Little Lad's: Definition of Dedication

In recent weeks, articles and editorials about veganism (in particular, vegan Thanksgiving meals, of course) have been appearing all over the place, including in lots of mainstream outlets. One of my recent favorites profiles an astonishingly dedicated 60-year-old  vegan, restaurateur, farmer, and family man who spends countless hours on the road between Maine and New York running his cafes, out of which he joyfully feeds healthy vegan meals to varied customers--and for remarkably low prices. Plus, religion (or religious justifications for eating animals, to be exact) has been coming up often in the comments on this blog, so it's encouraging to read about someone who sees how compatible and complementary his religion and veganism truly are:

If there was one word to describe Larry Fleming, the 60-year-old owner of the Financial District vegan restaurant, Little Lad’s Basket Bakery & Cafe, it would be indefatigable. For the past two years, he has adhered to a rigorous schedule. On Sunday evenings, he packs his truck with homegrown food from his farm in Portland, Maine, and then drives over 300 miles to New York City, arriving Monday morning. Monday is spent working at Little Lad’s followed by a trip to the market to buy more produce for Lad’s and his restaurant in Maine of the same name. Tuesday is spent working at Lad’s in New York, followed by another overnight drive back to Maine. Wednesday he spends cooking with his wife and gets to see his five children who range in age from 2- to 11-years-old, before driving back to New York. He’s in the restaurant all day Thursday and gives his weekly $10 nutrition class in the evening. Friday is spent at Lad’s and then he drives all the way home once more, only to start the process all over again on Sunday evening.

The $3.99 all-you-can-eat buffet offered at Little Lad’s on 120 Broadway, brings a non-stop crowd of about 400 customers daily — which has only been increasing with the recession. Ranging from their late 20’s to early 60’s — some are dressed in suits, some in blue-collar gear. Most pile up their trays from the buffet . . .

During a typical busy lunchtime shift, Fleming wears a suit in order to remind his customers that he’s serious about his mission. He looks fresh, not worn out. In fact, his skin is wrinkle-free and almost glowing. His age is solely revealed by his shiny white hair. He stands in his usual spot behind the counter — which is adorned with items for sale such as, natural maple syrup, homemade almond butter and his ever popular herbal popcorn — where he mans the cash register. As each customer passes, he doesn’t forget to wish them a wonderful day, or ask them how their lunch was — and he can do so in multiple languages, including Hindi and Bengali. . . .

Originally from eastern Washington, Fleming was ironically raised on a beef cattle ranch. He voluntarily adopted vegetarianism at age 18, after he became aware that not even the cattle ranchers bought grocery store meat due to the grocery store’s unhealthy standards. At 22, he became a Seventh-day Adventist — a Christian religion with a strong focus on eating healthy.

“I was a vegan before I was religious,” he says in his calm and soft-spoken manner. “Everything made sense when I stopped eating meat. I felt stronger. It was a process.”

Read the rest of the article here.