New York Restaurateur Turns His 15 Restaurants Vegan in Honor of His Beloved Cat

New York-based chef and restaurateur Ravi DeRossi spoke with
the Village Voice about how the terminal
diagnosis of his beloved cat inspired him to make his 15
restaurants vegan.

DeRossi cleared his
busy schedule to stay at home and care for his ailing feline friend. During
this difficult time, he started journaling to help himself cope. “What he wrote
turned into a manifesto of sorts—a platform for his life, business, and company,
the article states. On Christmas morning, he decided it was time for a change.

DeRossi had been a lifelong animal lover and on-and-off
vegan, yet when he broke into the restaurant industry nearly a decade ago, he
felt like he had to serve meat to be successful. About four years ago, he began feeling guilty
for straying from his moral code. “I got sucked into that world. I sort of
lost my conscience along the way, he admits.

Thankfully, restaurateurs like DeRossi no longer need to
serve meat to succeed. The world
is changing and new vegan restaurants and products are coming out every day.
It’s truly an exciting time!

For delicious meal ideas and tips on transitioning to a
vegan diet, check out ChooseVeg.com.