blossom thoran with Nimmy Paul, who teaches cooking classes from her home, and specializes in the cuisine of Kerala and her Syrian Christian community. Thoran is a dry, stir-fried dish of vegetables and coconut from South India. In this dish, Nimmy Paul shows us how to utilize all parts of the banana blossom– the petals, the baby immature bananas, and the heart– stir fried with curry leaves and spices.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Chef Nimmy Paul demonstrates 'conscious cooking' in her demonstration of Availas Pavakka Perapattichathu. Nimmy Paul teaches cooking classes from her home, and specializes in the cuisine of Kerala and her Syrian Christian community. In this dish she cooks bitter melon in a clay pot with Malabar tamarind, freshly grated coconut, shallots, green chili, curry leaves, and coconut oil.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Just outside of Fort Kochi, in the southern state of Kerala, India, cooking school teacher, Nimmy Paul, shows us how to prepare eggplant molee. Nimmy Paul teaches cooking classes from her home, specializing in the distinctive cuisine of Kerala and her Syrian Christian community. A molee is a creamy, coconut-based stew, originating from the Kerala region of Southern India, typically featuring a blend of spices, coconut milk, curry leaves. In this flavorful vegan dish, she simmers together whole black peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, garlic, ginger, chili, eggplant, tomatoes and coconut cream.

Watch the full documentary and find...

Chef Nimmy Paul reflects on the culinary ethos that has informed her career as a cooking teacher in Kerala, India. She has dedicated her life to showing her students and guests the nuances of south Indian cooking at her cooking school, Nimmy & Paul, where she focuses almost entirely on plant-based dishes.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Indian pickles, called achaar, are a centuries-old tradition. Indian pickles are preserved in oil, spices, and salt, unlike vinegar-based western-style pickles. Indian food historian, Jonty Rajagopalan, brings us on a street food tour of Hyderabad's pickle shops, which offer a wide range of preserved delicacies, from lemon lime pickles, green mango pickles, and mixed vegetable pickles. It is believed that spicy foods in hot weather help regulate body temperature, and that pickles replenish lost salts – not only delicious, pickles are a functional food!

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/in...

Indian food historian, Jonty Rajagopalan, brings us on a street food tour of Hyderabad's chaat stalls. Chaat literally means “to lick” and is a popular snack in India, known for its balance of spicy, tangy, sweet, and salty flavors. Learn about how chaat is intended to activate every part of the tongue.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

For a taste of dosa, we visit a roadside stand near the Ghansi Bazar in Hyderabad, India. Food historian, Jonty Rajagopalan, introduces us to Govind Ji, who prepares dosas with his blend of semolina millet flours, topped with his special masala. Dosa are savory crepes that originated in South India and are traditionally enjoyed for breakfast, but have become so popular that they are now enjoyed throughout the day.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

In Hyderabad, India, we visit a local street food vendor who shapes jowar roti, or sorghum flatbread, by hand. The low-glycemic, gluten-free flatbread is made with the flour of drought-resistant sorghum. It is a versatile flatbread often eaten with lentil curries, chutneys, or vegetable gravy dishes. 

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Terrassen Cafe, Hyderabad, India's first vegan cafe, showcases its signature dish, Jackfruit Biryani, made in a traditional clay pot. The dish features steamed rice seasoned with cashew curd, turmeric, and pepper, sealed, and baked to crispy perfection.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

At vegan eatery, Terrassen Cafe in Hyderabad, India, owner Brinda Poojary, shows us how they make their vegan flatbread. Topped with vegan cashew cheese, tomato sauce, mushrooms, and tofu, Brinda wanted to create a vegan pizza just as delicious as any meat and dairy pizza out there

