Chef Jody O’Sullivan’s plant-based pecan pie — indulgence without the guilt.
(Special Advertising Feature) — As part of its commitment to advance self-care, the culinary team at Hyatt Regency Saipan has been proactive in addressing the changing preferences and dietary restrictions of guests while offering an authentic gastronomical experience.
The Hyatt team has been quick to respond to requests for vegan and plant-based cuisines, ensuring that these options are available. Jody O’Sullivan, Hyatt’s chef de cuisine for pastry and a vegan himself, is now showcasing his creative plant-based bakery creations and desserts at Giovanni’s Sunday brunch.
“Plant-based desserts are not any ‘healthier’ than their regular counterparts, but that is not the point of a dessert, which is supposed to be an indulgence,” he said.
“The whole pastry landscape is changing and adapting, however, and being able to offer quality desserts without the need for animal products is the biggest challenge facing the pastry industry at the moment. Being able to offer these desserts now becomes more important so our guests can understand that the quality of what we serve is going to be no different from a traditional recipe. We are changing ingredients so we can create the best possible experience on a consistent basis,” he added.
“Sustainability is something we need to be really conscious of…. As prices of goods, shipping costs and utilities continue to rise, we need to look at how much our products are valued and, wherever we can, provide a quality alternative. With continuous global climate change, things that are usually readily available for standard desserts are already more expensive and harder to come by,” O’Sullivan said.
Plant-based alternatives
A plant-based dessert is a dish prepared using no animal products. “Ingredients such as butter, eggs, cream, milk etc. are replaced by plant-based alternatives like soy milk or plant-based oil,” O’Sullivan said.
For Easter Sunday Brunch, one of the desserts O’Sullivan presented was home-made pecan pie. “The traditional ingredients…contain eggs and butter. Eggs bind the ingredients in the pie together owing to being high in protein, fat and cholesterol. Butter adds richness and mouthfeel,” he said.
“We needed to replace these functions with plant-based ingredients such as tofu, a really high-protein food, and substituted olive oil for butter. They are simple replacements that do not change the quality of what we offer but make them more sustainable and consistent,” he added.
Plant-based desserts have been available at Giovanni’s since early this year. “Every week there is one plant-based item our guests can enjoy,” O’Sullivan said. “It is my passion to share my recipes with our guests but also with my team. We will keep growing our repertoire with a rotation of cookies, cakes, crèmes brûlées and pies,” he added.
Giovanni’s Sunday Brunch highlights international and local cuisine with free-flow sparkling wine and beer every Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For reservations, visit saipan.regency.hyatt.com/.
