Amanda Cohen is the chef and owner of Dirt Candy, the acclaimed vegetarian restaurant on New York City's Lower East Side. Dirt Candy was the first vegetable-focused fine dining eatery in the city and remains a leader of the vegetable-forward movement. The restaurant's original location, a tiny spot with 18 seats, was open for six years, during which time it became the first vegetarian spot in 17 years to receive two stars from The New York Times. It's also been recognized by the Michelin Guide five years running and has snagged awards from Gourmet Magazine, The Village Voice, and many others.
Dirt Candy's new location opened in January 2015, and it was the first restaurant in the city to eliminate tipping and share profits with its employees. Amanda was the first vegetarian chef to compete on Iron Chef America, and her comic book cookbook, Dirt Candy: A Cookbook, is the first graphic novel cookbook to be published in North America. It's currently in its sixth printing.
Amanda's Restaurant:
Amanda's Book: