Beyond the Kale

Alessandra Taryn is Los Angeles-based content creator, traveler, and story-teller.

In episode 7 of Beyond the Kale, Alessandra details her evolution as a content creator, and some of the destinations she found to be the most vegan-friendly during her travels around the globe.

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Armando Aviles says food has played a big role in his life since he was kid, so the fact that he grew up to be a chef is not surprising. But, after he and his wife went on a raw, holistic diet for health reasons, they soon realized what they thought would be a temporary move would become a permanent lifestyle change.

In episode 6 of Beyond the Kale, Armando explains how his transition to veganism affected his journey as a chef, and the role his Puerto Rican heritage plays in his cooking. Armando also details what it is like for a vegan chef to work in a restaurant that is not a fully vegan establishment, and why he thinks those kinds of arrangements can be beneficial for both the restaurant, and the vegan movement as a whole. Armando also explains some of the struggles he and his wife experience raising their two non-vegan kids, and how they make it work.

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Links:

• Armando Aviles Instagram
• Brooklyn Organic Kitchen Instagram
• Brooklyn Organic Kitchen
• Champs Diner Instagram
• Champs Diner
• Chef Kenny's Vegan Dim Sum

Lorena Ramirez is known for her Healthy Hyna brand on Instagram. If you've ever come across her profile, you may know her as a food blogger who has held cooking demos, hands-on cooking classes and has collaborated with Vallarta Supermarkets and Northgate Market. But Lorena and her brand Healthy Hyna are much more than that as well.

During this episode, Lorena shares where the inspiration for Healthy Hyna came from. She also reflects on the evolution of her brand, and goes on to share some of the projects she's currently working on. Lorena also explains why it's important for her to ensure that her brand resonates not only with her, but with other Mexicans and Chicanos as well. Lorena also details her reasons for going vegan, and how becoming a mother played a role in that decision.

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Links:

• Healthy Hyna Instagram
• SwipeClub Podcast — Lorena and her cousin Elliot document their experiences as the explore the dating scene.
• Wild Living Foods — Lorena's number 1 spot for vegan food, she says she has several, but her number 1 go-to spot is Wild Living Foods.
• Beyond the Kale on Facebook
• Beyond the Kale on Instagram
• Beyond the Kale on Twitter

Freez spent more than 10 years working with some of the biggest names in music and entertainment as a tour manager. The job kept him on the road for up to 11 months a year.

During this episode, Freez and I talk about how he was able to find vegan options while traveling across the country. These were the early days of Yelp, so finding food was not always as easy as it is nowadays. We also talk about how he got his start in the music business, working with hip-hop legends including DMX and Bushwick Bill, his favorite albums of all time, and which Major League Baseball ballparks we think are the best for vegans.

Freez's favorite spot for vegan food is Tacotarian.

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Andrew Miele's son began asking questions about why he was not eating the same things his classmates were. After he was unable to find any books that could approproately explain veganism to such a young child, Andrew decided to write "What Is A Vegan" to do just that.

During this episode, Andrew and I spoke about a lot of different topics, inlcuding gaming, vegan junk food and the difficulties he face when he was forced to walk away from an 18 year career as a tattoo artist after suffering an injury.

Andrew's favorite spot for vegan food is Charlie was a sinner.

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The second episode of Beyond the Kale features Gabby & Junior, Founders of Veggietize Me. The company was created in honor of Junior's sister, Sophia Montano, who passed away after an accident.

After weathering the Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions in Los Angeles County, Gabby and Junior are getting ready to open the first Veggietize Me brick and mortar in Panorama City. It will be the first all-vegan restaraunt in that city when it opens.

Gabby's favorite restaurant is Palms Thai Restaurant in Hollywood, California.

Junior's favorite restaurant is Vinh Loi Tofu in Reseda, California.

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The first episode of Beyond the Kale features Maya Madsen, founder of America's #1 Black-owned gourmet vegan cookie company.

After founding the San Diego-based company in 2015, Maya saw a 10,000% increase in sales in June 2020. Following the horrific and tragic death of George Floyd, people across the country were looking for ways to support Black communities and Black-owned businesses. At the time, Maya's Cookies was featured on numerous lists of Black-owned businesses, resulting in the huge jump in sales.

During this episode, Maya and I speak about how the experiences in her life prepared her for that challenge, why it's important to continue supporting Black-owned businesses, and her go-to spot when she's craving delicious vegan food in San Diego.

Maya's favorite spot for a delicious vegan meal is Plant Power Fast Food.

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