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

At Simply South Restaurant in Hyderabad, India, Master Chef Chalapathi Rao shows us his millet dumplings and curry. Millet is a gluten-free ancient grain. The millet flour is cooked into a paste with ghee, then formed into balls. These are served with a curry of lentils and greens.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Master Chef Chalapathi Rao demonstrates his mixed vegetable curry at his restaurant, Simply South, in Hyderabad, India. He starts with fried tomato sauce, cashew paste, chopped spiced onions, chopped spinach, dried fenugreek, and a finish of cream.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Master Chef Chalapathi Rao talks about the importance of vegetables in south Indian cooking at his restaurant, Simply South, in Hyderabad, India. He specializes in traditional vegetarian cuisine of the five southern states of India, always using seasonally available produce.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Join the team at Google’s Hyderabad, India campus, as they create this delicious and wholesome Vegetable Haleem. A haleem is a stew, traditionally made by slow-cooking meat, lentils, and spices, popular in South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia. This vegetarian version of haleem replaces the meat with a mix of vegetables, and uses whole grain millet to replace polished grains.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Google’s Hyderabad, India campus strives for zero waste in its dining services. Executive Chef Pavan Kumar, shows how he uses the leftover peels of carrots and beets to make vegetable kofta. Kofta are a type of meatball found in South and Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. In this more healthful version, the kofta is baked rather than fried, and made with a blend of spiced vegetables in place of ground meat.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

The dining services at the Google campus in Hyderabad, India, promote balanced food choices that emphasize a plant-forward diet inspired by India's culinary heritage. Google focuses on intuitive healthy options, sustainable hydration, and healthier cooking practices. It prioritizes local produce and bold flavors while striving for zero waste. Chaitanya Uppaluri and Sebastian Schwitzer from the culinary team at Google bring us behind the scenes of the Hyderabad Google campus kitchens to give us an inside look at Google’s food choice architecture.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org...

Discover the rich culinary heritage of south India and the power of plant-forward cuisine as we learn about the ingredients and dishes that make this region unique. Join us on a journey through "The Plant-Forward Kitchen: South India” as we explore the kitchens of Kerala and Telangana.

Kerala is located in the southwest corner of India on the Malabar Coast, famous for its tropical palm tree-lined beaches and canals. Known as the "Land of Spices," Kerala played a key role in the spice trade with Europe as well as with many ancient civilizations. We also explore the ca...

This Mexican-inspired almond toffee has a crunch and a bite! Made with almond butter, cinnamon, and chili pepper-infused caramel coated with extra dark chocolate, this tasty treat features the flavors of a Mexican hot chocolate. Robert Jorin was a baking and pastry instructor at the Culinary Institute of America's California campus for more than 25 years, and shows us how to make this fun twist on a toffee.

Find the recipe at: https://www.ciaprochef.com/almondbutter/toffee

These caramelized almond and almond butter bonbons are a luxurious blend of crunchy caramelized almonds and silky almond butter encased in a milk chocolate shell. Robert Jorin was a baking and pastry instructor at the Culinary Institute of America's California campus for more than 25 years. These chocolates are inspired by a confection called nusstorte that are popular in chef’s home town of Davos in Eastern Switzerland. He was the third generation to work in his family bakery there, and the chocolates are a nostalgic and classic flavor of the Swiss Alps.

Find the recipe at: https://ww...

Alfajores de Maicena are deliciously light and melt-in-the-mouth Argentine cookie sandwiches filled with dulce de leche. Anissa Dann is the chef and owner of Wicked Good Plants, a vegan baking and pastry company based out of Napa, CA, and shows us how she makes a vegan version of this beloved Argentinian cookie. In her California-style cookie, she replaces the dulce de leche filling with a decadent almond butter and date caramel.

Find the recipe at: https://www.ciaprochef.com/almondbutter/alfajores

These smoked almond butter and peach bourbon chocolates blend smoky almond butter with the bright sweetness of ripe peaches and the oaky warmth of bourbon, all encased in dark chocolate. Anissa Dann is the chef and owner of Wicked Good Plants, a vegan baking and pastry company based out of Napa, CA, and she loves coming up with ideas that are both familiar and unexpected for her customers. In these confections, she took the nostalgic flavors of peanut butter and jelly, and gave them an unexpected and elevated twist.

