The smell of fresh herbs and colorful vegetables filled the community room at the Pacific Beach Library on Sunday afternoon in April, as about two dozen people gathered around long tables set with ingredients and cutting boards.
The occasion? A free vegan cooking class led by Liz Gary — a plant-based chef, educator, advocate and native San Diegan based in Point Loma.
Gary’s April 13 class was timed to celebrate the Thai New Year, so she shared her recipe for vegan spring rolls. It was a light, refreshing dish made with local ingredients from stores like Jensen’s Foods and Grocery Outlet.
As she moved around the prep table, assembling rolls and talking through each step, Gary kept the mood light and interactive. Her students followed along, asked questions and took turns helping with the steps. She had them roll the spring rolls, stir the filling and pour peanut sauce onto plates.
Cooking, she explained, doesn’t have to be intimidating and healthy eating isn’t about sacrificing flavor.
“Nature has an alternative for almost everything,” Gary said.
She also got discussions going with her students during the interactive lesson and offered substitutions for ingredients or tools her students might not have at home, encouraging everyone to adapt the recipes to their own kitchens and lives.
“The libraries are here for the community. And when we have the opportunity to have an exchange like this, we are learning, we are fulfilling their purpose,” she said.
Gary’s journey to vegan cooking did not begin in a chef’s kitchen. She started her career as a food educator and restaurant consultant promoting the standard American diet.
But after choosing a lifestyle more aligned with healthy eating, Gary said she pivoted. With a bachelor’s and master’s degree under her belt, she moved into grant management and helped launch one of California’s first online high schools. Later, she worked in energy project management.
But a personal encounter with veganism pulled her back to her culinary roots — this time with a mission. Gary began developing vegan curriculum at a community college, then launched grassroots cooking programs in libraries and schools. She authored vegan cookbooks for local stores and led hands-on classes for young people and adults alike.
Now, her free monthly vegan cooking classes at the Pacific Beach/Taylor Library are a popular program, drawing curious foodies, committed vegans, and the vegan-curious of all ages. The classes began in January and are scheduled to continue through June.
Whether they can continue afterward is dependent on what happens with the city’s budget and city library hours, said Branch Manager Christina Wainwright.
As of late April, Mayor Todd Gloria was proposing to cut Sunday and Monday hours at all city libraries, including the Pacific Beach/Taylor branch, to help close the City of San Diego’s $258 million deficit in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Gary said it is rewarding to see young people learning cooking skills in her classes.
“I still feel there is a huge need to provide plant-based education in our schools and communities,” she said. “Everybody eats every day. We’re raising a generation that’s dependent on fast food and frozen food.
“We know this generation is interested,” she added. “The libraries have been progressive in allowing the freedom to share plant-based foods and that’s been really exciting — to see how people get excited (to) learn new things and experience that you really can almost have it all plant-based.”
The library’s community room on April 13 was filled with adults and teens from all over San Diego.
Faith Gard, a high schooler from Tierrasanta, attended with her mom. She said the class gave her a way to stay on track with her healthy eating goals.
“My mom comes to the library classes. We came here together today,” Gard said. “I like how she incorporates veggies so we have more healthy alternatives when it comes to food and I’m trying to eat more healthy, so I came here to learn more about being vegan and how vegetables are good for you.”
The class also included longtime participant Kathy Kelly, a Pacific Beach resident who rolled spring rolls at the front table. She spoke about how Gary’s recipes have helped her simplify her plant-based meals.
“I’ve taken several of her classes and I tried the recipes at home and they’re always fun and popular and everything is always delicious,” Kelly said. “I also enjoy meeting people who come to her classes. She’s a delightful teacher. I was vegetarian for many years and then I saw what was done to the mother cows and they’re discarded at a young age so that turned me vegan, so I’m happy to know some easy recipes to do.”
“I love taking her class,” said Colleen Doering, another student. “I enjoyed her class. I’ve taken two other classes. And it’s inspiring to learn alternative diets and foods. I think it’s something a lot of us are exploring.
“There’s a term going around now — sober curious. So I say I’m vegan curious,” Doering said.
That curiosity is exactly what Gary said she hopes to nourish.
“The return on investment in sharing this good news is that people will have knowledge for better health,” Gary said. “The three pillars in veganism are health, environment and animal welfare.
“Food sampling is one of the greatest keys to acceptance and change, so when they try these food products they see that nothing is being taken away,” Gary said. “I saw a lot of students ready, interested and willing to continue on a path of plant-based foods. People have come to my class wanting to reverse the effects of things like diabetes and heart conditions. In 30 days you can start to see results from a plant-based diet.”
As the class wrapped up and spring rolls plated, students said they enjoyed tasting the meal.
A library may not be the first place one would expect to find a cooking class, but through June interested students can find Gary’s monthly class in Pacific Beach.
On May 11, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., she will offer a Mother’s Day-themed class featuring vegan blueberry and lemon mini cheesecake, along with garnishes of edible flowers. The sampling menu will also include vegan cream cheese, chickn’ and cucumber tea sandwiches and mini watermelon gazpacho shot with pearls of plant-based mozzarella. at tinyurl.com/PBveganMay11.
For the June 8 class, she will offer easy vegan breakfast dishes, including scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and buttermilk pancakes in meat-free, egg-free and dairy-free versions. at tinyurl.com/PBveganJune8.
Registration for each class is required, but does not guarantee individuals will receive tasting samples, as they are limited to the first 30. Classes are free.
The Pacific Beach/Taylor Library is at 4275 Cass Street. For details, call 858-581-9934.
