VBT 103: Interview with Leslie Durso, vegan chef and wellness expert

In this episode I interview Leslie Durso, a vegan chef and wellness expert in Los Angeles.

An Italian-American, Leslie has eaten plant-based since the age of eight and you may remember her from her entertainment days when she starred as Leslie the lab girl, on the popular TV show Bill Nye, the science guy that ran from 1993 to 1998.

It was during the show that Leslie discovered her love of education and shifted from science to plant-based food. After establishing herself as a private chef for the NYC and Hollywood elite, Leslie began hosting cooking segments on television and online, including her show Accidentally Vegan for the FabFitFunTV membership community.

She regularly appears on Food Network, Discovery Channel and Hallmark Channel, as well as in other mainstream media.

Leslie is currently the vegan chef at the Four Seasons, Punta Mita in Mexico and a chef partner at PLANTLAB culinary school.

In this interview Leslie discusses:

• How she became a chef despite not going to culinary school

• How she got the gig at the Four Seasons hotel

• The key factors that have made the Four Seasons job such a success that it resulted in her becoming the hotel’s wellness ambassador

• Why she refuses to allow a separate vegan menu at hotels and restaurants and instead insists vegan dishes are part of the main menu

• Why she prefers to partner with culinary schools and other collaborators instead of running and operating her own platforms

• How to attract the right partners for your business

• And much more

Visit Leslie Durso’s website
Check out Leslie's show Accidentally Vegan on FabFunFit TV
Find out more about PLANTLAB culinary school

Brands mentioned in vegan business news roundup:

Beyond Advisors
Mac and Moon
The LC

RESOURCES:

My Online PR Course for Vegan Business Owners & Entrepreneurs: Vegans in the Limelight

My book Vegan Ventures: Start and Grow an Ethical Business

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