1 4
Russell Bry, executive chef, Giordano’s, Chicago
Price: $21.45 for a small pizza
Giordano’s introduced a meatless sausage pie last summer at 70 locations throughout the country and has highlighted it for the Lenten season as part of a “meatless Fridays” promotion, available for dine-in, carry-out, delivery and online ordering. The meatless “meat” component here is sausage — a nice homage to Chicago’s reputation as a meat-lover’s town. The alternative sausage is also available in Giordano’s traditional deep dish, thin-crust and extra-thin-crust pies.
Akash and Rana Kapoor, founders, Curry Up Now in California, Georgia, Utah, New Jersey
Price: $14.50
Curry Up Now, since its conception in 2010, has been a place that prides itself on vegan and vegetarian options. At the end of 2017, the concept began offering Hungry Planet’s vegan plant protein at all locations. The protein is animal-product free, non-GMO and without trans-, saturated and polyunsaturated fats. It’s available on many of the concept’s fast-casual-meets-Indian classics menu items, including tikka masala burritos, deconstructed samosa and this Hungry Planet Bowl.
Phil Kastel, executive chef, The Milky Way, Los Angeles
Price: $20
Lots of places offer Impossible burgers, but for the love of all that’s holy about burgers, do your customers a favor and make it a totally dynamite burger with care for each element. At The Milky Way, a kosher dairy restaurant, substitutions are the bedrock, with kosher takes on classic American favorites. Keeping kosher means a traditional beef burger with cheese melted on top is not permitted. The milk from the cow is seen as an insult to the meat, in [very simplified] Kabbalistic view. But this burger makes it possible, and Chef Phil Kastel puts together a platonic ideal of a cheese “burger” with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, onions, pickles, thousand island dressing on a sesame seed bun. There’s also a patty melt with the same patties and swiss cheese on rye.
Jose Icardi, chef, Diez y Seis, Miami Beach
Price: $14
Diez y Seis’ Chef Jose Icardi comes from Argentinian barbecue background, having learned the traditional el asado technique at his parents’ restaurant. That doesn’t mean the accomplished chef is stuck on animal protein, though. He recently introduced meat alternatives to tamales and these Cuban tacos at Diez y Seis, made with a black bean tortilla and topped with Impossible meat and avocado-black bean puree.
