Do Chefs Enjoy Cooking for Vegetarians?

This morning I was listening to Chris Evans, advertising the Dine and Disco Auction on Radio Two. He featured Chefs Giorgio Locatelli, Mark Sargeant and Tom Kerridge on his show, who were all talking about the feast of delights they would be cooking for the lucky winners of the auction. As I listened, I heard the Chefs talking lovingly about Lobster, Pheasant, Beef and other delightful dishes containing meat and fish. The dishes all sounded amazing. However, I don't think that I heard a single Vegetarian dish mentioned by the Chefs.

This made me wonder whether Chefs actually enjoy cooking Vegetarian food? Or do they just find it boring without meat or fish to add flavour? Personally, as I'm sure you know, I love Vegetarian cooking, but judging by the amount of uninspired Vegetarian Risotto dishes I find on famous Chefs menu's, and the couple of token Vegetarian meals I find in top Chef's recipe books, I think that many top Chefs probably find it hard to think of inspired Vegetarian meals.

Of course there are many fantastic Vegetarian chefs out there - but they seem to be more specialist, and the exception to the rule. Perhaps it's just that chefs don't learn about vegetarian food in chef/cookery school, or that in the work place there is a huge demand for Meaty dishes and not much for vegetarian fare?

I'm not sure, but listening to the radio this morning, I wasn't inspired to ring and bid for a table to have one of these famous chefs cook for me as their reliance on meat and fish for taste made me wonder what they would end up cooking a lowly vegetarian.......


What do you think? Do chefs enjoy cooking for Vegetarians? I would really hope that the answer is yes! All answers on a postcard (or in a comment!)