Chop Chat Chew – Details, episodes & analysis

Get ready to satisfy your sweet tooth, without eggs, dairy or refined white sugar! Join us for a special Ask Me Anything episode with Rouxbe Director of Vegan Pastry, renowned vegan pastry chef Fran Costigan, affectionately known as the “Queen of Vegan Desserts.” Whether you’re a long-time plant-based eater or just dessert-curious, this is your chance to connect directly with Fran and ask her anything about baking without eggs, dairy, or compromise. From decadent chocolate cakes to creamy custards and flaky pastries, Fran will share her expert tips, creative substitutions, and the secrets to making a variety of no-apology vegan treats that wow even the most skeptical sweet lovers.

This episode invites home bakers, professional chefs, and dessert fans of all stripes to explore the delicious world of vegan confections. Curious about aquafaba? Wondering how to achieve that perfect rise without eggs? Want recommendations for your next show-stopping holiday dessert? Fran’s got you covered.

You can watch the original video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rouxbe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join Chef Dan Marek in his virtual office as he welcomes all of your questions. From cooking techniques to course-specific questions, to how to turn your cooking passion into profit or simply hearing the perspective of a professional chef, Chef Dan tackled all variety of questions!

Dan Marek is a chef educator who has been teaching vegan and vegetarian cooking for over 15 years. At Rouxbe, he is our Director of Plant-Based Culinary and Development where he helps develop content, classes and builds courses for many of our partners.

Dan is a board member of Slow Food Austin, the Institute of Child Nutrition, and Conscious Capitalism. He has earned his BA in Journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and holds certificates in Nutrition from Cornell University.

Prior to his role with Rouxbe, Dan worked with Whole Kids Foundation training teachers and food service at schools across the country on nutrition and culinary best practices. He also worked as a Healthy Eating Educator at Whole Foods Market’s flagship store in Austin, TX, was a personal chef for some of Austin’s elite business people, taught classes in culinary techniques at Austin Community College, The Natural Epicurean, and Le Cordon Bleu.

Dan also regularly volunteers cooking or speaking about nutrition for the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Marathon Kids, Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Austin and Central Texas.

You can watch the original video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rouxbe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join Chef Eric Wynkoop in his virtual office as he welcomes all of your questions. From cooking techniques to course-specific questions, to how to turn your cooking passion into profit or simply hearing the perspective of a chef, Eric Wynkoop tackled all variety of questions!

Eric Wynkoop previously served as a founding faculty member at The International Culinary School, instructor in anthropology at Portland State University, and Senior Instructor at the Le Cordon Bleu program at Western Culinary Institute, in Portland, Oregon. He holds Master’s Degrees in postsecondary education and cultural anthropology, as well as credentials in Ayurveda wellness and cooking.

Eric has spent more than twenty years in the food and beverage industry. His experiences include banquet management, catering, personal chef, winery cellar hand, educator, textbook contributor, consultant, and ethnographer. He also brings food and cultural insight from nearly a decade of residence in Japan, studies in Mexico, and research in India as a Fulbright Scholar. After graduating from the University of Oregon with a dual degree in Japanese and Asian Studies, he went on to receive his formal culinary training at Western Culinary Institute, in Portland, Oregon.

Eric’s role with Rouxbe is central to enhancing the student experience through quality course content and new course development at Rouxbe. Eric is also the lead instructor in Rouxbe courses, a role which he has enjoyed since 2016.

You can watch the original video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rouxbe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Learn key vegan pastry and baking techniques to elevate your desserts this Thanksgiving.

Chef Fran Costigan, Rouxbe’s Director of Vegan Pastry will offer her top tips from her Essential Vegan Desserts Course for successful desserts. She’ll showcase a variety of holiday desserts that are suitable for all people, whether or not dietary considerations are an issue.

From mastering pies and tarts to creating delightful stovetop desserts, Chef Fran’s presentation promises to have something for every dessert enthusiast.

You can watch the original video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rouxbe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

At first glance it may seem simple: We eat because we are hungry, food tastes good, we can both access and afford it, and our bodies will seek out or crave the foods that supply nutrients we need. What if I told you that is less true now then it has ever been before? When an individual sits down to eat there are more than 15 motivators at play that influence their food choices. 

This presentation explores external influencers, spanning across individual, social, cultural, environmental, and institutional levels that shape individual eating behaviors. These external factors play a vital role in shaping what individuals choose to eat, transcending the simplistic notion that food choices are solely driven by hunger and taste preference. The course provides a holistic understanding of the multifaceted nature of our relationship with food, from personal to societal dimensions.

You can watch the original video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rouxbe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join Chef Char Nolan in her virtual office as she welcomes all of your questions. From cooking techniques to course-specific questions, to how to turn your cooking passion into profit or simply hearing the perspective of a professional chef, Chef Nolan tackled all variety of questions!

Char Nolan is a serious crusader for plant-based education, armed with a degree in public health from Philadelphia’s Temple University. She teaches nutrition and plant-based cooking throughout Philadelphia, and in many underserved communities. Char holds a certificate in plant-based nutrition from eCornell and completed Rouxbe’s Plant-Based Professional Certification course in 2015. In 2019, Char completed post-graduate course work in social media marketing at the University of the Arts. When she is not cooking or teaching, she manages social media accounts for several plant-based influencers.

