Okay maybe just for one night, for one part of the meal. Celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito has been giving the world a taste of his exclusive New York City parties on Bravo’s Rocco’s Dinner Party. This self-contained competition series gives three highly skilled chefs a shot at crafting the perfect evening for DiSpirito and his handpicked celebrity guests. The competing chefs hail from all walks of lives –- from restaurateurs to caterers to self-taught foodies -– and the winner of each episode will take home a prize of $20,000. Each week, three new chefs have one shot at impressing DiSpirito by cooking their signature dish. The two strongest will advance to the next round, where they are challenged to develop a full menu in competing dinner parties’ for DiSpirito’s high-profile guests.
Tonight is a good night for vegans because we don’t have to guiltily watch a cooking show wishing a vegan chef was pounding the seitan instead of a chicken’s breast.
Ever since Chef Ayinde Howell brought us his Wildflower Vegan Pop-Up restaurant there has been a groundswell of press attention highlighting Ayinde’s cruelty-free contribution the grassroots pop-up phenomena. From write-ups in The New York Times to features on New York Magazine‘s “Grub Street” this recent press push has helped to further mainstream vegan ideals, raise questions about our nations continued reliance on animal husbandry despite amazing vegan options, and all the while help make a name for this breakout chef.
Following the surge of press attention Bravo Television has asked Ayinde to compete on their reality dinner party show “Rocco’s Dinner Party.” Ayinde will make his Bravo appearance TONIGHT (Wednesday 7/13/2011) at 10pm EST, 9pm Central and we as a movement of compassionate activists should use this opportunity to send a message to Bravo that we want them to have an increased vegan focus in their program mix.
Bravo TV’s website features a user contributed content forum called “twitter battles.” We invite you to join us as we participate in one of these battles here during and around the show’s airing to reign in the narrative on their twitter forum by tweeting links about vegan outreach, and tweets emphasizing your interest in Bravo’s continued commitment to vegan programming.
Here are a few ways you can help bring attention to veganism tonight:
1.) Access the twitter battle & read tutorials on how to participate at this LINK. Then log on and start tweeting. The possibilities are endless but here are two examples that you can feel free to ad-lib as you like.
I wish @roccodispirito on @bravotv featured more #vegan chefs like Chef @AYINDE
Want to know why @AYINDE is #vegan ? – [insert link to vegan resource here]
2.) You can share the LINK to the twitter battle on your facebook page, tumblr, or twitter accounts and encourage your friends to get involved in the twitter battle as well.
3.) Tell friends & family that “Rocco’s Dinner Party” on the Bravo network will be featuring the vegan culinary stylings of chef Ayinde Howell by forwarding them a link to this blog.
4.) You can also leave Bravo a comment thanking them for featuring a vegan chef and suggest they do it more often HERE.