| Chef | Food Demos | Time |
| Ellen Jaffe Jones, Athlete, Author, Emcee | I Plan to Die on the Track, Not in a Nursing Home | 11:00AM |
| Deb Griffin, PCRM Food for Life Instructor | Dump and Bake Risotto Casserole with Broccoli and Shredded Carrots | 11:30AM |
| Kyoko Faison, Pure Kitchen, Tampa | Recipes (TBA) | 1:00 PM |
| Johnny Douglas, My Hungry Vegan Cafe, Riverview | Rooted Chickpea Stew | 2:30 PM |
| Kristi Capone with Avocado St. Pete | Coronation Chickpea Salad and Mini Antipasti Skewers with Avocado's Famous Hand-Crafted Vegan Pepperoni | 4:00 PM |
Ellen Jaffe Jones, Athlete, Author, Emcee
"I Plan to Die on the Track, Not in a Nursing Home."
How a Plant-Based Lifestyle Can Help You Stay Strong, Independent, and Active for Life.
Ellen Jaffe Jones is a versatile, inspirational keynote speaker and 6-time health, fitness, and cookbook author. She has placed in an unheard of number, vegan or not…337 5K or longer races for her age group since 2006—powered “just” by plants. At the 2022 and 2023 US National Senior Games, she was the only W70-74 athlete to run all 7 track events, earning silver in the 4×100 and bronze in the 800. She also won gold in the 4×100 in 2019 and 2023 and was NSG’s April 2020 “Athlete of the Month,” the first vegan featured.
Ellen has eaten a plant-based diet for most of 45 years, avoiding the breast cancer that claimed her mother, aunt, and sisters. A two-time Emmy-winning investigative reporter, she spent 18 years in TV news before becoming a personal trainer, running coach, and corporate speaker. She’s reversed Graves’ disease and psoriatic arthritis and often hears, “I want to be you when I grow up.”
Her books include Eat Vegan on $4 a Day, Kitchen Divided, Paleo Vegan, Vegan Fitness for Mortals, Vegan Sex and Vegan for One.
Ellen’s keynote, Finding Your Start Line: 5 Hacks to Improve Longevity, helps audiences set attainable goals and make fast, lasting lifestyle changes. She’s inspired weight loss up to 120 pounds through her cooking classes for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
Debra Griffin, PCRM Food for Life Instructor
Dump and Bake Risotto Casserole with Broccoli and Shredded Carrots
My journey to a plant-based lifestyle started simply—with access to the internet and discovering PETA. Learning about animals and where our food comes from opened my eyes, and I became vegetarian. Years later, during the pandemic in 2020, I decided to take the next step and become vegan.
Having more time at home gave me the opportunity to learn something I truly love: cooking. I took cooking classes through Forks Over Knives and became fascinated by how delicious, satisfying, and nourishing plant-based food could be. That curiosity led me to earn my Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate through eCornell, become a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), and become a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine.
What started as a personal journey has become a passion for helping others discover that eating well and living a healthy life can be simple, enjoyable, and incredibly rewarding.
Kyoko Faison, Pure Kitchen
TBA
Kyoko Faison, the chef behind the Pure Kitchen, a vegan, grab-and-go cafe in South Tampa specializing in organic, plant-based meals, snacks, and desserts with a menu that changes daily or weekly, featuring globally-inspired dishes, from curries to pasta. It offers a variety of options for different diets, including gluten-free choices, emphasizing fresh, natural, and clean ingredients in a casual, fast-paced environment where food is made from scratch.
Johnny Douglas — Owner & Founder of My Hungry Vegan
Rooted Chickpea Stew
Johnny Douglas is the proud owner and founder of My Hungry Vegan (MHV Café), a Black-owned vegan food brand dedicated to showing people that plant-based living can be flavorful, soulful, and full of joy. For over 10 years, Johnny has been crafting delicious vegan soul food and creating memorable experiences for individuals looking to explore a healthier, more intentional way of life.
Through MHV Café, Johnny combines his love for food, community, and creativity to reimagine traditional comfort foods through a plant-based lens. From pop-ups and private dining to catering, cooking experiences, and plant-based education, his mission is simple: connect people through food and plant a seed that inspires healthier choices and lasting change.
My Hungry Vegan is more than food—it’s an experience, a movement, and a reminder that choosing a healthier life doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor, culture, or community.
Kristi Capone, Owner of Avocado St. Pete
Coronation Chickpea Salad and Mini Antipasti Skewers with Avocado's Famous Hand-Crafted Vegan Pepperoni
Avocado. offers personal chef services, menu planning and meal preparation, and special event menu creation. Executive Chef Kristi Capone is at the helm of Avocado., encouraging hungry folks throughout Tampa Bay to enjoy the plant-based comfort food her private clients have come to love.
Avocado. has been nominated for Creative Loafing’s “Best of the Bay” two years in a row, earning the runner-up prize for Personal Chef Services in 2025. Chef Kristi was also a finalist in the LocalShops1 “Top Local Chef” competition in 2018. She has volunteered her time at the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival ‘Tasting Tent’ and, in March 2026, served five gallons of her vegan cauliflower chowder as part of ‘Empty Bowls,’ Daystar Life’s fundraiser that helps fight local food insecurity. She also offers private vegan cooking classes for people of all ages who want to develop greater self-sufficiency in the kitchen.
In her cooking, Chef Kristi focuses on a variety of world cuisines featuring fresh vegetables and herbs, grains, and legumes; Mediterranean cuisine is a particular favorite—and specialty—of hers.