A twelve-year-old chef is set to release his first vegan cookbook, "Omari McQueen's Best Bites Cookbook." It is a collection of 30 plant-based recipes where readers can try different foods. In it, he teaches children to experiment with different flavors as McQueen shares top cooking tips.
Four years ago, the budding chef started his vegan food company. Now, he is on his next big project, which is set to be released in January. He is determined to get kids to eat their greens.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Omari McQueen - Vegan Chef (@omarimcqueen) on Jun 12, 2020 at 4:13am PDT
How his culinary journey started
The young vegan chef started his culinary journey when his parents taught him to cook when he was seven. His mother was diagnosed with a very rare type of migraine, called hemiplegic migraines, at that time. His mom experienced throbbing headaches and had a weak body.
Since his mom was ill and dad was working late hours, McQueen started helping out in the kitchen. He told TODAY Food that he fell in love with cooking because he is like experimenting in the kitchen.
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McQueen started reading about veganism while he was researching food that benefits people with migraines. He saw a YouTube video and thought, why would he eat animals when many delicious and healthy foods do not harm them.
Started his YouTube channel
He started a YouTube channel when he was eight. He made a vegan pizza in his first video. The young boy included the "Caribbean Kick," the homemade dip that his family has loved since his creation.
McQueen recalled that he tried selling the dip at an Ultra Education children's business fair for fun. He decided to make it his business when it got sold out. He launched "Dipalicious" after creating two more dips, Sweet Tooth, and Coco Curry. It is a vegan food company that sells meals and snacks.
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On his YouTube channel, McQueen explains the nutritional benefits of veggies and the different ingredients that he uses. His channel has already earned several awards like the 2018 TruLittle Hero award and PETA's 2018 Compassionate Kids award. He also received the 2019 Proud and Gifted Award.
Bus restaurant is his dream
The cookbook is just the next step in his dreams of having a long and successful career. McQueen said that he wants a bus restaurant to sell balanced vegan meals on the go. He also said that he will put up many cooking shows on his channel and the Kidoodle app for interactions. Like Gordon Ramsay, he also wants to have a cooking show.
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McQueen gives credit to his parents for helping him every step of the way. He shared that his parents have always told their children to follow their dreams and that age is just a number. He will forever be grateful for all the support and love his parents have given.
His parents could not wait for McQueen's next move. They are both impressed by his early success. Jermaine McQueen, the young chef's dad, said that they are truly blessed because their children surprise them every day. He also said that "proud" is not even the word that best describes how they feel.
