Mission to Inspire: Chef Dom Infuses Spirituality into Every Dish with Chef Dom Airington

In this episode we get curious about:

Laurin delves deep into a soulful conversation with Chef Dom Airington, an impassioned vegan chef who started her spiritual journey at 23. They discuss Dom's transformation into veganism for medical reasons, her deep love for infusing food with spirituality, and her mission to inspire others through vegan dishes. Dom shares her traveling experiences, plans, and some tantalizing mentions of her favorite dishes, proving that food is truly a bridge between the universe and human experience.

• Dom's spiritual awakening at age 23.
• The transition to veganism due to health challenges.
• Replicating favorite dishes in vegan form.
• Dom's love for vegan Mexican dishes.
• Connection between food, spirituality, and the universe.
• Progressing and bettering oneself daily.
• Dom's mission to inspire and lead others.
• Book recommendation: "You Are a Badass" by Jen Sincero.

To learn more about our guest:

Hi guys Chef Dom here, award winning Vegan Chef from El Paso TX. I have been cooking for 20 years, and been vegan for 10, and now it's time for me to fly! I am giving up my home and everything i own to cook at the Vegan Street Fair in 9 major cities. (By the time you see this I'll already be on the road) Please follow along with my journey!

IG: Instagram (@domsvegan.ep)

YouTube: https://youtube.com/domsvegan

Recommended Book: "You Are a Badass" by Jen Sincero

Credits

Audio Engineer: Sam Wittig

Music: Where the Light Is by Lemon Music Studio

Photography & Design: Asha McLaughlin/Tej Art

To learn more about Laurin Wittig and her work: HeartLight Wellness

Copyright 2024 Laurin Wittig

Interview Episode with Dom Airington

Yes, I just do it, but I do it with more love than I've ever had for anything in my life because I have so that's back to gratitude. I have so So much appreciation for food and there's so much appreciation for flavors and I don't want to just drink like soylent green every day just because it has like all my nutrients if I'm not exciting like all of my senses so I feel like all all all of the senses have to be fully enveloped when you eat like a cuisine or eat a meal or something and I really like evoking all the senses.

Cause we had a, we had a couple of weeks ago, we got to get to know each other. So welcome, welcome.

Dom: hi, Laurin. Thank you so much for having me. Yeah, and we did have a great conversation the other day. So I'm really glad that we have an opportunity to put that energy out there.

Dom: My car camper. That is right. Yes.

Laurin: so so let's, because it's in your, we've already mentioned this vegan street fair tour and you told me just before we got on that you have driven nine hours today on the first leg of this adventure that you're on.

So let's, let's just start with that since it's so right here at the beginning of everything. How did you come to be on the road for the vegan journey?

Dom: Well, that's a great question. Let's breathe on it for a second and let's think about this. So I've been a vegan chef for the last 10 years

Laurin: you're out of El Paso.

And I just really wanted to turn it into something positive. And so, because I didn't have, like, any strings or anything attached to anybody anymore, I was like, okay, it's time to fly, and there's your reference on the bio. Like, it's already time to fly, but we're going to be taking steps out of the nest throughout this conversation today.

And so I was just like, I have nothing to hold me back. Like, what do I got to lose? And so, I applied for the Vegan Street Fair, which is the world's largest vegan street fair. And so it was in it was in Los Angeles last October 8th and 9th. And so I was like, you know what, I'm just going to do this.

I'm going to the world's largest vegan street fest and I was so well received and the people were so lovely. And it was just such a great, like energetic connection and everything was just so beautiful that I've been invited back to do the tour. And, that's what leads us to where we're at today is that it's not just like going to L.

A. on a weekend and then coming back. This is a tour over the next nine months in nine major cities. And so I really just like tuned into myself and I really figured out like, this is what I want to do. This is what I've always wanted to do. And always, even if I have like visions or dreams, I always see myself like on the road or with like the tailgate open and my feet hanging out the trunk and just looking at all these.

