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From writing several dessert-driven cookbooks to owning her own bakery to catering for famous clients like Steven Spielberg and HBO, Chef Julie Hasson has had one “sweet” life. Thanks to a nurturing mom, a natural talent and passion for preparing food, and an Easy-Bake Oven, Chef Hasson has been honing her exceptional culinary skills since she was a small child. Many years and dozens of cookies later, she attended UCLA’s culinary arts/professional chef program and then went on to work at the famous Patina restaurant in Los Angeles.
In the years that followed, this diva of desserts owned and operated two California-based bakery and catering companies and worked as a private chef for a slew of celebrity clients. Also a writer and recipe developer, Chef Hasson has penned four cookbooks dedicated to confection perfection, including the award-winning 125 Best Chocolate Chip Recipes and the newly released 300 Best Chocolate Recipes, and has contributed her know-how to magazines like Bon Appétit, Cooking Light, and Vegetarian Times. Today, Chef Hasson is a food consultant and cooking instructor who can be found hosting Everyday Dish, a popular Internet cooking show.
With a signature style based on “minimum fuss with maximum results,” Chef Hasson is known for creating mouthwatering meatless masterpieces, like her Ginger-Peanut Tofu Salad, Tofu Scramble, and Triple Chocolate Pudding.
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Chef Spotlight:
Julie Hasson
Chef Hasson is the author of four cookbooks, including 125 Best Cupcake Recipes and 300 Best Chocolate Recipes, and the host of the Internet cooking show Everyday Dish.
Do you have companion animals? If so, can you describe them?
I have a dog named Bruno. He’s an adorable shih tzu-Australian shepherd mix. He is an integral member of our family. His favorite place to hang out is in the kitchen (especially if I’m baking bread).
How long have you been a chef?
Officially, 17 years—but I made my first pie at age 3.
What type of cuisine do you focus on?
Rustic family-style cooking with lots of bold and inspiring flavors from the world over.
Have you received any awards?
My first chocolate cookbook, 125 Best Chocolate Chip Recipes, won the Gourmand award for best chocolate book in the English language.
Do you have a specialty?
I have a special affinity for making desserts, but I love cooking all kinds of food, especially Mediterranean and Asian cuisines.
What are the most important elements in cooking great vegetarian cuisine?
Start with the freshest ingredients you can find. Try to use organic ingredients in your cooking whenever possible. Experiment with herbs and spices to complement the wonderful flavors of the dish. Most importantly, include lots of love in your cooking too!
What is the key to getting meat-eaters to enjoy vegetarian food?
Cook delicious food! There are so many incredible dishes that are naturally vegetarian, such as pizza (skip the cheese and serve topped with pesto and grilled vegetables), pasta, risotto, Thai stir-fries, Indian curries and dals, and vegetable sushi, to name just a few. Show them how delicious and fun vegetarian food can be. Don’t mention to meat-eaters that the meal you’re serving is vegetarian. They are less likely to reject it if they feel they are being fed well.
What, in your opinion, does the future of plant-based cuisine hold?
I think that people will embrace a plant-based diet for certain health benefits, ethics, and eco-consciousness.
Do you have a favorite cooking method?
I would probably say sautéing. All you need is a large, heavy skillet and some olive oil and you’re ready to go.
Where did you train to become a chef?
I went to culinary school in Los Angeles, honed my skills in various restaurants, and owned and operated a bakery and catering company.
What are your favorite ingredients to work with?
I get totally inspired when I peruse the aisles of our local farmers market. Whatever the season, I love rediscovering old (and sometimes new) favorites depending on what’s available. The fresh vegetables and herbs are always enticing and get my creative juices flowing. I can always count on an overstuffed refrigerator on Saturdays.
In your opinion, what vegetarian dish or type of food is most frequently poorly prepared and why? That would probably be tofu. Since tofu doesn’t have a lot of flavor, you need to add flavor to it, whether from a marinade or great sauce or spice rub. The cooking technique for tofu can make a big difference too. I like to sauté tofu in a skillet, but it’s also excellent fried, breaded, or grilled. Since people automatically expect tofu to be terrible, making a great tofu dish can really take them by surprise.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only eat one kind of ethnic food, what would it be?
Wow—this is a hard one. Probably Thai food, because it’s so flavorful with its sweet, spicy, salty, and sour flavors. It’s naturally healthy because of all the great vegetables, spices, and tofu, which I would need to stay strong and healthy on an island.
Do vegetarian restaurants face any special obstacles that meat-based restaurants don´t have to face?
I would imagine that one of the biggest obstacles is the preconceived idea of what vegetarian food is. Of course, I see this changing in the future, as there are so many talented vegan and vegetarian chefs who are getting international recognition for their food.
Can you give us one great cooking tip for aspiring vegetarian chefs?
Start by getting comfortable in the kitchen. You can make many incredible meals from a few basic raw ingredients such as vegetables, beans, and grains. Once you have the basic skills, start experimenting with flavors. If it tastes good to you, most likely it will taste good to others as well. I strongly suggest a pressure cooker, which can cook beans and grains (and soups) in minutes, compared to hours.
What are some ingredients that you recommend vegetarians and vegans have in their kitchens to cook with?
Beans, lentils, spices, fresh herbs, garlic, dried mushrooms, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, brown rice pasta, whole grains, Soy Curls™, dark organic chocolate, nuts, agave syrup, vegan bouillon cubes (such as Rapunzel brand), nondairy milks, tofu, and lots of fresh vegetables.
Are there any newer vegetarian products on the market that you are particularly fond of?
Very Cherry Chocolate Chip soy ice cream from Double Rainbow, Soy Curls™, and Gardein products at Whole Foods.
Choose one area to give some specialty tips for:
- One of the versatile ways that I like to prepare tofu is:
Crumble firm tofu (by hand) into a large, nonstick skillet. Heat the tofu, stirring as needed, until it becomes firm. Continue cooking and stirring the tofu, adding a touch of oil as needed, until it’s golden. Sprinkle with a little soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos to give it a deeper flavor and color. At this point, you can sprinkle it with spices, chopped garlic, and nutritional yeast and serve as a scramble; add chopped vegetables, ginger, and garlic and use as a filling for lettuce wraps; or use as a meat substitute for your favorite recipes.
Triple Chocolate Pudding
Ginger-Peanut Tofu Salad
Tofu Scramble
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Chef: Kimiko Ikeda
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