Like many, Tara Thomas moved to New York seeking a change of pace. Originally from Portland, Oregon, the 21-year-old vegan chef is looking to shake up the restaurant industry. Thomas is both a private chef as well as a consultant. When she’s not cooking, she’s hosting pop-up events or working with restaurants to curate their menus to be more sustainable and vegan friendly.

The core of her work stems from her own perception of food. “Eating is a daily ritual that allows us to refuel, indulge, and experience our senses. Our bodies furnish these nutrients and change the way we perceive and integrate into the world,” said Thomas.

Thomas had always loved cooking, but didn’t take it seriously until after she graduated high school and was taking a gap year. “I just started cooking for people, and my friends kept telling me it’s something I was good at,” Thomas told Bushwick Daily. “I kept getting opportunities to do events.” It was only then that Thomas realized how sharing her philosophies with others through food could reap positive change.