Find the recipe at: https://www.ciaprochef.com...

This plant-based version of double decker fudge has a layer of rich chocolate fudge on the bottom and almond butter fudge on top. Anissa Dann is the chef/owner of Wicked Good Plants, a vegan baking and pastry company based out of Napa, CA. This recipe brings back some favorite memories of her childhood in Maine, where she used to enjoy the fudge sold at a local apple orchard near her home. Her vegan version of this childhood favorite still has the silky mouthfeel and decadence of a traditional fudge.

Find the recipe at: https://www.ciaprochef...

Welcome to the Almond Butter and Chocolate Master Class Series, a collaboration between the Almond Board of California, and the Culinary Institute of America. In this series, Robert Jorin, retired baking and pastry instructor from the Culinary Institute of America, and Anissa Dann, the vegan chef/owner of Wicked Good Plants, show us how they create chocolate confections using almond butter.

Learn more and find recipes at: https://www.ciaprochef.com/almondbutter

Antonia Trichopoulou, nutrition epidemiologist from Academy of Athens, is a pioneer in the study of the health effects of the Mediterranean diet and has even been called the mother of the Mediterranean Diet. She is a Professor Emerita of the School of Medicine of the University of Athens and the President of the Hellenic Health Foundation. She was also a member of the Academy of Athens and the Federation of European Nutrition Societies, serving as its president.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

International ambassador of Greek gastronomy, Mediterranean Diet and Longevity Expert, Celebrity Chef Maria Loi reflects on her relationship to Olive Oil through her love of cooking, Greek heritage, and rural upbringing. We learn the most unexpected ways to celebrate Olive Oil in day to day life. Watch the rest of the IOC series to learn more about this permanent crop from a diverse group of olive oil experts, chefs, scientists and growers.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

Samantha Dorsey, President of McEvoy Ranch, shares insights about the 550-acre certified organic property in Petaluma, California. The ranch, founded by Nan McEvoy, specializes in extra virgin and flavored olive oils while promoting sustainability and soil health. Watch the rest of the IOC series to learn more about this permanent crop from a diverse group of olive oil experts, chefs, scientists and growers.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

Rosa Vano is the owner and commercial manager of Castillo De Caneno, a Virgin Olive Oil producer in the south of Spain. She explores the vast and important industry growth she has witnessed during her career in Olive Oil; from flavor profiles, varietals, and geographical expansion. Learn why Rosa urges consumers to think about their health first when considering sustainability.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

Professor Rosa Lamuela of University of Barcelona talks antioxidants, the distinction between different kinds of Olive Oil and analyzes varieties of fat. Watch the rest of the IOC series to learn more about this permanent crop from a diverse group of olive oil experts, chefs, scientists and growers.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

Maria Raquel Lucas, Professor, University of Evora, Breaks down the logistics of Olive Oil production, quality and sustainability. She dissects the meaning of ‘sustainability’ through the intersection of soil, water efficiency, energy and waste management and human resource management. Watch the rest of the IOC series to learn more about this permanent crop from a diverse group of olive oil experts, chefs, scientists and growers.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

Kiki Zinoviadou, Dean of Perrotis College and food scientist tells us about the increase in demand for Olive Oil and the potential for further expansion into sustainability efforts through changes in packaging and regenerative agriculture. Watch the rest of the IOC series to learn more about this permanent crop from a diverse group of olive oil experts, chefs, scientists and growers.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

Joseph R. Profaci, Executive Director at North American Olive Oil Association, tells us why he believes Olive Oil has the holy trinity - health, taste and sustainability. He explains why he believes education and consumer awareness is essential to the future of Olive Oil. Watch the rest of the IOC series to learn more about this permanent crop from a diverse group of olive oil experts, chefs, scientists and growers.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

