Derek Sarno is an American

plant-based A plant-based diet is a diet consisting mostly or entirely of plant-based foods. It encompasses a wide range of dietary patterns that contain low amounts of animal products and high amounts of fiber-rich plant products such as vegetables, ...

chef, cookbook writer and co-founder of the website Wicked Kitchen.

Biography

Sarno is co-founder of Wicked Kitchen, a plant-based website that he co-founded with his brother Chad. Sarno was Director of Plant Based Innovation at

Tesco Tesco plc () is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in the United Kingdom at its head offices in Welwyn Garden City, England. The company was founded by Jack Cohen (businessman), Sir Jack Cohen in ...

. In 2023, he stepped down as Director. He is also co-founding a plant-based seafood company Good Catch Foods, and he was previously Senior Global Executive Chef of Recipe and Product Development at

Whole Foods Market Whole Foods Market, Inc. (colloquially referred to as simply Whole Foods) is an American multinational supermarket chain store, chain headquartered in Austin, Texas, which sells products free from Hydrogenated fat, hydrogenated fats and artificia ...

. He participated in the 2016 Seed Food and Wine Fest in Miami, including using mushrooms to "taste, and even feel, like your favorite meaty meals" according to

Men's Journal ''Men's Journal'' was an American men's lifestyle magazine focused on outdoor recreation and comprising editorials on the outdoors, environmental issues, health and fitness, style and fashion, and gear. It was founded in 1992 by Jann Wenner of ...

. In his role at Tesco, where vegetarian and vegan product sales increased 25% from 2016 to 2017, Sarno helped to develop their plant-based food options, such as by doubling the vegetarian and vegan entreés of their 2017 Christmas product line. He argues that "the approach that will win" for plant-based food is increasing its availability and convenience, especially in the UK, which he believes lags behind the US. He also wants less emphasis on the "vegan" label, given vegans make up a small minority of the population, and instead he wants focus on "food that's good for everyone." He and his brother use their blog to advocate for an "80% healthy, 20% wicked" diet as an accessible, durable way to stay healthy. In 2023,

Tasting Table Tasting Table (incorporated as TDT Media Inc.) is an American digital media company focused on food and drink. The brand's website and email newsletter report on food and drink trends in the categories of dining, wine, cocktails, cooking, and fo ...

named Sarno as one of the "21 Plant-Based Chefs You Need To Know," and

VegNews VegNews is a media brand focused on a plant-based lifestyle, encompassing a flagship magazine, a website, and a podcast, among other properties. VegNews covers content relating to veganism, including news, recipes, and celebrity interviews. His ...

listed him as one of the "37 Creative Chefs Crafting the Future of Vegan Food."

Book

listed ''Wicked Healthy'' as one of the "Top 100 Vegan Cookbooks of All Time" in 2024. * Sarno, Chad, Sarno, Derek; ''The Wicked Healthy Cookbook'' (Grand Central, 2018) * ''The Whole Foods Cookbook: 120 Delicious and Healthy Plant-Centered Recipes'' (with Alona Pulse MD, Matthew Lederman MD,

John Mackey (businessman) John Powell Mackey (born August 15, 1953) is an American businessman and author. He is the co-founder of Whole Foods Market and was the chief executive officer of the company from its inception in 1980 until his retirement in 2022. He is currentl ...

and Chad Sarno, Grand Central/Hachette, 2018)

References

External links

Wicked Kitchen
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarno, Derek American chefs American cookbook writers American expatriates in the United Kingdom American male chefs American veganism activists Chefs of vegan cuisine Living people Plant-based cookbook writers Plant-based diet advocates Vegan cookbook writers Year of birth missing (living people)