George Vutetakis

Chef and author George Vutetakis, AKA "The Vegetarian Guy," learned "the language of food" as a young boy in his Greek grandmother's kitchen. It was there that he was first exposed to the value of cultural traditions in cooking. His discoveries continued with travels to India, where he learned traditional food preparation methods. Today, using time-honored techniques as his guide, he weaves the Mediterranean and Indian flavors of his youth into many of his extraordinary plant-based dishes. His reputation as a leader in the creation of delicious, healthy and innovative vegetarian cuisine using fresh, unadulterated ingredients flourished as chef and owner of the award winning Inn Season Cafe in Royal Oak, Michigan. After nearly two decades, Chef George sold the restaurant and began writing and teaching. He shares his vast food knowledge and delicious vegan recipes on his popular blog www.thevegetarianguy.com and in his cookbook, Vegetarian Traditions. After nearly eight years in San Diego, he returned to Michigan to work with Garden Fresh Gourmet as Director of Research and Development. In addition to working with one of the leading companies in the fresh food industry, he continues to immerse himself in the community, working with the local organic farmers, whom he regards as the real heroes behind the creation of his world-class cuisine.