Chef and Environmental Consultant Jehangir Mehta joins us for a conversation at the International Olive Conference where he explores Olives through the lens of versatility and mindfulness. Watch the rest of the IOC series to learn more about this permanent crop from a diverse group of olive oil experts, chefs, scientists and growers.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

Join us in a conversation with Director of the UC Davis Olive Center, Javier Fernandez Salvador who discusses the ethos of the International Olive Conference and why he believes Olives are an important crop for the future of humanity. Watch the rest of the IOC series to learn more about this permanent crop from a diverse group of olive oil experts, chefs, scientists and growers.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

Olive Growing Specialist and Professor of Fruit Tree Science Ricardo Gucci joins us in a discussion about Polyphenolics, accessibility and sustainability of Olives. Watch the rest of the IOC series to learn more about this permanent crop from a diverse group of olive oil experts, chefs, scientists and growers.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

Deputy Executive Director of the International Olive Council, Abderraouf Laajimi believes Olive Groves are part of a solution to climate change impact. Learn why: Watch the rest of the IOC series to learn more about this permanent crop from a diverse group of olive oil experts, chefs, scientists and growers.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/olive-oil-and-the-plant-forward-kitchen

Join Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne in conversation about olive oil. Alexandra is the director of Extra Virgin Alliance, the specialty section of the North American Olive Oil Association, working with olive oil producers and experts to foster appreciation and create value in the market for authentic extra virgin olive oil. Devarenne provides an academic perspective on sustainability and the future of consumer awareness. Watch the rest of the IOC series to learn more about this permanent crop from a diverse group of olive oil experts, chefs, scientists and growers.

Find recipes, videos and more information at https://www...

These caramelized almond and almond butter bonbons are a luxurious blend of crunchy caramelized almonds and silky almond butter encased in a milk chocolate shell. Robert Jorin was a baking and pastry instructor at the Culinary Institute of America's California campus for more than 25 years. These chocolates are inspired by a confection called nusstorte that are popular in chef’s home town of Davos in Eastern Switzerland. He was the third generation to work in his family bakery there, and the chocolates are a nostalgic and classic flavor of the Swiss Alps.

Find the recipe at: https://ww...

This Mexican-inspired almond toffee has a crunch and a bite! Made with almond butter, cinnamon, and chili pepper-infused caramel coated with extra dark chocolate, this tasty treat features the flavors of a Mexican hot chocolate. Robert Jorin was a baking and pastry instructor at the Culinary Institute of America's California campus for more than 25 years, and shows us how to make this fun twist on a toffee.

Find the recipe at: https://www.ciaprochef.com/almondbutter/toffee

These smoked almond butter and peach bourbon chocolates blend smoky almond butter with the bright sweetness of ripe peaches and the oaky warmth of bourbon, all encased in dark chocolate. Anissa Dann is the chef and owner of Wicked Good Plants, a vegan baking and pastry company based out of Napa, CA, and she loves coming up with ideas that are both familiar and unexpected for her customers. In these confections, she took the nostalgic flavors of peanut butter and jelly, and gave them an unexpected and elevated twist.

Find the recipe at: https://www.ciaprochef.com...

This plant-based version of double decker fudge has a layer of rich chocolate fudge on the bottom and almond butter fudge on top. Anissa Dann is the chef/owner of Wicked Good Plants, a vegan baking and pastry company based out of Napa, CA. This recipe brings back some favorite memories of her childhood in Maine, where she used to enjoy the fudge sold at a local apple orchard near her home. Her vegan version of this childhood favorite still has the silky mouthfeel and decadence of a traditional fudge.

Find the recipe at: https://www.ciaprochef...

