Author Profile

	Brian Igarta was born and raised in the Hawaiian Islands, affording him the opportunity to become familiar with the unique array of flavors and styles of cooking indigenous to Hawaii by virtue of its unique blend of cultures. Upon completing high school, Brian enrolled in the Culinary Academy at Maui Community College – a highly recognized program with strong ties to the hospitality industry. It has been the training ground for many managing and celebrity chefs around the world. Together with the unique characteristics of the Hawaiian culture, it helped to launch Brian on his career as a chef with a vital message about proper diet and good health.

Brian’s unique flair for preparing enticing and healthy cuisine was strongly influenced by the wide variety of foods and cooking styles found in the islands. After all, Hawaii is a melting pot. Beginning with the first Chinese immigrants that settled on the islands to work the sugar plantations, Filipinos, Japanese, Portuguese and many other nationalities followed, adding their own cultures and associated styles of cooking to those already established by the native Hawaiians and European missionaries. Eventually this cultural mélange evolved into its own special class of cooking known as Pacific Rim Cuisine.

Early in his career, Brian specialized in Asian and French cuisine, working in a variety of food establishments. However, being a “local boy” at heart, and driven by his own diverse ethnicity that includes Chinese, Hawaiian, Filipino, Portuguese, and Puerto Rican ancestry, he broadened his horizons and began preparing a wide variety of food with his own unique approach. This diversification was further bolstered by his visits to Europe and South America, where he was able to pick up a few secrets from the kitchens he frequented.

The real challenge for Brian came when he adopted a lifestyle of total vegetarianism. He had previously been an ovo-lacto vegetarian subsisting mainly on potato chips, beer and pasta for ten years until he met his wife, Crystal. At the time, she was predominantly a meat-eater. Influenced by the health message that can be found in the Bible, she made the transition to vegetarianism in about three months. During this transition, she and Brian studied the concept of health reform and the benefits of eating a meat-free diet. What they learned opened their eyes and propelled Brian into a whole new way of cooking and eating for better health. The message was quite clear – the food we eat plays a direct and profound role in preventing and
even curing disease. It is the foundation for one’s total health – body, mind, and soul. Thus, with more than 19 years of culinary experience, Brian was able to masterfully utilize his artistic genius to create healthy mouth-watering dishes. Seeking to dispel the popular myth that healthy food is tasteless, bland, and boring, he created a cookbook to show that eating health foods can be exciting and appealing. The recognition and popularity the book has garnered proves that is is possible to eat right and be satisfied.

The Maui Vegetarian - Cooking with Aloha, is a reflection of the diverse cuisine that one can experience in Hawaii, and even in far away places around the globe with a twist – it is totally meat-free. The Hawaiian word Aloha is an expression of love – and that is exactly what Brian puts into his unique and healthy dishes. You can too. Pick up a copy of The Maui Vegetarian to learn how to prepare exciting new dishes that will stimulate your taste buds and improve your health at the same time. And don’t forget to use a lot of Aloha!