J.J. Kingery, Executive Chef
Wild Eggs
Louisville, Ky.
Surfer Girl Omelet
Yield: 1 serving
2 whole eggs
2 T. diced tomato
2 T. diced onion
2 T. chopped baby spinach
2 T. roasted wild mushrooms
2 T. cream cheese
2 T. sour cream
2 T. pico de gallo or fresh salsa
2 T. diced avocado
1 T. chopped scallions
2 T. alfalfa sprouts
Wild Eggs
Bennies Gone Wild features a mushroom patty topped with a poached egg and
roasted-tomato hollandaise.
Method: Crack eggs into mixing
bowl; whip with piano whisk until
light and fluffy. (Eggs should change
in color from darker yellow to lighter
lemon-yellow.) Butter 7-inch nonstick
omelet pan; pour whipped eggs into
pan. Add tomato, onion, spinach and
mushrooms to pan; stir to incorporate.
Place pan over medium heat; allow
eggs to cook. As eggs begin to set
up, lift cooked edges of omelet with
rubber spatula and allow uncooked
liquid egg to run toward center and
underneath. (Do not allow eggs to
brown.) Repeat process until most of
liquid egg is cooked. Put omelet under
broiler or salamander to finish cooking
top (or flip omelet). When cooked,
remove from heat. Add cream cheese
along center. Slide omelet from pan;
fold in half. Garnish with sour cream,
pico de gallo, avocado, scallions and
alfalfa sprouts. Serve with fresh cut
fruit, hash browns or grits.
The Illinois Institute of Art—Chicago and
Kendall College, notes that the number of
vegetarians is on the rise, as evidenced
by a 2008 Vegetarian Times study. The
study found 3.2% of U.S. adults, or 7. 3
million, follow a vegetarian-based diet.
Approximately 0.5%, or 1 million, of those
are vegans who consume no animal
products. Additionally, 10% of U.S. adults,
or 22. 8 million, say they largely follow a
vegetarian-inclined or flexitarian diet.
areas, and vegetarian was one of them.
The busier we got, we had several guests
requesting certain vegetarian items. One
person wanted the [eggs] Benedict without
the bacon, and asked for spinach and
tomatoes, instead. People would see that,
and ask for it. So we eventually added the
dish, as the Veggie Bennie Florentinie, to
the menu. We can do a range of vegetarian
dishes from our omelet station, and can do
anything custom-ordered.”
“Vegetarianism is no longer a trend, but
a way of life,” says Zonka. “Thanks to
rapidly rising costs of some of our most
widely consumed animal proteins, coupled
with greater awareness and commitment
to consuming locally produced foods,
the number of consumers who consider
themselves vegetarian, at least part of the
time, will increase.”
convenient vegetarian breakfast options
during weekday business and more
inspired, elevated vegetarian dishes during
more leisurely weekend breakfast and
brunch,” she says.
At Nana, an organic eatery in Chicago’s
Bridgeport neighborhood, the restaurant’s
philosophy is to offer the best quality, most
flavorful and healthiest food possible.
“We try to be mindful and offer the best
for our customers,” says Nana executive
chef Guy Meikle. “We have a lot of organic,
vegetarian and vegan offerings. One of our
owners is vegetarian, so that plays a role.
For weekend specials, we try to always
have one vegetarian option.”
Zonka, who has taught courses on nutrition
and vegetarian cuisine at The Culinary
Institute of America, Hyde Park, N. Y.,
EVOLVING VEGETARIAN OFFERINGS
J.J. Kingery, executive chef of breakfast-
centered Wild Eggs in Louisville, Ky., is
continually enhancing the vegetarian
offerings on the menu used at all three Wild
Eggs locations. “In the beginning, when we
wrote the menu, we tried to incorporate
some vegetarian items,” he says. “As we
grew, we felt like we were lacking in some
Meikle says Nana also offers a protein
substitute—soyrizo—that is popular at
breakfast. “A lot of what we do has a Latin
American influence. We created a soy
chorizo we call soyrizo that is served with a
lot of our Latin dishes. It’s soy marinated with
our ancho pepper/chorizo mix. Vegetarians
