Chef Ed Harris grew up in the Caribbean and South America, raised in a family where food was everything. His grandmother made breads, wines, and cheeses from scratch, and his mother's kitchen was the heart of the home. That upbringing sparked a passion that took him to New York City, where he trained in some of the city's finest kitchens, including Jean-Georges, Buddakan, and River Cafe, and eventually won Food Network's Chopped competition.
But it was a family movie night watching "What The Health" that changed everything. What started as a one-week experiment became a full commitment to plant-based living, and a new mission: showing people how to make vegetables shine rather than treating them as an afterthought.
Today, Chef Ed consults for major hotel brands including Hyatt and Marriott, runs The Plant-Based Kitchen Lab community, develops specialty spice lines and cookbooks, and helps chefs and food entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses beyond the traditional kitchen.
In this episode of Pivot Podcast, Chef Ed shares what it really takes to make plant-based cooking bold, accessible, and full of flavor — and what the restaurant industry still gets wrong about it.
You’ll learn about:
- How a family documentary night changed the way Chef Ed cooks and eats permanently
- Why homemade meat substitutes beat processed supermarket options every time
- What higher-end restaurants are doing right with plant-based menus
- How to make vegetables the star of the plate, not a side thought
- The business side of plant-based cooking: consulting, community building, and creating multiple income streams as a chef
Guest Links
Social Media
@ChefEdHarris
https://www.instagram.com/chefedharris/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chefedharris/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063766615743
https://www.youtube.com/@ChefEdHarris
Memorable Quote
"Nothing that happens right now determines your end goal. Keep moving forward, understand your why, and everything will fall into place."
Show Notes
👨🍳 [
02:31] Growing up in a family where food was everything
✈️ [
04:20] Traveling the world to learn: Cooking as a way of understanding culture
🥬 [
08:45] His mission: making vegetables the star of the plate
🎤 [
12:14] Why mushrooms are underrated
👥 [
15:22] Building a community: The Plant-Based Kitchen Lab
📦 [
19:01] Consulting for Hyatt, Marriott, and beyond
🌱 [
23:44] Creating curricula and workshops to help hospitality employees understand and promote plant-based options
🏪 [
24:40] The vision: a grab-and-go vegan bodega concept in the Caribbean
💫 [
26:22] For anyone new to plant-based living: Be kind to yourself
🔥 [
30:20] The mushroom that converts even the biggest skeptics