Royal Oak, Michigan, emerged as a vibrant alternative hub in the 1980s, drawing people from across Southeast Michigan. Centrally located within Metro Detroit, it served as an accessible gathering spot for creative minds from all parts of the city. The town was known for its notable cutting-edge retail stores such as Patti Smith, Noir Leather, and Lotus Imports, as well as popular dining spots like Cuisine Couriers, Elwins, Kyla’s, and Pronto!.
Inn Season Café, which opened its doors in 1981, was a pioneer in the farm-to-table movement. From the beginning, every ingredient was meticulously selected for its health benefits and sensory qualities. The café was inspired by the rich diversity of ethnic cuisines found in Detroit. Maggie O’Meara, one of three original founders, had been trained in Macrobiotic cooking at the Kushi Institute, while I brought my expertise in Indian Ayurvedic cuisine to the table. Together, we crafted meals that were not only delicious but also nurturing, embodying our belief in "Food as Medicine." Over time, we noticed that many people moved to Royal Oak just to be closer to Inn Season Café, drawn by the lifestyle it promoted—a testament to the restaurant’s impact on the community.
In the latter half of the decade, Chef Keith Famie introduced Les Auteurs to Royal Oak, capturing national attention with his innovative California-style cuisine. Due to the frequent long waits at Inn Season Café—often extending two to four hours—we would recommend that our customers visit Les Auteurs for a drink while they waited for their table.
The bond between local business owners was strong; we supported each other by buying local, eating local, and engaging in community events like the Taste of Royal Oak and the Stepping Out AIDS Walk. My relationship with Chef Keith deepened significantly when he hosted a memorial at Les Auteurs for my wife, Barbara, who tragically passed away from cancer at the age of 32 in 1988. For nearly 400 attendees, Chef Keith prepared an exquisite vegetarian spread, a gesture that spoke volumes about his character and the tight-knit community of Royal Oak.
During my interview with filmmaker Keith Famie for the "Detroit City of Chefs", I had the pleasure of preparing several dishes that exemplify my culinary philosophy and journey. Here’s a glimpse into the dishes I crafted, mostly from my cookbook Vegetarian Traditions, Favorite Recipes From My Years At The Legendary Inn Season Cafe, highlighting my commitment to healthful, flavorful, and culturally rich vegetarian cuisine:
Exotic Mushroom Saute - Medicinal shiitake mushrooms are used for this dish, sautéing with toasted sesame oil, a touch of garlic, tamari and mirin traditionally made from sweet brown rice, which come together for an umami-rich flavor with caramelized sweet notes. This dish was served at Inn Season Cafe for most of the 39 years of business. Recipe available in Vegetarian Traditions
Zucchini Cups with Only Plant Based! Chipotle Mayo Garnish - For this appetizer/side hollowed-out cylinders of zucchini baked with lime are the base. They are filled with a toasted pepita and cilantro pesto and served over Only Plant Based! Chipotle Mayo. The contrast in textures and the kick of heat complement the mild zucchini beautifully. Recipe available in Vegetarian Traditions
Brown Rice Salad - This wholesome and hearty salad features organic short grain brown rice and incorporates a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs, dressed lightly to enhance the natural flavors of the ingredients. This dish embodies my farm-to-table philosophy, emphasizing fresh and local produce and was a standard item on the Inn Season Cafe spring and summer special menus. Recipe is available in Vegetarian Traditions
Butternut Pecan Medallion- In this entrée, I paired a rich, nutty butternut squash medallion with a zesty Sicilian-style caponata and topped with aa crunchy toasted pecan and basil crust, creating a sweet, savory and nutty balance. This dish highlights traditional elements with innovative twists and was featured on the specials menu during my time at Inn Season Cafe. Recipe is available in Vegetarian Traditions
Broccoli Rabe Braised with Garlic and Calabrian Peppers - This side dish features broccoli rabe, which is slightly bitter and softened by braising, infused with the aromatic flavors of garlic and the Calabrian chilie peppers.
These dishes, which I carefully chose for the interview, exemplify my commitment to creating food that is both nourishing and enjoyable. They emphasize health without compromising on taste and reflect my ability to draw inspiration from Detroit's diverse immigrant communities. My expertise in vegetarian and vegan culinary arts was on full display, underscoring my dedication to the principles of health, sustainability, and community support that have defined my career.
From Filmographer and Chef Keith Famie:
We met with an award-winning chef, restaurateur, and plant-based trailblazer in Metro Detroit, George Vutetakis, who has been a vegetarian since he was 14 years old. Vutetakis was the chef and eventually, owner of the vegetarian restaurant, Inn Season Cafe located in Royal Oak, which was open for about 40 years.
Vutetakis grew up in a Greek household and learned about his love for food in his grandmother’s kitchen. He eventually traveled to India where he discovered methods for traditional food preparation and immersed himself in the vegetarian and yogi lifestyle. He has a deep appreciation for culturally rich foods and often based his dishes off Detroit's immigrant communities, such as Greek, Italian, Mexican, French, etc.
The philosophy behind Inn Season Cafe was to prepare healing foods that were not only delicious but could be eaten everyday, unlike a lot of restaurants that rely heavily on flavor over health. During his career, he has wrapped his arms around quality ingredients, organic farming, the farm to table movement, food co-ops, and what it really means to be nourished by what we put into our bodies. In its day, it was not uncommon for Inn Season Cafe to have four hour wait times for dinner, and yes, the food was that outstanding.
Today, Chef Vutetakis is continuing his efforts in the plant-based economy as the Co-Founder of Plantasia Foods a revolutionary product line that consists of plant-based products only. He also has cookbook, Vegetarian Traditions: Favorite Recipes from My Years at the Legendary Inn Season Cafe.
Chef Vutetakis was so generous to provide our whole crew with a home cooked vegetarian lunch that left us all satiated and nourished. Thank you Chef George Vutetakis for your hospitality and great interview!