Chef Donald

Meet Chef Donald Lemperle!

The Alpha Chef — is the owner and executive chef of VegNation in Las Vegas and the most experienced of the contestants with more than 30 years experience. 

Raised in his family’s restaurant, worked in some of New York City’s top restaurants — Le Bernardin, Quilted Giraffe, Sign of the Dove and Park Avalon where he was executive chef before venturing to west to lead prestigious kitchens in luxurious hotels such as the Mondrian and James Hotel in Scottsdale. 

Concerns about harms caused by our food system inspired him to make a difference in the community by making fresh, healthy, plant-based alternatives appealing and easy to find.

Chef Donald’s Charity: Garden Farms Foundation

 

Recipes by Donald

VFC Chick’n Naughty Nashville Sliders

12 Servings

SLIDER INGREDIENTS

12 slider buns

12 pieces  Vegan Fried Chick’n Bites

Nashville hot sauce

Cole slaw

Ranch dressing

Bread and butter pickles

NASHVILLE HOT SAUCE

2 pound vegan butter

2 tablespoon cayenne pepper

¼ cup Zulka brown sugar

¼ cup agave

¼ cup cider vinegar

2 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

PROCEDURE

  1. In saucepan melt butter
  2. Combine all other ingredients together and simmer

COLE SLAW

2 cups green cabbage shredded 

1 cup red cabbage shredded

1 large carrot grated

DRESSING

½ cup vegan mayonnaise

2 tablespoon agave

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

PROCEDURE

  1. Toss together red and green cabbage and carrot in large bowl
  2. Mix together all the ingredients for dressing
  3. Fold the finished dressing into the cabbage mixture and set aside

RANCH DRESSING

2 cups vegan mayonnaise

½ cup unsweetened oat milk 

2 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE

Mix all ingredients together and set aside

SLIDER PREPARATION

  1. Bake Vegan Fried Chick’n Bites  in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes
  2. Toss baked chicken in Nashville hot sauce
  3. Open slider bun place dollop of coleslaw on top of bun
  4. Place finished chicken over slaw, over chicken top with ranch dressing and sliced pickle to finish

East-West Poke Tacos

12 servings

Ingredients

1 Package wonton wrappers

Using a taco frying basket, fry wontons skins till crispy

Set aside for assembly  

Beet Poke 

3 medium size beets roasted

1 tablespoon of grated ginger

1 tablespoon agave

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 scallions sliced thin

Preparation

  1. Place all ingredients in bowl and mix well together 
  2. Set aside for assembly

Wasabi cream

1 cup Tofutti cream cheese

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon prepared wasabi

Black sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients together in food processor  

Final assembly

  1. Fill each wonton taco shell with beet poke
  2. Pipe on wasabi cream
  3. Garnish with black sesame seeds 
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