I'm already losing my home. Like I've already lost my partner. I've already had like awful things happen to me. So like at this point, it could only go up from here. And that's when I made the decision, like, you know what, I don't need to be paying a rent payment, I don't need to be having, like, all this overhead and all these expenses if I really just want to travel.

And I'm so blessed that Vegan Street Fair gave me a chance last October because that chance has completely, like, catapulted myself and what I'm going to be able to do for the universe and for the greater good through the means of food.

Laurin: Love it. Love it. So I love that, that you, you had this vision of yourself and you didn't seem to know how that was going to come about. But the universe provides. Right?

decision and I trusted and every single day when I would meditate, I would always tell the universe like, okay, I received what you've given me, I'm ready to receive more gifts. I'm ready to take the next step. And even if that step is unknown to me, whatever your path you put in front of me, I'm all yours.

Please take me. I'm your messenger and I'm your passenger. So whatever I'm here to do, I'm just going to follow the wind, the way that it blows.

You have to say, yes, you have to, you have to then take action. Right?

Dom: Right, you know, like one of the hardest things about people is learning how to receive graciously, like a lot of people want to give and they want to put their heart out there, but it's so difficult and like that's one of the last barriers that we have to break down in order to have like compassion and have like, you know, a hive mind of like community.

The last barrier that we have to break down is a barrier to be able to receive. And until you come to a point in yourself where you're comfortable receiving and you feel worthy of receiving and you're like, okay, yeah, like you want to give me a gift. I don't want to be like, Oh, are you sure? No, thank you.

Like

Laurin: Right. Yeah. Oh, I don't need it.

Laurin: Yes. Yeah. So this is part of manifesting and it's

something that. I resisted the receiving for a long time. I'm really tuned in on. Oh, yeah, we got to receive. We got to receive and then we have to take action. We can manifest. I manifest like crazy for other people, but I have yet to get really good at manifesting it for myself.

There's places I do, but it's that, that being willing to receive and thank you, gratitude for it is a great way to, to help yourself receive it and then taking action. So I love that you have just completely followed your, your faith in the universe, that it would all unfold the way it's meant to, and you just had to take the first step and then keep taking more steps.

Laurin: Yeah, yeah, and the fear is often well, I would, I would dare say always the ego trying to keep us safe, but in by containing us. So

fear keeps us stuck where we are, and that's sort of the devil, you know, is. But easier than the devil. You don't, you know, because I know what this life is like, but I don't know what that life out there is going to be like. And so I, I commend you for really being brave and stepping into this amazing journey that you're taking.

Dom: Oh,

Laurin: yeah, yeah, it's, it's it's no small thing to take those steps. It's, I mean, even when it's a gift from the universe, it can be very scary. Right.

But that point that I went through over the last couple years is where so many people will just toss their hands in the air and they'll just be like, I give up, I can't do this anymore. And for a long time, I thought that, I was like, you know what, like, as long as I get through this boss level, there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

Laurin: Right. Right. But some, I think that the universe is often trying to get our attention and the, the more we resist, then the louder the universe gets. And it's why we get like in writing, we have what we call the dark night of the soul that your protagonist has to go through where they just hit rock bottom. Everything is lost. They don't see any way forward. And then there's some epiphany like, Oh, I could just. Get rid of everything and go on the road. You know, I don't have to stay in this life. I can choose to change it. Um, and so that's for me because I have written novels. That pattern of storytelling is very meaningful to me. And in AA, they talk about, you know, hitting rock bottom. It's the same idea. Sometimes you have to get so bad that you stop resisting the off of the alternative, you know.

That's the time where we learn because we learn in a time of turmoil. We don't learn in time of happiness. And so we have so many rock bottoms that people normally would just single out one event and be like, this is the worst event that ever happened to me. But then when you look at it in retrospect, like everything at the moment has been the worst thing ever.

