The maighty power and flavor of plants

Hi, I’m Derek Sarno. I’m a vegan chef. I specialize in bringing mushrooms and veg to the center plate by unleashing the mighty flavors of plants. I cofounded a plant-based food company called Wicked Kitchen, and I lead plant-based innovation at one of the world’s largest grocery retailers.
vegan 素食主义者； specialize vt 专门从事; unleash vt 发泄 突然释放; mighty adj非凡的; cofounder 共同创办人; grocery n杂货店

In case you’re wondering what plant-based and vegan means, it’s super simple. Vegan and plant-based foods are entirely free from animals and from their byproducts. Think no animals harmed nor killed. No meat, no fish, no dairy mike or eggs are used at all. Just amazing plants.
byproduct n副产品 意外结果 副作用 ; be free from 免于

Vegetarianism also doesn’t contain animals or fish, but allows dairy and eggs, the byproducts taken from animals.

Here are a couple of vegan things that I’ve made recnetly. A steak? No way. Actually, there are no T-bones about this. It’s made of lion’s mane mushrooms, the barbecue butter sauce, cast-iron seared, one of the most nutritious mushrooms on Earth and known to be brain-boosting. Pressed Greek-inspired souvlaki steak sandwiches with all the fixings? This one is made with supersexy, delicious brown oyster mushrooms. Grilled pepper steak kebabs? Great on the barbecue. Packed with punchy flavors and made with the super versatile and delicious king oyster mushrooms. Yes, all of these are plant-based, and all of these are done with a variety of mushrooms.
barbecue vt n 烧烤; souvlaki n烤肉串; oyster 牡蛎;

Why is this so important? Meat eating is linked to climate change. Eating animals and animal agriculture is the leading cause of rainforest deforestation. Meat production is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, and there is a reason moms and doctors tell us to eat more veg. That’s partly why I’m a vegan chef. My other reason has to do with grief and dealing with the unexpected death of losing my partner. The suffering and grief I felt was suffocating. I had two choices: to go down a road of self-destruction or accept what had happened and find a way through it. The loss of Amanda made me realize my whole life to that point was based on ego and attachment. Being the best, cooking anything and everything without a second thought as to be consequences of my actions. As long as the food tasted great and I was paid well for it, I didn’t care where it came from or if it was animals or the implications and consequences that had.
deforestation n森林砍伐; suffocating adj令人窒息的;

Long story short, I ended up laying my old self to rest. Selling off the food business and living in a Buddhist monastery for three years, where I learned to sit and studied compassion and how my mind worked. What I discovered was a connection to food and heart that I had ignored. Animals suffer just as we do. From then on, it became my mission to find alternative ways to prepare amazing food that not only benefited people but avoided animal suffering as well. That time reflecting and learning helped me reorientate my own moral compass and opened up a whole new world of creative cooking. It also helped me become much less of a jerk.
long story short 长话短说; orientate vt定向，使适应; moral adj 道德的; compass 罗盘; jerk 傻瓜

There are so many reasons to eat plant-based, and any reason that resonates with you is the best reason. I understand it’s not always easy. But eating even one plant-based meal a day makes a huge difference.

I used to be a long time meat eater. As a “regular” chef, I used to cook lots of meat and never made that connection that they’re living beings just like us, with feelings, emotions and families. I’m now on a mission to unleash the mighty power of plants, to create foods that we crave, full of flavors and textures that are more nutritious and better for us and the planet. I believe in compassionate action, and the way I express that is through cooking and developing amazing recipes that inspire and teach people how to make and eat delicious foods without animals. Vegan food for meat eaters and vegans alike, because, like most people, I want to save the animals and the planet, there’s no way that’s going to happen if I have to compromise on taste.
crave vt渴望

引自TED英语演讲