Meet Josie Clemens | Vegan Chef & Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Josie Clemens and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Josie, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I like to think of risk as a free fall into the unknown…a portal to create something new. It’s a time to caress and soothe your own nervous system as you choose a path that is more inspiring and impactful and build that inner strength and trust within yourself. Risks will always be scary to me, but I’ve trained myself to know that if I’m feeling like my well-being is danger, then it means that I’m on the right track. This feeling is a crucial check-in point for me to recalculate and reflect; whether I label my journey post-risk-taking as good or bad, my feelings show me what I desire and what hasn’t shown up yet, therefore guiding me what to focus my time and attention on next as I move the needle. Risk and it’s feeling counterpart is a divine opportunity to catapult me to my dreams and it has always paid off.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In the past I’ve worked with herbalists and doctors to prepare food for my clients who were going through chemo or living with chronic illness. I started as a catering and banquet chef in Michigan and Colorado, and took a 3 year break from cooking when I went vegan back in 2015. I worked for Tesla and managed production for a construction company (literally the most random jobs that I could never have understood as to why or how I received them in the moment until looking back now). After I left my job at Tesla, an opportunity to be Logan Paul’s vegan chef appeared in 2018. I refused because I found out I’d have to cook meat, too. Then an opportunity to be the executive chef of a diner in downtown Glendale came. They wanted to make it vegan friendly but still have me cook meat. I refused the position again. Then…. Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen called. I was super hesitant to accept. In fact, I accepted and then I quit mid-interview process. I was so torn because this seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime and difficult to turn down. I was questioning why the Universe was torturing me like this. I consulted friends and family and they all told me that in order to change the world, you need to be seen…so I called them back and asked if I had shot myself in the foot or if I could still continue on in the interview process. They accepted me and now that the show is airing, I’m determined to create a huge foundation for myself using HK as my platform. Veganism will be introduced to the world as the solution to all health, relationship, and environmental issues. I will show how and make it so lovingly simple.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ohhhh my goodness. I would take them to the Venice Boardwalk so they could see how multi-dimensional that little beach town is, then to Gjusta for a veggie sandwich before a little body board sesh, Then we’d be off to Verve Coffee Roasters for a little pick me up and then to Tuna Canyon or Griffith Park for a hike. We’d need to snag a reservation at Perch around 10pm to catch the city lights, and also make a res at Shibumi, Shojin, and L’Antica Pizzeria de Michele in HW. We also couldn’t forget Ramenhood, and we’d need to take down an entire vegan deep dish pizza at Purgatory Pizza. Brunch at Swingers, dinner at Pura Vita in West Hollywood, and then we’d be off to LACMA and grab Ethiopian food at Rahel’s on Fairfax. And lastly…EREWHON. Every snack and every meal in between. It’s a necessity.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my manager Will Callaghan. We were mere internet friends that bonded over veganism; me not knowing that he’s a badass PR and talent manager in the UK, and him not knowing that I was anxiously waiting to be able to tell the world that I was on a season of Hell’s Kitchen that had not yet been released. Ever since I announced my participation on the show, he’s been working hard for me to bring me opportunities and build my brand so that we can make massive change together. I love you so much Will!!!

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Image Credits
Jonathan Roskos