But the nuggets and the knowledge that have come out of those moments mean like, okay, like if I have to hit rock bottom again, which I'm sure I will, because I'm probably only halfway through my life at this point. I'm sure I'll hit rock bottom many more times, probably a couple times a year,

Laurin: well,

Dom: I'm hoping not, because I've learned how to hit rock bottom.

So your rock bottom probably won't be as bad as the previous one. So each one gets a little bit easier. I, I will say that I've got, I had horrific time with my mother in her last few years, and I thought that I would never come out of that, but coming out of that, Now, I, when I start to feel the anxiety or that overwhelm that I was feeling dealing with her with dementia and, and a narcissist, um, I recognize it now.

It's like, oh, there's that mom thing again. Okay. I'm going to, I'm going to face it. I'm going to deal with it. I'm going to acknowledge it and I'm going to let it go. And I can move on. So each time I get another, Oh, there's a mom thing. I get quicker at it and I get, and it gets easier to just go, Oh, I don't need that anymore.

Dom: That's true, but also does it not dip down because we're stronger at... You know, everyone's got that one dark night, you know, and as it said, like, is it because now we're noticing patterns and we can get out of it quicker, the same pattern keeps circling itself. And that's the same thing with humanity and that's why history has repeated itself over and over and over, because one of these times we're finally going to get it right.

And it's the same thing. That's the black horse and it's so consistent and it's so in pattern and it's so in sync with like everything we've ever been through. Everyone's dark night is always the same. It's just like, like that roller coaster, but also maybe the dips aren't going as low because we've been fighting it for so long.

Okay. This is still part of that pattern. And I'm going to do the work to let it go and move on happens really fast. And it's really easy. Um, but it takes. [00:16:00] It takes education to get there. Unfortunately,

Dom: And it takes facing that black demon, which is something that so many people are scared of is actually facing that and being like, you know, what did I do in this situation? What could I do better? Like, you know, like you were saying on your podcast the other day, the only thing we can control was our reactions.

So then when it circles around, you're like, I might not have acted right last time. How am I going to act this time? And so, you know, but that's part of growth and evolution. There's a lot of people that can't see like that part of it because Of like the shame or guilt or whatever they carry with them by facing these black horses.

So it's or let's call it an uncomfortable reaction.

Dom: That's good. We can change your vernacular to more

Laurin: Yeah,

Dom: Yeah, everything external is an in is from an internal manifestation, of course, and it has to come out some way, you know, however it comes out is an external manifestation.

Laurin: Right. Right. So how long have you been on your, what you would consider your spiritual path?

Dom: Since I was about 23 now.

Laurin: Okay. So it's been a while. Yeah. Right. Yeah.

Dom: Yeah, but I can even remember being as a kid like always being different and just being like very intuitive and being able to just like, I've never seen the world through the eyes of someone that is conditioned in that sense, like, I've always seen the world through like unconditioned eyes.

Laurin: yeah. So that brings us to cooking.

Dom: Okay, let's cook.

Dom: Well, I've always loved cooking for people, but it takes it to a higher level of elevation for me by being a vegan chef. Because I actually went vegan for medical reasons. And because of my change in diet, I've been cancer free for 10 years, which is absolutely amazing. And so it was actually necessary for me to save my life with food without having to go through like Western, like big pharma and things like that.

And so I just did the research on my own. And at first I thought it was really sad. I was thinking I'm going to have to eat a salad every day. Who wants to do that? Especially after going to culinary school. And then then that's when I realized like, no, Dom, like you have the, you have the skills, you have the taste, you have the talent, you have the texture.

And so after I learned and after I have been able to cure, like, my medical issues, let me say, like, a disclaimer. I am not a doctor. I'm just telling my personal story and what worked for me.

Laurin: Right.

Dom: Hopefully someone can find inspiration off of that, but please make sure that you do check with someone if you are going to try this kind of diet on.

