Mark Reinfeld – Vegan Fusion

Q: Tell me about your early years and your journey to becoming a world renown vegan chef.

I grew up in Stony Brook, NY. I went to SUNY Albany and studied at the London School of Economics for my junior year. I was a Philosophy Major with a minor in Business Administration. I was prelaw throughout my years at Albany. During junior year I was awakened to the joy of travel. When I returned for my senior year, I applied to law schools, was accepted at NYU, and I deferred admission for a year so I could return to travel. I traveled for 9 months in Europe/Mideast/Asia, lived in Paris, witnessed the Berlin Wall opening in Germany, traveled through Eastern Europe, lived on  Kibbutz in Israel, then spent a couple of months in India/Nepal, including a 4-week trek on the Mount Everest Trek.

I returned to NY, went to NYU for a semester and decided the path wasn’t for me. I got rid of most of what would not fit in my car and headed out west…not sure where I would land or what I would do. I always loved cooking as a child so when I finally landed in San Diego, I got a job in the kitchen of a natural food store and began my cooking career. After 3 years, I branched off on my own and started The Blossoming Lotus as a personal chef service/consulting service. I would teach people classes and provide meals for folks. The name signifies evolving consciousness. In many cultures, the Lotus flower blossoming is a symbol for enlightenment. So to me it meant to offer an enlightened form of cuisine.