Vegan Ice Cream

JEFF ROGERS grew up in Stowe, Vermont, where he became interested in food and tourism. After working at a popular restaurant, he moved to New Hampshire to study hotel and restaurant management at college. While pursuing a career in hotels, he honed his skills in the kitchen by experimenting and creating recipes of his own.

Adapting his diet to improve his health, he eventually became a vegan, eschewing all animal products. But he still craved the premium dairy ice creams he once ate and so used his kitchen gifts to experiment with creating a rich, gourmet vegan ice cream. As he became interested in the raw food movement, he also began to make ice creams with all raw ingredients.

Soon after beginning his vegan ice cream venture, Jeff began sharing his desserts with friends. A physician friend noted that in a world where people are trying to eat low-fat foods and fewer sweets, it was naughty of Jeff to create these decadent desserts, vegan or not. Thus, he was dubbed "The Naughty Vegan" and has used the nickname ever since.

Jeff has volunteered for and done pro bono work for animal rights, vegan, and raw food groups, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal (PETA), Northwest Animal Rights Network (NARN), Farm Sanctuary, the Gentle Barn, Raw Network of Washington, and EarthSave. Jeff has been a speaker at International Raw & Living Foods Festivals (Portland, Oregon), Raw & Living Spirit Retreats (Molalla, Oregon), Taste of Health Festivals (Vancouver, British Columbia, and New York City), Portland VegFest (Oregon), Vegetarian Summerfest (Pennsylvania), and the Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival.

Jeff has exhibited at WorldFest (Los Angeles) many times, as well as at Animal Rights National Conference 2007 (Los Angeles). He also had a booth at the 2001 PETA Gala in New York City and was a volunteer for Chef Tal Ronnen and others at the 2005 PETA 25th Anniversary Gala in Los Angeles.

PETA awarded Jeff a Proggy Award for the "Best Dessert Cookbook" for Vice Cream in 2004.

You can learn more about Jeff and his ice cream by visiting his website, TheNaughtyVegan.com. You'll also find information on equipment (like how to choose an ice cream maker) and gadgets on this site.

Jeff actively promotes the awareness of the benefits of a plant-based diet so that people may make informed choices regarding their diet and health. Jeff has started a variety of projects, such as the SoyStache and Drumming Instead projects, as well as Jeff's Buttons, and has created and maintains many websites. Jeff has been an avid photographer since high school and writes poetry. See his photography and learn more about his other projects at JeffRogers.us.