Dueling Chefs - (At Table) by Maggie Pleskac & Sean Carmichael (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

One eats meat. The other doesn't. Both are professional chefs. And both have recipes that make a deliciously persuasive case for each chef's point of view. In a delightful culinary turn on "he said, she said," dueling chefs Maggie Pleskac and Sean Carmichael engage in a delectable debate over the merits of the cuisines of vegetarians and carnivores in the form of recipe one-upmanship in which only the reader is sure to win.

Between entertaining banter and edifying discussion of exciting ingredients, Pleskac and Carmichael challenge each other--and cooks everywhere--with eighty recipes as creative (and mouthwatering) as Beef Brisket with Blueberry BBQ Sauce and Jackfruit Pineapple BBQ on a Bun. Lobster and falafel, curried eggs and smoked halibut, tempeh and quinoa, stuffed capon breast and chickpeas in coconut sauce, goulash and salmon cakes and Bolshevik Beet and Blue Gratin: whatever diet suits your fancy, the dueling chefs have dishes to make your days and nights as delightful as your taste buds can bear.

Maggie Pleskac is owner and chef at Maggie's Vegetarian Café in Lincoln, Nebraska. She is on the board of directors of Open Harvest Natural Foods Grocery and the vice president of Slow Food Nebraska. Sean Carmichael, a graduate of the Art Institute of Colorado, is executive chef at Chez Hay catering in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Review Quotes

"In this informative and entertaining cookbook the two chefs present strong arguments for their chosen culinary paths. This book contains 80 delicious recipes that gardeners will love. Using fresh seasonal ingredients these have easy to follow instructions and a discussion of the ingredients."--Connie Krochmal, BellaOnline.com

"Put a vegetarian and a meat-lover at the same table, and out come the knives! Chefs Maggie Pleskac (herbivore) and Sean Carmichael (carnivore) face off in a tofu vs. tenderloin recipe showdown."--Everyday with Rachael Ray-- (10/1/2008 12:00:00 AM)

"An entertaining and tasty morsel of an idea book. For a meat or meatless reader eater, some great eating lies between the covers. The techniques are tried and true and will lead you to be successful whether you desire tempeh or tenderloin."--Ronald Schickel, chef and culinary instructor at the Art Institute of Colorado-- (3/9/2007 12:00:00 AM)

"Informative, entertaining, and fun to read--a good book for coming up with fresh ideas to please the most discriminating vegetarian."--Greg Stange, executive chef of the Birmingham Athletic Club-- (12/18/2006 12:00:00 AM)

"Sean and Maggie have been serving Lincoln with great food for many years. Dueling Chefs offers a window into the planning and process behind two exceptional chefs."--Travis Green, chef and owner of Dish-- (1/9/2007 12:00:00 AM)

"Spicy commentary garnishes Sean's meat dishes and Maggie's veggie delights and plates up their passion for fabulous food. This treasure trove of delectable recipes will entice food enthusiasts, vegetarians, omnivores, and localvores alike. Everyone can enjoy the love these two friends have for creative and delicious cuisine!"--Krista Dittman, president of Slow Food Nebraska-- (12/18/2006 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Maggie Pleskac is owner and chef at Maggie's Vegetarian Café in Lincoln, Nebraska. She is on the board of directors of Open Harvest Natural Foods Grocery and the vice president of Slow Food Nebraska. Sean Carmichael, a graduate of the Art Institute of Colorado, is executive chef at Chez Hay catering in Lincoln, Nebraska.