Most ‘Compassionate Chefs to the Stars’: PETA Names Top Chefs Cooking Vegan Cuisine for VIPs

For Immediate Release:
November 12, 2025

Contact:
Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382

Fame, fortune, and more vegan food, please! With more celebrities embracing vegan eating—and inspiring the public to do the same—PETA is naming its most “Compassionate Chefs to the Stars,” honoring the nation’s top chefs who have provided animal-friendly fare to some of the biggest names in Hollywood, sports, and music. The honorees, in no particular order, are:

• Tal Ronnen, chef and owner of the vegan restaurant Crossroads Kitchen in Los Angeles, and the author of The New York Times bestseller, The Conscious Cook. Ronnen has cooked for Oprah Winfrey—and appeared on her show—as well as for Paul McCartney, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, former President Bill Clinton, and Lizzo. His many recipes include Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Broccolini Florets Agliolio, Smoked White Bean Hummus, and Impossible Moroccan Cigars.

• Charity Morgan, a vegan chef based out of Nashville, Tennessee, and the author of Unbelievably Vegan: 100+ Life-Changing, Plant-Based Recipes. Morgan provides vegan meal preparation for several NFL players and catered the entire vegan menu for Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth’s wedding in 2018. Some of her top recipes include Lo Mein, Ranch Mashed Potatoes, and Lentil Bolognese.

• Heather Golden Ray and Jenny Engel, sisters and co-owners of Spork Foods, a Los Angeles-based vegan cooking school and food company. They are the authors of Vegan 101: A Vegan Cookbook and co-owners of the restaurant Hey, Sunshine Kitchen. Their food has received rave reviews from numerous celebrities, including Kristen Bell, Moby, and Weird Al Yankovic, among others. The sisters’ recipes include a Buffalo Chickpea Hoagie, Velvety Kale Soup, and Lemon Cheesecake.

• Mary Westfall (formerly, Mary Mattern), co-owner of the vegan restaurant Winter Park Biscuit Company in Orlando, Florida. She has cooked for Travis Barker, Jeremy Piven, and Ellie Goulding. Her many vegan recipes include  Guacamole Wontons, Kashmiri Cauliflower and Leeks Curry, and Donut Holes.

• Adjoa “Chef Joya” Courtney, a vegan chef based out of Charlotte, North Carolina. She is the author of several vegan cookbooks, including From My Ancestor’s Table: African and Caribbean Vegan Food for the Soul, and has cooked for Fantasia, Mo’Nique, TS Madison, and Jess Hilarious. Her recipes include Vegan Birria Tacos and Southern Peach Cobbler.

• Lauren Kretzer, a plant-powered chef, recipe developer, and certified holistic nutritionist based out of northern New Jersey. She’s cooked for Billy Joel, Ron Howard, Ben Stiller, and John McEnroe. Her many recipes include Spicy Poblano and Sweet Potato Chili, Butternut Squash Shells and Cheese, and Vegan Faux Gras.

• Aaron Elliott, a vegan chef and owner of Meal Ticket, a weekly meal delivery service specializing in plant-powered, organic meals serving the Greater Los Angeles Area. Elliott has cooked for James and Suzy Cameron, Ari Emmanuel, and Nate Diaz. One of his favorite recipes to share is his OatMac Banana Date Dream Shake.

• Joy Davis, owner of the vegan catering and meal prep service Joy’s Green Kitchen in Georgia’s Metro Atlanta. She has cooked for Tabitha Brown and was a Carla Hall “Favorite Chef” nominee in 2023.

“From Guacamole Wontons to Lentil Bolognese, these chefs are crafting creative vegan dishes for celebrity clients and inspiring everyone to leave animals off their plates,” says PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange. “All the chefs on PETA’s list are culinary superstars, and we encourage professional chefs and home cooks alike to follow their compassionate lead by cooking only vegan cuisine.”

Everyone who goes vegan saves the lives of nearly 200 animals a year, reduces their risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and dramatically shrinks their carbon footprint. According to the United Nations, a global shift toward vegan eating is necessary to combat the worst effects of the climate catastrophe. PETA offers a free vegan starter kit for those ready to make the switch.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out thatEvery Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.