Miyoko Schinner

About

Miyoko Schinner is a renowned American-Japanese vegan chef, cookbook author, and social entrepreneur. Born in 1957 near Tokyo, Japan, she moved to the United States at age seven and settled in Marin County, California. Schinner became a vegetarian at twelve and transitioned to a vegan diet in the mid-1980s due to health reasons. She is self-taught in cooking, having never attended culinary school to avoid working with animal products. Schinner's early career involved selling vegan poundcakes in Tokyo and later founding Miyoko's Creamery, a leading vegan cheese and butter company. Schinner is celebrated for pioneering artisan vegan cheese, using traditional cheesemaking techniques with plant-based ingredients. She founded Rancho Compasión, an animal sanctuary, and has written several cookbooks, including Artisan Vegan Cheese. Her work emphasizes compassion and sustainability, inspiring global audiences to adopt vegan lifestyles. Schinner has been recognized as a food innovator and cultural icon, featured in media outlets and speaking engagements worldwide. Her commitment to reimagining the food system through sustainable and compassionate practices has made her a prominent figure in the vegan movement.