Chef Scot Jones sheds light on his kitchen secrets, including how to create a portobello ragu masterpiece. "I didn't know that vegan food tasted this good!" You'll hear this a lot if you hang around VegiTerranean, the Akron, Ohio, vegan restaurant founded by celebrated rock star Chrissie Hynde, where chef Scot Jones practices the art of delectable, vegan gastronomic creation. A Culinary Institute of America alumnus, Jones has been in the culinary business for 23 years, focusing on regional Italian, French influences, and continental accents. Not surprisingly, Bon Appétit magazine rated his restaurant the best in the Midwest. Jones' secret weapons for wowing even the most ardent meat-lovers with his entirely plant-derived dishes? Fresh herbs, lemon and lime juice, and love. (A good set of knives doesn't hurt either!)

Chef Spotlight: Scot Jones

Restaurant or Company: VegiTerranean

Do you have companion animals? If so, can you describe them? 
Yes, I have an 8-year-old golden retriever named Taylor and a rescue 8-month golden retriever.

How long have you been a chef?
23 years.

What type of cuisine do you focus on?
Regional Italian, French influences, continental accents.

Have you or has your restaurant received any awards?
Bon Appétit magazine: Best Restaurant in the Midwest
Canton, Ohio, Vegetarian Society: Carrot Award

Do you have a specialty?
Food is my specialty.

What are the most important elements in cooking great vegetarian cuisine?
Making sure that you have great and bold flavors without overpowering your dish.

What is the key to getting meat-eaters to enjoy vegetarian food?
Make them forget that they need animal protein, and do that by giving them the "wow" experience.

What, in your opinion, does the future of plant-based cuisine hold?
It has a great future. As chefs, we have to start acting responsible and teaching others that there is a whole new world of cooking with plant-based ingredients.

Do you have a favorite cooking method?
I love grilling, sautéing, and sauce making.

Where did you train to become a chef?
Graduate of the University of Akron's hotel-restaurant management program; graduate of the Culinary Institute of America-Hyde Park.

What are your favorite ingredients to work with?
Fresh herbs, tomatoes, vinegars, cashew cream.

In your opinion, what vegetarian dish or type of food is most frequently poorly prepared and why?
Tofu. So many people don't know how to properly season and cook tofu.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only eat one kind of ethnic food, what would it be?
Kimchi.

Do vegetarian restaurants face any special obstacles that meat-based restaurants don't have to face?
Educating the nonvegans/nonvegetarians that there is life after animal protein.

Can you give us one great cooking tip for aspiring vegetarian chefs?
Always have and invest in good knives and other kitchen equipment. Clean as you go. Organization is the key to success.

What are some ingredients that you recommend vegetarians and vegans have in their kitchens to cook with?
Fresh herbs, legumes, rices, fresh lemon and lime juice, and love.

Are there any newer vegetarian products on the market that you are particularly fond of?
The Gardein products … are wonderful and have so many different applications!

Have you had any noteworthy comments from or experiences with diners?
"I didn't know that vegan food tasted this good. Wow!"

Choose one area to give some specialty tips for: 
Your favorite way to work with a certain fruit or vegetable
Never overcook fruits or vegetables. You lose the true flavor of these foods.

Linguine With Portobello-Mushroom Ragu
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 sweet onion, minced
2 medium portobello mushrooms, destemmed and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick strips
1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 lb. whole-wheat linguine
Vegan Parmesan, to taste

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and onions and sauté over medium heat until the onions are translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and have released their liquid. Stir in the rosemary, salt, and pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Adjust the seasonings.
• Meanwhile, cook the linguine according to the package directions.
• Toss the linguine with the mushroom sauce. Serve immediately with vegan Parmesan.

Makes 4 servings

• Place the vinegar, red pepper, sugar, basil, and olives in a food processor and pulse until blended. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil.
• Toss the dressing with the microgreens. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 cups

• Use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from the oranges, leaving behind the bitter white pith. Cut the zest into very thin, long strips. Place the zest into a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Drain and place in a bowl of cold water.
• Remove all the pith from the oranges. Discard.
• Place the sugar and 1/2 cup cold water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, or until clear. Add 3 of the oranges and cook, turning often, until nicely glazed, about 4 minutes. Lift the oranges from the syrup and transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining 3 oranges to the simmering syrup and cook for 4 minutes. Transfer to the bowl.
• Drain the orange zest and add to the simmering syrup. Add the liqueur and cook for 2 minutes. Pour over the oranges. Cover and let chill for several hours. When ready to serve, spoon 1 orange into each dessert bowl. Pour a spoonful of syrup over each orange and garnish with strips of zest.

Makes 6 servings

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