We’re kicking off VegFest 2025 with a free, all-levels yoga session led by local instructor Niki Januzzi of Yoga Love of Honeoye Falls.
Niki’s journey to yoga began with her background in dance, which naturally drew her to the practice’s flow and movement. After first exploring yoga in 2001, she deepened her practice in 2006 while navigating health challenges, experiencing firsthand the benefits for both body and mind. In 2010, she completed her Vinyasa teacher training at Sonic Yoga in Manhattan and has been sharing her love of yoga with the Honeoye Falls community ever since.
Her classes blend graceful movement with mindful alignment, offering an inviting space to reconnect, restore, and start the day feeling balanced and energized.
Yoga Session Details
🕙 10:00–10:45 AM 📍 Yoga Tent at Parcel 5 – Downtown Rochester(Exact location will be marked at the event) 🧘 Open to all levels of practice 🧺 BYOM – Bring Your Own Mat (Mats will not be provided)
A Conversation on Community, Creativity, and Plant-Based Business
As part of this year’s “Compassion in Action: Eat Plants! Save the Planet!” theme, we’re proud to feature the Rochester Vegan Entrepreneurs Panel—a conversation with local founders who are building businesses rooted in ethics, sustainability, and bold creativity.
These inspiring entrepreneurs are proof that plant-based innovation can drive not only delicious food but meaningful change. From reimagined comfort foods to guilt-free indulgences and small-batch vegan cheese and ferments, each panelist brings a unique voice to the growing movement for conscious business and compassionate living.
Come hear what drives these entrepreneurs, what they’ve learned along the way, and how they’re using their platforms to make plant-based living more accessible, joyful, and impactful.
Minister Kaptah Xi-Amaru is the visionary founder of B+Healthy Fresh Food Market, a thriving vegan juice bar and community health food store that has served the Rochester area for over 8 years. With three locations, his mission is to make plant-based nutrition and holistic wellness accessible to underserved communities. Minister Kaptah’s impactful work has earned numerous accolades and his leadership continues to inspire a movement toward healthier, more conscious living in Rochester and beyond.
Rob Nipe is the co-founder and head vegan butcher at Grass Fed, a vegan butcher shop and deli located in Rochester, New York. Originally from New Jersey, Rob transitioned from his previous role as an analyst at the American Red Cross to pursue his passion for creating plant-based alternatives to traditional meats.
His culinary journey began with experimenting to replicate the flavors of his favorite comfort foods—like Philly cheesesteaks and breakfast sandwiches—which led to the development of a diverse range of vegan meats, including pastrami, bacon, and brisket.
Together with his wife, Nora Rubel—a Jewish studies professor at the University of Rochester—Rob established Grass Fed to offer delicious, cruelty-free versions of classic deli favorites. Their commitment to quality and authenticity has made Grass Fed a staple in Rochester’s culinary scene, appealing to both vegan and non-vegan customers alike.
Natasha Siplin is the founder of Soulistic Sweets, a vegan bakery rooted in love, community, and a deep commitment to plant-based living. Her journey began over eight years ago alongside her family, and during the pandemic, she turned her growing passion for vegan baking into a full-time business.
Now celebrating five years in business, Soulistic Sweets offers delicious, nourishing, and cruelty-free desserts that prove indulgence can be kind. Every treat is crafted with love from the soul.
We’re excited to welcome Chef Anthony Miller of The Veg-E-Table to this year’s Rochester VegFest!
Chef Anthony is known for serving up bold, flavorful, plant-based comfort food through his local business, The Veg-E-Table. With a rotating menu that keeps fans coming back for more, he specializes in dishes like Vegan Oxtail, Stuffed Bell Peppers, Rasta Pasta, Vegan Garlic Butter Steak Bites, and other creative takes on soulful classics. He also offers fresh-pressed juices and delivery or pickup options through social media.
Chef Anthony’s passion for vegan food is rooted in flavor, community, and the power of plants to bring people together.
Catch Chef Anthony Miller at Rochester VegFest 2025
🍽️ 2:40–3:25 PM – Live Culinary Demo at the Food Demo Tent Watch Chef Anthony share his signature style and skills live, and take home some inspiration for your next plant-based meal!
Follow The Veg-E-Table on Facebook and Instagram to check out his latest offerings and place your next order.
