Testimonials
To all the skeptics,
I am an island local boy. Born and raised in Kauai, Hawaii.
I'm a lover of all kinds of good food. Unfortunately, most of the dishes I love have meat in them, and that is a problem for my health.
You see I am one of the unlucky millions who have high cholesterol.
I have been diagnosed to have risky levels of calcium buildup in my heart arteries – mostly in my left artery. I have concerns of this because my father who had high blood pressure died of a heart attack at age 51 and I am now 50.
It's been a challenge to change my eating habits. Fifty years of eating all these foods and now hearing that all the good tasting food that I love is not good for my health is tough. My experience of eating vegetarian foods in my younger years made me to believe that vegetarian meals had to taste like curry powder, Spike seasoning and garlic. I also believed that meats had to be used in meals to be healthy. I also loved the flavor and texture of the meat and believed it was necessary for good tasting dishes. Boy, was I ever wrong! My thoughts of eating vegetarian meals have changed drastically ever since taking Chef Al's class.
I thank you Chef Al and Donna.
My heart thanks you.
Hopefully, my son, daughter and four grandchildren will thank you one day. My sweetheart, Cynthia, who I truly love, surely thanks you, especially since she loves me and I do all the cooking at home in Hawaii. She demanded I leave Kauai and come to a vegan cooking class. "The cook needs to learn to cook healthy for everyone at our home."
Chef Al – Mahalo for your delicious vegan dishes. Chef Al's food is so good I could easily do away with some of my favorite meat dishes and replace them with Chef Al's wonderful, flavorful, tasty, and healthy gourmet meals.
Chef Al is an amazing teacher and brother. His culinary and teaching skills have made a difference in my thoughts of eating healthy and vegetarian. I have also learned the importance of buying organic and local.
Aloha,
John N.
Kauai, Hawaii
May 21, 2005
Chef Al is a master chef and master educator who provided a remarkable immersion in the current vegan/raw philosophy balanced by classical training and a substiantial professional experience. With the nurturing support of Donna Benjamin who provided an abundance of local resource materials, Chef Al concentrated on all phases of kitchen organization and management, equipment and technique, vegan philosophy and preparation in a warm, friendly efficient environment. Chef Al is a remarkable teacher who provided an extraordinary experience.
LYNN B.
2003 I.C.A. 12 Day Graduate
Tucson, AZ
Thank you for taking the time to be with us and
sharing your thoughts and experiences on vegan
cuisine. Your knowledge on this topic is above and
beyond...
Chef, your food and presentation were excellent and to
the point on behalf of our members.
Fritz Sonnenschmidt, CMC, AAC
Culinary Dean, Culinary Institute of America, New York
The training that you provided our chefs and
management continues to be very positive for customers
at our Campus and Corporate dining facilities. Even
our "meat and potato" customers have become fans of
the recipes that you developed specifically for our
needs.
We truly appreciate the detail and enthusiasm that you
brought to our most recent training program and the
tools that you created for us to apply in the future.
I suspect a major reason for the success of your
teaching is the planning that you put forth before you
even step into the customer's kitchen.
Frank Benzing
Senior VP, Higher Education and Business Dining
Fine Host Corporation, Seattle, WA
The recipes we used resulted in tasty as well as visually stunning cuisine. Chef Al has a painter's eye for color enabling him to create some of the most beautiful and unique platings one has ever seen.
Violet B.
2001 I.C.A. 12 Day Graduate
Ossining, N.Y.
|
