My good friend Linda Long shares the same passion for food and its artisans. Long recruited twenty-five of the most celebrated chefs and challenged them to concoct delicious and beautiful vegan meals. The result is her fabulous new book Great Chefs Cook Vegan.

Not only is this book full of delectable new recipes by such well known chefs as Charlie Trotter, Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Cat Cora, Jean-George Vongerichten, etc., but it also features incredibly beautiful photographs of their dishes. Long is a wonderful photographer and writer and has written and shot for such magazines as Vegetarian Journal, American Vegan and VegNews. She has been a vegan for over thirty years.

Long’s heartfelt Introduction is something I relate to well, as I have had some lovely vegan meals in fine dining establishments that are hardly known for their healthy meatless dishes. Many folks who have the perception that veganism is “hard” don’t realize that most chefs are actually quite accommodating and will be happy to make something that may not appear on the menu. It is always courteous to let the restaurant know when you’re making your reservation so they have time to prepare, especially if they are busy, but you may be pleasantly surprised with the results.

Linda Long’s book shatters the myth that vegan food is boring and lacks flavor. One look through the colorful, beautiful pages of Great Chefs Cook Vegan will give this exciting cuisine the credit it so truly deserves.

Linda Long and me at Pure Food & Wine in NYC