Ohmigosh! I have so much to tell you -- and so many pictures to share -- from this crazy, but wonderful weekend!
For starters, I met T. Colin Campbell, for real. I not only got to sit next to him at dinner, I sat next to him all day yesterday! I'm still swooning.
At one point my mom said the camera was on the crowd (HTLA was live, online), and there Dr. Campbell & I were, talking, my hands going a mile a minute. typical.
See how close we were sitting at dinner:
Now on to the food!
Lentil Pate with dehydrated crackers by Chef Eric LeChasseur (he heads Seed Bistro which I blogged about the other day ).
Duo of seasonal soups (butternut and parsnip) by Chef Ramses Bravo (executive chef True North )
Kale Salad by Chef Aj
Autumn Plate by Chef Eric Tucker (executive chef at Millennium in San Francisco)
and finally, Chocolate Cake by Chef AJ -- she made this for Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and his wife Ann, for their anniversary too!
Everything was plant-based, whole foods and no oil, sugar or salt! Yet it was the best meal I've ever had!
I also got to meet and hang out with all of these chefs (plus Ann Gentry who runs Real Food Daily in Los Angeles) and I have to say they are all the most gracious, talented chefs--- I was inspired by them, in awe of them... in love with them.. lol! Seriously though, they were all just so lovely and I never felt weird, but welcomed. They all went to culinary school and own fabulous (and famous!) restaurants... and I was... well... a home cook... with a book and blog... but they were all amazing! and really made me feel like one of them.
Now, some pictures of me and my hero:
This one is fuzzy, but I think captures our likeness.
I also finally met the beautiful Julieanna Heaver ( The Plant-Based Dietician ) and the executive producer of Forks Over Knives who is a friend in email and now a friend in real life!
More Dr. Campbell stories (you know you wanna know what we talked about!) and pictures soon--- come back later for part 2!