Alfajores de Maicena are deliciously light and melt-in-the-mouth Argentine cookie sandwiches filled with dulce de leche. Anissa Dann is the chef and owner of Wicked Good Plants, a vegan baking and pastry company based out of Napa, CA, and shows us how she makes a vegan version of this beloved Argentinian cookie. In her California-style cookie, she replaces the dulce de leche filling with a decadent almond butter and date caramel.

Find the recipe at: https://www.ciaprochef.com/almondbutter/alfajores

Welcome to the Almond Butter and Chocolate Master Class Series, a collaboration between the Almond Board of California, and the Culinary Institute of America. In this series, Robert Jorin, retired baking and pastry instructor from the Culinary Institute of America, and Anissa Dann, the vegan chef/owner of Wicked Good Plants, show us how they create chocolate confections using almond butter.

You will learn the inspiration and technique behind the confections they developed, including Caramelized Almond and Almond Butter Bonbons, Mexican Almond Roca infused with chili oil, Double Decker Fudge, Smoked Almond and Bourbon Peach Chocolates, and...

Indian food historian, Jonty Rajagopalan, and her friend, Rashmi share their recipe for khandvi, a beloved Gujarati snack made from chickpea flour. The process starts with creating a gluten-free chickpea flour batter, with buttermilk, ginger chili paste, and spices. Constant stirring is essential to achieve a smooth, thick consistency. After cooking, the mixture cools before being shaped on the kitchen countertop. The dough is then cut, rolled, and topped with spices to create soft, melt-in-your-mouth treats.

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https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/india

Charcuterie boards are a visually stunning and versatile shared appetizer that have recently grown in popularity. They have also evolved far beyond meat and cheese boards. This beautiful vegetarian “charcuterie” board includes pastrami-cured portobello mushrooms, smoked peppered beets, smoked celeriac and wild mushroom terrine, pickled vegetables, tomato chutney, and more. You don’t need to make an entirely vegan board like this one, but adding just some of these plant-based elements to a traditional charcuterie board makes it much more plant-forward and unique for your guests.

Get the Vegan Charcuterie Board recipe here!

Get the Loaded Smashed Potatoes recipe here!

This entrée features vegetarian “scallops” made from celeriac cut into pucks, and served with a creamy saffron sauce and crisp slaw. The colorful presentation and unexpected flavors of this dish make it an exciting plant-based entrée option for your guests.

Get the Vegetarian “Scallops” of Celeriac recipe here!

This beautiful plant-based flatbread is topped with beet hummus, grilled and fried eggplant, and a tahini aioli sauce. The delicious combination of flavors on this flatbread offer a nice balance of earthy flavors and creamy textures. This flatbread can be served as an individual entree or also as a shared starter.

Get the Grilled Eggplant Flatbread recipe here!

A traditional BLT‘s perfect balance of salty, savory bacon; creamy mayo; sweet and acidic tomato; and crunchy lettuce and bread has made it a beloved sandwich. Now vegans and vegetarians don’t have to miss out! This vegan BLT is made using vegan mayonnaise, and by replacing bacon with flavorful portobello mushroom bacon.

Get the Vegan BLT recipe here!

Chef Rudy Smith, corporate chef at Unilever Food Solutions, reflects on London’s plant-forward restaurant scene. He thinks that American chefs can learn a lot about better integrating plant-forward dishes into our menus and employing a greater level of skill and technique in vegetable prep like the Brits do.

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Alex Rushmer is chef and owner of Vanderlyle in Cambridge, England, a restaurant that serves a plant-forward tasting menu inspired by the seasons. He demonstrates a seasonal salad, using ingredients grown within a five-mile radius of the restaurant. The base of the salad is a plant-based saffron mayonnaise, and the ingredients that comprise the salad itself change on a daily basis. In this version, he uses wild asparagus, thumbelina cucumbers, French breakfast radishes, hakurei turnips, and fermented radicchio. He dresses the salad with a smoked hazelnut and sherry vinaigrette.

