Hi, I’m Cristina.
I was a plant-based personal chef in Austin, TX for 15 years. Now I am based in the capital region of NY, near Albany. I love it here and enjoy all 4 seasons.
Chef Veggie – A plant-based personal chef business that I started in 2008 and I continue today via consulting.
How did I get to be Chef Veggie?
After graduating from Baylor University, I lived in a Hindu (Vaisnava) ashram for 2 years. Cooking in the temple kitchen is where I learned a lot about vegetarian cooking. Following a strict, sattvic Ayurvedic diet meant I never ate out. I did not eat commercially made products like bread, tortillas, or other prepared foods. I made my own ketchup and almost every other kind of vegetarian sauce out there because I didn’t eat garlic or onions. If I wanted to eat, I had to know how to cook. So I’ve been honing my cooking skills for over 20 years. In 2016, I completed a culinary program and now have a Plant-Based Professional Certification from Rouxbe.
And now?
Nowadays, I live a less austere lifestyle but appreciate the spiritual connection I made with food at that time. I follow a plant-based diet to reduce the amount of cruelty I am responsible for. I care about the well-being of all living creatures. No meat, fish, or eggs will ever post on these pages. (I was eating dairy when I started this blog but no longer do.) Tropical dishes, biscuits with creamy veggie sausage gravy, Asian delicacies, and gigantic sandwiches with avocado have a special place in my heart. I’m half Filipina and half Tennessee country boy! Having both a refined and pedestrian palate makes eating fun and I truly believe that variety is the spice of life!
I am working on a plant-based cookbook that will feature tropical flavors and hope to have it published by spring of 2025!
http://www.plantbasedpacific.com
Feel free to find me at other places on the web. I would love to hear from you! Thanks for letting tiny veggiebytes hang out on your computer!
Lots of Love!
Cristina
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