And for me, it was wonderful. And I lost weight. I've been able to maintain a healthy weight. And overall, like, I just have so much more energy. I have also, it has turned me into such a more, like, compassionate being. Because at first, the veganism thing, to me, was because of health. And I know there's a lot of vegans that go vegan for the animals.

We are what we eat and we are what we ingest. And I really feel like I'm a huge catalyst in this movement because I am making things that are, like, not your typical vegan items. But it's important for me to have, like, the full balance of wearing my heart on my plate but also like, pride in what you consume as a human and what you're putting in your body.

And so I think it's really important for me to get that message out there.

Dom: Of course.

Laurin: And, and we have really messed up, if I can say it in a kinder way than I want to say, our food industry. I mean, it's, it's, it is an industry, it's a business it's, and I know farming has always been a business, but yeah, it's just I, I, we eat a lot of salads.

to to provide better food. So, so what is your what's your favorite dish that you cook for yourself? Like you're like a comfort dish for you.

Dom: I really love me some biscuits and gravy.

Laurin: Hmm.

Dom: That's a really good comfort dish for me. But man, I love I live, I live in El Paso, so I really love Mexican food and a lot of Mexican food is heavy on cheese. So I really like making my own cheese for like chile rellenos. I love chile rellenos. Oh man, it's so good to hear everything about them now.

Laurin: Okay. Yeah, I would have a hard time giving up cheese because grilled cheese sandwiches my it's like my comfort food it's been my comfort food my whole life. But maybe I could I could try yours. Your cheese. Um, all right. So talk a little bit about how you bring this very spiritual aspect of you, of you, of your being into that food as you're creating it.

Are you consciously thinking about, you know, putting love in the food or is it just sort of the way that you do it? I'm just interested in the intersection of, of these things in your life.

Enveloped with so much love like that's my strongest chakra that is like everything that I have for this world And the only way i'm going to make a change is by giving my love and you know Even if in past lives i've sang or i've been an artist before or anything like that Like the only way i'm ever going to change this world is through food because everyone has to eat and so When you think of the love of like the universe creating these plans to put on your plate and then it's just like the taste of nature and there's so many different components and so many different elements.

Laurin: So as you're saying that, it reminds me that one of the challenges for those of us who've been, you know, connecting with the universe or aware of the energy around us and stuff is the challenge of being present in the body, in the human body. I know as I was starting on this and even when I'm often when I'm working with clients, I'm having so much fun playing up in the energy, but I'm not really present in my body. And so what, as you're talking about all the senses, That you like to invoke with your food or evoke with your food. I'm not sure what the right word is there, but what a lovely way to bring all of that energetic love into the physical too, because we are meant to be here as physical people. We came in here to have a human experience.

Dom: But we can't ascend until we master the human experience. We even if we've got all these amazing ideas happening up in the universe and cosmetically, we cannot ascend until as a collective humanity, we, we solve this boss level, there's a back to the level that most people give up and that's why we're repeating ourselves.

And this is the generation that's going to make a change. This is the lifetime where I will change the world. I'm going to be the next MLK and I'm going to light people. I'm going to lead people from the darkness into the light, and I'm going to do it one plate at a time, but wearing my heart on every single plate.

Laurin: Nice. Yeah, that is so powerful. And I, I can feel the difference when I cook, if I'm cooking, cause it's like, I got to make a meal versus I'm cooking because, Ooh, this is going to be good. And I can't wait to see if they, you know, my, my husband likes it and, or I can't wait to taste it. Cause it's the first time I've made it or, you know, there's, there's things that, that.

And, and so it's I just, I'm, I'm really enjoying like finding the ways that everybody brings their own spiritual practice into the things that bring them joy or the service that they like to be in. But we also have to remember to receive,

Dom: Don't forget to receive, but it's a beautiful universe out there and there's so many kindhearted people. We just need to make sure that we reach for our kind and we manifest that energy. That way, people like you and I can keep crossing paths and we can meet where we're at and we continue to grow and learn together, instead of reaching out my hand back to Dom that was 50 Doms ago.

