We were lucky to catch up with Janay Laing recently and have shared our conversation below.

Janay, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

I went vegan for the animals, but I still love good food as much as anyone else! I was lucky to work at 3 amazing vegan restaurants in Miami – Choices Cafe, Charley’s Vegan Tacos and Vegetarian by Hakin – where I learned the art and science of plant-based flavor. Yet when eating out, I encountered so many bland and boring vegan meals. Even at food trucks or food festivals, the food was almost always lacking something – whether it was proper seasoning, umami or a good sauce. I realized I had to create a class to teach people what I learned about the fundamentals of plant-based cooking. And my class “Make Plants Delicious” was born!

Janay, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I launched an online course “Make Plants Delicious: A Course on Vegan Flavor” last year on Udemy, and released an e-book version on Amazon. I’m currently working on a printed book with even more techniques.

The Udemy class is designed for anyone who wants to make plant-based food taste as good as meat and dairy. Most cookbooks only teach recipes – I teach fundamental principles that students can take with them for the rest of their lives. In short, I help people become better cooks! The class discusses the 4 Essentials of Vegan Flavor:

1. Seasoning in Layers
2. Umami
3. The 3 B’s: Butter, Broth and Bouillion
4. Creaminess

Each lesson comes with delicious, beginner-level recipes that demonstrate different flavor techniques. Whether you are new to cooking or advanced, I guarantee you will learn something new and valuable about flavor.
It has already garnered 5-star reviews which I’m so proud of.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Maybe this isn’t huge, but when I first decided to make a cooking class I thought it was impossible. I’d never made a video course before, and the idea of it seemed so daunting. I wasn’t sure what exactly to teach, which recipes I’d use, or how to make it cohesive and organized. Thank goodness Udemy offered a special incentive for creators who could publish a course in less than 45 days. That gave me the push I needed.

After procrastinating for a month, I finally got to work filming, editing, doing voiceovers, uploading – everything. And it all came together! The course started to make sense and flow. When I finally hit that “Publish” button, I was totally exhausted but thrilled. I actually finished this huge project. Nothing is impossible when you put the work in!

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Yes – always follow your dreams, no matter how irrational or “poor” they seem. When I first started working in restaurants about 5 years ago, my family was very critical because I have a BA in English and they thought that kind of work was below me. But teaching English is not my passion – plant-based food is. I wanted to learn the art and craft of sophisticated plant-based cooking, so I went to work for some of the best restaurants in South Florida and learned a lot. Thanks to these jobs, I was able to create the class “Make Plants Delicious” and share this important knowledge with the world. And now I’m making money from it! When you follow your authentic journey, it may not be very profitable at first, but it will eventually lead you to the right place.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @veganflavorclass
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janay-laing/

Image Credits
Janay Laing