Ep. 322: Chef Tara Punzone and Gene Stone -Authentic Italian Food Made 100% Vegan with Vegana Italiana
PLANTSTRONG Podcast
Rip Esselstyn
4.8 • 2.3K Ratings
🗓️ 9 October 2025
⏱️ 76 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, Rip sits down with Chef Tara Punzone, founder of Pura Vita—the first 100% plant-based Italian restaurant in the U.S.—and writer Gene Stone, co-author of Vegana Italiana. Together, they dive into the passion and purpose behind their brand-new cookbook, which transforms beloved Italian classics into bold, satisfying vegan dishes.
Tara shares her journey from growing up in a big Italian family in New York, where food and tradition were always at the center, to making the choice to go vegan at just twelve years old. Listeners will hear how she managed to honor her heritage without giving up the flavors she loved—proving that mozzarella, ricotta, ravioli, and meatballs can all be made deliciously plant-based.
The conversation also explores the collaboration with Gene Stone, the celebrated author behind many bestselling plant-based books, and how they brought together Tara’s culinary artistry with Gene’s storytelling to create a book that’s equal parts recipe collection, cultural history, and love letter to Italian food.
With tips for stocking your pantry, techniques for mastering vegan versions of Italian staples, and stories that connect food to family and community, this episode celebrates the joy of eating in a way that’s both compassionate and authentic.
Watch the Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mf5zAU2BbDM
Episode Webpage: https://www.plantstrongpodcast.com/blog/tara-punzone
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I'm Ray Besselston, and you're listening to the Plan Strong podcast. |
| 0:05.0 | Do you all remember back in the day that old TV commercial that extolled the phrase, |
| 0:11.1 | that's Italian? |
| 0:13.0 | Well, today, we are going Vegana Italiana, with author chef Tara Ponzone. |
| 0:19.6 | She is the founder of the first all-vegan Italian restaurant in the United States, along with my good friend, Gene Stone. |
| 0:28.9 | Together, they are proving that Italian food can be every bit as bold, comforting, and authentic, without using a single animal product. I'll have their story |
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| 1:39.7 | And a little side note, everything that we make is HSA, FSA eligible. Simply click TrueMed at checkout and then take |
| 1:48.4 | advantage of pre-tax savings. Today, we are talking about one of the world's most beloved cuisines |
| 1:56.7 | on the planet, Italian food, but we're giving it a 100% plant-based makeover. And who better to |
| 2:06.5 | guide us than chef Tara Ponzoni, along with my good friend and best-selling author, Gene Stone. |
| 2:14.0 | Tara grew up in an Italian family in New York where food was both love and tradition. |
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