When Joanne Lee Molinaro was growing up, the kitchen belonged to her grandmother. \u201cI generally learned to stay out of her way,\u201d Molinaro tells VegNews. That might come as a surprise, considering she is now the creator of the wildly popular plant-based blog The Korean Vegan and author of the best-selling The Korean Vegan Cookbook: Reflections and Recipes from Omma\u2019s Kitchen and most recent The Korean Vegan: Homemade: Recipes and Stories from My Kitchen.<\/p>\n
But Molinaro\u2019s passion for cooking didn\u2019t begin in childhood. \u201cI didn\u2019t do much cooking at all when I was little,\u201d she admits. Her love for food, however, was present early on, and it went far beyond what was on the plate. \u201cEating was a time for the family to congregate, no matter what we were doing or what corner of the house we were in,\u201d she recalls.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sanctity of mealtime was so ingrained that to this day, I find it odd not to eat meals together with my husband at the dinner table. It is a time for us to reconnect after long days of work and to refuel our bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n
That deep connection to family meals, often anchored by a grandparent\u2019s or parent\u2019s cooking, is something many of us share. In fact, one study by Bosch found that 64 percent of Americans still prepare recipes their parents or grandparents made for them as kids.<\/p>\n
This cultural and emotional link to family food traditions is also at the heart of Vince Vaughn\u2019s Netflix film Nonnas. The movie follows Joe Scaravella (played by Vaughn) as he opens an Italian restaurant run entirely by grandmothers. \u201cI enjoy food and spending time with friends and family,\u201d Vaughn told Tudum. \u201cThat connection, sharing an experience with people you enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s something about the food we grew up with that evokes comfort and nostalgia. A single bite can transport us back to a moment, a person, or a feeling. But while we may want to hold on to those memories, we don\u2019t always want to cook exactly the same way. Today, more people than ever are leaning into plant-based eating, but that doesn\u2019t mean we have to lose our beloved cultural and childhood recipes.<\/p>\n
Geoff Martin Photography | The Korean Vegan<\/p>\n
How to turn your beloved grandmother\u2019s cooking plant-based: tips from The Korean Vegan<\/p>\n
Molinaro knows better than most that we can reimagine those recipes with new ingredients that better align with our values or health goals. That\u2019s why we asked the top chef for her tips on turning your beloved grandmother\u2019s cooking plant-based. Here\u2019s what she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1 Stay connected to the cultural origins of the dish<\/p>\n
Molinaro starts by researching traditional versions of the dishes she plans to adapt. \u201cI always confer with the non-vegan recipes of the dishes I intend to \u2018veganize,\u2019\u201d she explains. When working with culturally meaningful foods, she emphasizes the value of learning from those with firsthand experience. For many, that could mean talking to a parent or grandparent about their original recipe. \u201cI try to understand if there are particular stories behind that dish, to the person sharing it with me, or the country of origin,\u201d she says. \u201cThis is for Korean cuisine or any other cuisine.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Korean Vegan<\/p>\n
2 Don\u2019t be overwhelmed by meat-heavy recipes<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be intimidated,\u201d urges Molinaro. \u201cAnytime I think, \u2018oh\u2026 that simply can\u2019t be veganized,\u2019 I surprise myself! You never know until you try.\u201d One of her favorite plant-based adaptations is a classic Korean dish: kimbap. \u201cI make it all the time, even though it\u2019s very labor-intensive,\u201d she says. \u201cI simply swap out the meat with vegan sausage or tofu.\u201d<\/p>\n
3 Be prepared to fall in love with recipes in a different way<\/p>\n
Molinaro didn\u2019t always have a warm relationship with kimbap. \u201cI used to hate kimbap growing up,\u201d she says. \u201cIt signaled everything that was \u2018wrong\u2019 with our family\u2014the otherness of being Korean and my mother\u2019s and grandmother\u2019s failure to learn \u2018American\u2019 dishes. But now, I love it so much! And, the best part is, my family thinks I make the best kimbap ever. Vegan or not.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pexels<\/p>\n
4 Don\u2019t worry if a dish isn\u2019t an exact replica<\/p>\n
When it comes to veganizing nostalgic dishes, Molinaro urges home cooks to go easy on themselves. \u201cDon\u2019t let perfection be the enemy of good,\u201d she says. \u201cNot every veganized version will taste identical to the original traditional recipe, but that\u2019s not necessarily a bad thing (even if some of your relatives think it is!).\u201d<\/p>\n
5 Keep your memories front and center<\/p>\n
At the end of the day, Molinaro believes that the emotional connection is what really makes a dish special. \u201cThe important thing is whether the dish satisfies you and brings you closer to the memories and lovely stories that dish holds for you,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
For more plant-based stories like this, read:<\/p>\n
![\"VegNews.CharlottePointingBio\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.diningandcooking.com\/restaurants\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/VegNews.CharlottePointingBio.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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