My assumptions and the lessons I learned from vegans
by Jesse Marshall
Native Foods Tribe Member
I grew up in the green mountains of Vermont, full of maple trees and dairy farms. I lived in a town of 500 and was lucky enough to have an amazing ski area as my backyard. I skied every day and I loved it. My diet then was maple syrup and whole milk, I loved that too. Skiing eventually took me all over the world where I competed on the World Cup as a member of the US Ski Team. My diet then, protein, carbs, protein followed by more carbs. Was I a vegan then? No.
I wondered...What is a vegan really? According to Wikipedia, A vegan (pronounced VEE-gun) is someone who, for various reasons, chooses to avoid using or consuming animal products. My definition until recently was not quite the same. I mainly heard vegan used in a derogatory manner, from health issues (due to poorly planned diets) to the extreme animal activists. When I started working with Native Foods I had no idea what to expect from these vegans!
What is my definition of a vegan now? I would add this to the definition above: An extremely conscious individual who is very educated on where their food comes from. I am very impressed with Chef Tanya’s (and our guest’s) knowledge of where their food comes from. Chef Tanya can tell me everything about our ingredients down to which fields they are grown in. While I was competing diet was important. We kept daily intake logs of how much protein and carbs we consumed. The ski team would verify our food sources and that was something I never got too involved with.
Am I a vegan now? No, but I am much more conscious of where my food comes from. I enjoy eating at Native Foods simply because the food tastes great. No one cares if I am a vegan or not, there is no secret club, no secret handshake, and no code words to use. However, if you come in to Westwood this Friday and give me a high five when placing your order I will give you a free order of my favorite side, the Sweet Potato Fries!
Jesse (who claims the art of frosting cupcakes is harder than competitive skiing!)
Comments