WASHINGTON -- She grew up cooking with the Native American women of Oklahoma and her ancestors are from Syria. These are the forces that helped Chef Caesare Assad open her mind to food and its spiritual connection to the earth.

She's now the chef at Vegetate, a modern vegetarian bistro near the Washington Convention Center where she's raising the spirit of vegetarian cooking to an art.

Assad, and the owners of Vegetate, use only organic ingredients and reject anything factory made.

"Our big thing is to use products from small family-owned companies," she said.

The produce comes from local farms, the cheese from artisans and the wild rice is hand-farmed by Native Americans in Minnesota. Even the vodka comes from a small family company in California.

Vegetate is trying to take vegetarian to a higher level.

The menu places vegetables on a new stage.

"You have to open up your mind and change your palate's experience and educate it and realize what it is your body is craving," Assad said.

And going without meat does not mean going without protein.

Assad said eating grain and legume that's full of protein is a cleaner way to eat.

Vegetarian food has often been about compassion -- Vegetate adds candlelight.

More Information:

• VegDC.com