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Chef Alex Rushmer prepares a dish of assorted mushrooms at his restaurant Vanderlyle in Cambridge, England. Vanderlyle is a relaxed, fine-dining restaurant that works directly with farmers, growers and producers to create plant-forward, ingredient-centric dishes. Chef Rushmer shows us how he makes his dish of assorted mushrooms, which includes pickled shiitake, a ricotta and black truffle-stuffed morel, glazed king oyster mushrooms, and a mushroom reduction sauce.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

Alex Rushmer is chef and owner of Vanderlyle restaurant in Cambridge, England. Vanderlyle is a relaxed fine-dining restaurant that works directly with farmers and growers to create produce-centric dishes that ebb and flow through the seasons. Chef Rushmer opened Vanderlyle in 2019, and offers a daily-changing menu rooted in sourcing and cooking local, ethical, and sustainable produce.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

Chef Emerson Amelio de Oliveira was born and raised in the Amazon Rainforest in the State of Rondônia. His restaurant, Oliveira Kitchen, in London features local ingredients in global cuisines, with flavors inspired by the chef’s Amazonian roots. In this dish, he makes purple Okinawan sweet potato gnocchi with hen of the woods mushrooms, also known as maitake, along with a ponzu sauce. 

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Chef Emerson Amelio de Oliveira was born and raised in the Amazon Rainforest, in the town of Ji-Paraná, and State of Rondônia, Porto Velho. Here shows us two asparagus dishes at his restaurant Oliveira Kitchen, London: a main dish with white asparagus, graviola and celeriac purée, black truffle, and smoked potato mousse as well as a starter dish with green asparagus, confit tomatoes, and a carrot and cupuaçu mousse.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

Chef Emerson Amelio de Oliveira was born and raised in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest, in the town of Ji-Paraná, and the of State of Rondônia, Porto Velho. He witnessed catastrophic deforestation and shrinking of the planet’s largest carbon capture system year after year, to serve global food production. He was trained in classic European cuisines and traveled the world in search of ideas and concepts, before opening Oliveira Kitchen in London. Chef Emerson strives to create a sustainable kitchen, serving a plant-based menu that doesn’t use gas or coal for cooking.

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Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

Chef Rishim Sachdeva of Tendril Restaurant in Soho, London, prepares a smoked eggplant topped with lemon tahini, pumpkin seeds, Kalamata olives, and herbs. He chars the eggplant for about 40 minutes until it’s perfectly smoky, soft, and creamy. He then peels and opens up the eggplant, and adds an extra layer of smoky crispness by torching the flesh.

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Chef Rishim Sachdeva believes that the key to convincing people to adopt plant-forward eating habits is starting with the highest-quality fresh produce and perfecting the technique of preparing them. Tendril is Sachdeva’s “mostly vegan” restaurant in London’s Soho district. Having worked at restaurants like Chiltern Firehouse and The Fat Duck, Chef Sachdeva is inventive and deliberately non-conformist with his dishes.

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At Gauthier Soho restaurant in central London, Chef Alexis Gauthier serves traditional French cuisine, on an entirely plant-based menu. In his dish of white asparagus with baby zucchini and vegan “bouillabaisse,” he creatively showcases the flavors of both the land and sea, treating  the white asparagus like a delicate white fish, and serving it with a bouillabaisse-inspired sauce infused with seaweed.

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Chef Alexis Gauthier of Gauthier Soho restaurant in central London serves traditional French cuisine—that is entirely plant-based. In this video, he shares his techniques for bringing out the best in asparagus in a dish he describes as encapsulating spring: green asparagus with olives, peas, pea shoots, and a green pea puree.

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Chef Alexis Gauthier of Gauthier Soho is located in Soho, London, in a Regency townhouse. Gauthier Soho is a traditional fine-dining French restaurant serving all vegan fare. Chef talks about growing up in the south of France, being the first restaurant in London to create an all-vegetable tasting menu in the late 90s, and cooking techniques to bring the most out of vegetables. Since becoming vegan in 2014, Chef decided he no longer wanted his restaurant to profit from serving animals. He saw the pandemic shutdown as an opportunity to transition the restaurant to being 100% plant-based.