Adam Durand is a filmmaker, web developer, and graphic designer who has spent the past two decades channeling his creativity into animal rights advocacy. He first gained national attention through his work with Compassionate Consumers, a grassroots group he helped found to expose cruelty in animal agriculture. Their 2004 investigation of a Wegmans egg farm sparked national controversy and was covered by The New York Times, ABC News, and City Magazine (formerly City Newspaper), bringing mainstream visibility to the realities of factory farming and the fight for transparency.
Since then, Adam has remained a steadfast presence in the movement, taking part in open rescues, organizing strategic campaigns, and challenging laws that punish people for acting with compassion. His efforts have been highlighted in National Geographic, Vox, and cited in legal scholarship such as Cornell Law Review.
Passionate and principled, Adam invites audiences to rethink what’s possible when we act with courage, strategy, and heart.
Drs. Tom and Erin Campbell are co-directors of the UR Nutrition in Medicine Research Center. They work together to study the effects of dietary intervention on common chronic diseases and will discuss their findings related to type 2 diabetes, advanced breast cancer, and food costs.
Dr. Thomas M. Campbell II is a board-certified family physician and a certified diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. He serves as the founder and co-director of the UR Medicine/Highland Hospital Nutrition in Medicine Research Center, where he leads clinical trials examining the effects of comprehensive dietary changes, with a focus on plant-based nutrition, on various diseases.
Dr. Erin Campbell is a board-certified preventive medicine physician at the University of Rochester. She has implemented clinical group programs to help individuals transition to a whole-food, plant-based diet and researches the role of plant-based dietary patterns as therapy in various diseases. She is certified in Lifestyle Medicine, by The American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, and Public Health and General Preventive Medicine, by The American Board of Preventive Medicine
Dr. Tom Campbell is the co-author of the bestselling book The China Study, written with his father, T. Colin Campbell, PhD. He also authored The China Study Solution, a practical guide to implementing the findings from The China Study. He is a graduate of Cornell University and earned his medical degree from the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He completed his residency in Family Medicine at the University of Rochester, Highland Hospital.
In addition to his clinical and research work, Dr. Tom Campbell is the Medical Director of the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, a nonprofit organization that promotes optimal nutrition through science-based education, advocacy, and research in partnership with eCornell, Cornell University’s online course provider.
Dr. Tom Campbell regularly presents on topics of nutrition and health for both professional audiences and the public. He has published in various medical journals and CME publications. He is also an avid runner, having completed seven marathons.
Catch Drs. Tom and Erin Campbell at Rochester VegFest 2025
Join Drs. Tom and Erin Campbell for an in-depth talk on Nutrition in Medicine, the connection between diet and chronic disease, and learn how plant-based nutrition can play a central role in transforming long-term health outcomes.
Dr. Jim Loomis & Chef Caryn Dugan Where Science Meets the Skillet: Your Prescription for Plant-Based Health
The Doc & Chef is a dynamic wellness duo featuring Dr. Jim Loomis, a board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine, and Chef Caryn Dugan, a nationally recognized plant-based culinary educator. Together, they are transforming how people think about food and health through their engaging video series, live events, and educational outreach.
Meet Dr. Jim Loomis
Dr. Jim Loomis is the Medical Director of the Barnard Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and has served as team physician for the St. Louis Rams and St. Louis Cardinals. He is featured in the documentaries Forks Over Knives and The Game Changers and is an expert in lifestyle medicine, using evidence-based nutrition to prevent and reverse chronic disease.
At Rochester VegFest 2025, Dr. Loomis will speak about the power of plant-based nutrition to transform personal and public health—sharing clinical insights, practical guidance, and stories of healing through food.
Chef Caryn Dugan, also known as “STL Veg Girl,” is the founder of the Center for Plant-Based Living in St. Louis—the first plant-based culinary and nutrition education center in the U.S. After losing her father to cancer and battling her own health crisis, Caryn dedicated her life to teaching others how to thrive through plant-based food.
Join Chef Caryn for a live cooking demo at RVF 2025, where she’ll share a flavorful, approachable plant-based recipe that’s perfect for both seasoned vegans and newcomers alike—proving that eating for health can be delicious and doable.
Together, The Doc & Chef blend cutting-edge medical research with approachable, delicious recipes to help people take control of their health—one meal at a time. Their mission is simple: to make healthy living practical, evidence-based, and irresistibly tasty.
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