Char prides herself on learning everything she knows about cooking from growing up in her grandparents’ Italian restaurant. Her favorite vegetables are Brussels sprouts and kale, of course. Char originally hails from Queens, NY, but has lived in Philadelphia most of her adult life. She is a former Peace Corps Volunteer.

You can watch the original video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Rouxbe⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join Chef Eric Wynkoop in his virtual office as he welcomes all of your questions. From cooking techniques to course-specific questions, to how to turn your cooking passion into profit or simply hearing the perspective of a chef, Eric Wynkoop tackled all variety of questions!

Eric Wynkoop previously served as a founding faculty member at The International Culinary School, instructor in anthropology at Portland State University, and Senior Instructor at the Le Cordon Bleu program at Western Culinary Institute, in Portland, Oregon. He holds Master’s Degrees in postsecondary education and cultural anthropology, as well as credentials in Ayurveda wellness and cooking.

Eric has spent more than twenty years in the food and beverage industry. His experiences include banquet management, catering, personal chef, winery cellar hand, educator, textbook contributor, consultant, and ethnographer. He also brings food and cultural insight from nearly a decade of residence in Japan, studies in Mexico, and research in India as a Fulbright Scholar. After graduating from the University of Oregon with a dual degree in Japanese and Asian Studies, he went on to receive his formal culinary training at Western Culinary Institute, in Portland, Oregon.

Eric’s role with Rouxbe is central to enhancing the student experience through quality course content and new course development at Rouxbe. Eric is also the lead instructor in Rouxbe courses, a role which he has enjoyed since 2016.

You can watch the original video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rouxbe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Explore the world of protein-enriched treats with Chef Fran Costigan and Registered Dietitian Vesanto Melina in an insightful discussion that strikes a harmonious balance between flavor, texture, and nutrition, without compromising your commitment to a healthier lifestyle. 

Fran and Vesanto will discuss options for higher protein treats that satisfy.

Fran Costigan is internationally renowned as the authority on vegan desserts. Trained at the New York Restaurant School and Natural Gourmet Institute, Fran was a chef in both traditional and vegan pastry kitchens before moving into teaching over 20 years ago. A lifelong chocoholic and long time vegan, Fran’s latest book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy Free Desserts⁠⁠⁠⁠, (Running Press 2013) is for all who madly, deeply love chocolate desserts, whether or not dietary considerations are an issue.

Her previous cookbook, ⁠⁠⁠⁠More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Book Publishing Company 2006) is the basis of the Costigan Vegan Baking Boot Camp Intensive®.

For more information, ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.francostigan.com⁠⁠⁠

Vesanto Melina is a Canadian Registered Dietitian and co-author of books that have become classics in the field of vegetarian, vegan, and raw foods nutrition, have sold almost a million copies in English and are in nine additional languages (Italian, Dutch, Traditional Chinese, Czech, French, Portuguese, Hebrew, Russian and Polish). She has presented talks and workshops on various aspects of vegetarian, vegan and raw foods and nutrition for dietitians, health professionals, and vegetarian associations in 17 American states and 9 Canadian provinces, and in 10 countries (in Europe-Paris, Copenhagen, Aarhus, Dresden, Ghent, Barcelona, Oxford, London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Venice).

Her first book, Becoming Vegetarian, co-authored with Brenda Davis and Victoria Harrison, grew from her classes. It was published in 1993 in Canada, and in the US in 1994.

You can watch the original video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rouxbe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join us for a captivating episode featuring Dr. Deb Kennedy, a distinguished expert in the realm of culinary wellness and teaching kitchens.

Dr. Deb’s extensive knowledge and passion for the transformative power of food make her a trusted guide on the journey to better health through the kitchen. In this enlightening event, Dr. Deb will share her insights into harnessing the potential of a kitchen to be a place of learning and transformation, offering practical tips and evidence-based strategies that can empower you and others to make healthier choices without sacrificing taste.

During this engaging presentation, you will gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to create a kitchen that promotes health, community and wellbeing. Dr. Deb will explore the science behind creating a teaching kitchen and transforming yours, revealing how simple modifications in your kitchen can lead to significant improvements.

You can watch the original video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rouxbe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join Chef Dan Marek in his virtual office as he welcomes all of your questions. From cooking techniques to course-specific questions, to how to turn your cooking passion into profit or simply hearing the perspective of a professional chef, Chef Dan tackled all variety of questions!

Dan Marek is a chef educator who has been teaching vegan and vegetarian cooking for over 15 years. At Rouxbe, he is our Director of Plant-Based Culinary and Development where he helps develop content, classes and builds courses for many of our partners.

Dan is a board member of Slow Food Austin, the Institute of Child Nutrition, and Conscious Capitalism. He has earned his BA in Journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and holds certificates in Nutrition from Cornell University.

Prior to his role with Rouxbe, Dan worked with Whole Kids Foundation training teachers and food service at schools across the country on nutrition and culinary best practices. He also worked as a Healthy Eating Educator at Whole Foods Market’s flagship store in Austin, TX, was a personal chef for some of Austin’s elite business people, taught classes in culinary techniques at Austin Community College, The Natural Epicurean, and Le Cordon Bleu.

Dan also regularly volunteers cooking or speaking about nutrition for the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Marathon Kids, Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Austin and Central Texas.

You can watch the original video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠Rouxbe⁠⁠⁠.