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Chef Ben Rand of Bubula Spitalfields in east London prepares his signature hummus with a date and baharat crunch. Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice blend with cardamom, nutmeg, cumin, cloves, and cinnamon. He fries shallots and adds dates, Baharat, Aleppo chili, and tamari to the hot oil. This is used as the umami-rich topping for the hummus.

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Ben Rand is executive chef of Bubula Spitalfields restaurant in East London. He shares how he makes grilled eggplant with peanut sauce and a fried shallot and curry leaf crunch, marinating the grilled and peeled eggplant overnight in a sauce of vegan dashi, miso paste, and tamari. To cut down on food waste, he blends candied peanuts with the leftover marinade, and uses it as the sauce on top of the eggplant.

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Marc Summers is founder and CEO of Bubula Spitalfields restaurant in East London. This vegetarian Middle Eastern restaurant has a menu designed for sharing. The name Bubula means “darling” in Yiddish, and is what Summers and his grandmother used to call each other. He hopes to bring the feeling of comfort, care, and generosity he felt at his grandmother’s house to his restaurant.

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Chetan Sharma is chef and owner of Bibi restaurant in the heart of Mayfair, London, which serves plant-forward, modern Indian cuisine. Chef Sharma demonstrates several preparations of locally-grown tomatoes, dressed in smoked scallop roe and green mango powder, alongside house-made ricotta infused with dried mint and nigella seeds.

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Bibi restaurant is located in the Mayfair borough of London, and serves plant-forward modern Indian cuisine in a fine-dining setting. Chetan Sharma,chef and owner of Bibi, and demonstrates kohlrabi nimbu pani, folding petals of smoked kohlrabi to form a rose and serving it with pineberries, kaji lemon ceviche, a jalapeño and egg white emulsion, puffed quinoa, and citrus leaf chaat masala.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

Chetan Sharma is chef and owner of Bibi restaurant in the heart of Mayfair, London. Bibi features an Indian-inspired and produce-led menu that Chef Sharma describes as accessible fine dining. Chef Sharma talks about starting to cook at age 17, working in Michelin-starred restaurants, and how his PhD in physics helps him run a restaurant. Bibi opened in 2021, and is named after Chef Sharma’s two grandmothers called “bibi,” which means “lady of the house.”

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Executive Head Chef Philip Kearsey, of Michelin-starred Pied à Terre restaurant in London, shares how he makes his vegan dish of white asparagus Bavoise with pickled green strawberries, hazelnuts and nasturtium.

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Executive Head Chef Philip Kearsey of Michelin-starred Pied à Terre restaurant, in London, shares how he makes his dish,”Textures of Lion’s Mane.” The lion’s mane mushroom is served grilled, fried, powdered, pickled, shaved, roasted, and simmered to bring out its different flavors and textures. The lion’s mane is plated with a barley and pine nut porridge, barley chips, sea herbs, and Madeira cream.

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David Moore is a restaurateur and owner of Pied à Terre Restaurant in West London. Pied à Terre is a Michelin-starred restaurant focusing on local British produce, prepared using French cooking techniques with a modern twist. David Moore talks about his dynamic career in the hospitality industry and working with the all-star chefs of Britain’s restaurant scene through the decades.

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King Cook is chef and owner of King Cookdaily in Shoreditch, East London. Here, he shows us his dish inspired by larrp, the national dish of Laos, in the kitchen of his plant-based take-out restaurant. He calls his version a Lao Bowl. To make his vegan version, he replaces traditional chicken with crumbled seitan and sliced mushrooms and uses vegan fish sauce. The key to the nutty flavor is topping the dish with ground toasted rice.

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!

Watch the full documentary and find recipes here!