Laurin: yeah,

Laurin: I love that. That's actually wonderful because that does propel you forward, doesn't it?

Dom: Of course, of course, I have, how can I be better than who I was yesterday? Oh my God, is it going to be a rough day? How can I be better than who I was two years ago when that was only the best at the time? It's like the best every single day and that comes back to living in the present and being in the present.

I am the best Dawn that I will ever be right now in this moment and this moment might be all that I have, but I guarantee you I'm leaving a legend with me behind when I go.

Laurin: Yeah. I love that. So are you doing any sort of a blog or travel log or something while you're on this journey? Are you, are you like allowing us to peek in and see how you're doing?

I do have a youtube channel up as well that features the car camper build starting from the very beginning when I had no idea what I was doing Till the moment I hit the road and everything in between and that's going to be youtube. com At doms vegan. So thank you so much for asking and i'll really appreciate it if you guys follow along and support My journey as we travel across the united states

Laurin: I'm looking forward to it. So you are, where are you headed for the first stop on your trip?

March March 26th is the Los Angeles Vegan Street Fair so that will be my next destination.

Laurin: Okay. All right. So I'm looking forward to it. And I know I told you that all my kids live in Seattle. So I'm, I'm looking forward to connecting you. I have a son who's got serious, like life threatening milk and, and egg allergies. So he loves. To eat vegan, even though he's not practicing vegan. He loves it because it's safe for him.

So he and his fiance have found amazing vegan restaurants all over Seattle that he didn't have access to here in the D. C. area where he was living. So they're loving that aspect of Seattle. Such a foodie stop anyway. But I do, I do want to make sure that they connect with you when you get there.

Dom: Yeah, that would be absolutely amazing.

Dom: I do, and it's one that I actually read a couple times a year. It's called You Are a Badass by Jen Cisnero. I really like that book because it's like a, you know, everyone's heard of, like, Napoleon Hill and all those, like, motivational books and stuff. Not to knock them, that's what we all, like, grow up on, but I really like...

Laurin: Yeah. Yeah. Okay, great. I will add that to our reading list for this year. And you've told us where we can find you. [00:33:00] So I think that we have come to the end of the conversation.

Dom: This was lovely. Thank you for my, thank you so much for being part of my journey, and I'm so glad that I got to connect with you as I'm journeying out into the universe. And I think it's important for people like us just to keep that connection, keep the vibrations up. Everybody that is listening, thank you guys so much for tuning in.

And Laurin, thank you so much for having me. It's been my pleasure and I really hope to connect with you and see you again so we can catch up.

Laurin: Yes, absolutely. It's my pleasure too, which is always nice. It's a win win there, isn't it?

Dom: Absolutely, that's what life is about, always about the wins.

Laurin: Yes, I will be watching you and, and following along on, on the various places that you are. And and I, I can't wait to see what you do. Take lots of pictures, you know, so that you can share those with us on Instagram. I'm going to be looking forward to seeing the food.

Laurin: Yes. Yeah. What a, what a wonderful journey. I'm so excited for you. And I know that you're going to just rock it. So, Yeah, when you, maybe when you get back from your journey, we need to have another conversation and recap everything that you learned.

Dom: you're going to be talking to Dom 50 Dom's from now, but I'm okay with it.

Laurin: I know. How cool would that be to see some more transformation,

Dom: I love it. We never stopped growing. The day I stopped growing is a day I die.

Laurin: right? Well, safe travels to you. And I want to thank all the listeners and the viewers here that have joined us for this conversation with chef Dom. And I hope that you will follow her too, because I think it's going to be an amazing journey. And I hope I'll see you next time here on curiously wise, practical spirituality and action.

And in the meantime, stay curious.

It helps us be found by others. If you're curious to learn more about me or my healing practice, heartlight wellness, head over to my website at heartlightjoy. com. Until next time, I'm Laurin Wittig. Stay curious.