Plant-based cooking classes were essentially non-existent at Lakeside when Greg Laviolette and his partner Eddy Espindola arrived from Canada in December 2014.
With many years of cooking and restaurant experience, combined with a passion for everything vegan, Laviolette stepped up to fill the void. Now, not only is he teaching classes, but his unique, fresh and frozen concoctions are sold at two weekly local markets and four retail outlets in Ajijic and Guadalajara.
“It has taken two years of hard work to make my business a success,” says Laviolette. “I am doing 18 times the volume from when I started two years ago.”
Last week, eight eager students (plus this writer) arrived at Laviolette’s home at the end of a country road in Santa Cruz, outside Chapala, ready to experience such delicacies as Thai jicama slaw, scalloped potatoes, oven-dried cherry tomatoes – even carrot hot dogs and carrot “bacon.” The only thing missing during the three hours of learning, socializing and dining were animal products – and no one seemed to care. There was plenty of tasty food to go around, a stream of entertaining dialogue, and handouts of the day’s recipes to peruse. While Laviolette graciously played the role of chef and teacher, Espindola remained in the background chopping and cleaning, occasionally breaking out in a grin at Laviolette’s witty comments.
“I’ve attended every class except one,” says Doreen Stuart, a returning student. “The classes are a real gourmet treat. Even with all the food we get to eat, I never leave feeling uncomfortably stuffed because the food is so healthy.”
Between bites of her carrot hot dog, Jane Castleman remarks, “Since taking these classes, the content of my refrigerator has been shifting. There are now little containers of healthy ingredients that are unidentifiable to anyone eating a standard diet. Even my husband can’t identify them.”
Laviolette hails from Ontario, Canada, having spent 15 years in Toronto. For over five years, he’s been a plant-based chef and was in the restaurant business for more than 30 years. A few years ago, he sold his vegan café to move back to Mexico with Espindola, who is originally from Guadalajara. “We wanted to work less in order to live well,” says Laviolette, “and we thought that we could do that in Mexico.”
Laviolette had lived in Mexico for eight years as an English teacher prior to his return in 2014. His intention, upon returning to Canada for nine years, was to make enough money to buy a house when moving back to Mexico.
Says Laviolette: “We knew that when we came to Mexico we would have to keep working. Running the café was so much work. I probably spent 80 hours per week with no days off. I was looking for a way to make a good living and not work so much. Here, I probably work half as much as I did in Canada.”
Their home, built and completed six months ago, sits on half of an acre, complete with fruit trees and a vegetable garden. “We are completely off the grid,” Laviolette said. Using solar power, well water, a gray water system and bio-digester, we’re not connected to anything.”
Before becoming a vegan, Laviolette was a big time meat eater. “I smoked cigarettes, ate fried chicken, didn’t exercise and was very unhealthy. Then, I saw the documentary “Earthlings,” and that changed me overnight. I quit smoking and became a junk food vegan that first year. After watching another documentary, I was inspired to eat only raw foods, which I did for one year. One year of raw was enough, but it kickstarted me and I began to see dramatic changes in my health.” This year marks Laviolette’s 11th as a vegan, nine years for Espindola.
Their classes, limited to eight students, take on a different theme each week and Laviolette communicates signups through his Facebook page. “We prepare three main recipes and three supporting recipes, such as condiments. We may include an educational component, as well. If the class is about tofu, we will cook three tofu recipes and perhaps show a short video or include a handout describing the health benefits of tofu and soy. We may also discuss the connection of soy and breast cancer, since 90 percent of the students are women. I make sure to tell everyone I’m not a doctor, I’m a nutritional geek.”
Laviolette has found it easy to run a cottage business in Mexico. There’s very little red tape, he says, but getting certain ingredients can be a challenge.
“We have people bring things down for us from Canada and the United States, like nutritional yeast.”
“My biggest challenge,” says Laviolette, “is to keep every class fresh and interesting. Many students have health issues and that’s why they’re attending. Others come because the class is social, it’s fun and they get to learn. And, of course, everyone gets to eat.”
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