SKANEATELES - People don't have to banish meat from their diets to choose vegetarian options in their kitchens.

Chef Chris Uyehara demonstrated some meatless options in the first of a three-part series called Exploring Meatless Cooking on Oct. 28 at the First Presbyterian Church.

Uyehara started off the evening by saying he wasn't a vegetarian but he has sunk his teeth into preparing for this series.

“It is a new challenge for me and it is fun and I enjoy it,” the chef said. Uyehara was the executive pastry chef of the Patisserie in Skaneateles and Baldwinsville. Presently he is an instructor in the culinary arts at Syracuse University.

Uyehara has had a long career in the culinary industry. He got his start cooking in his family's bakery in Honolulu, Hawaii, where Uyehara was born.

He has since studied professional cooking, and has cooked all over the world with a focus on pastries and baking. Despite his family specialties, he says he simply enjoys the act of cooking, including discovering new flavors and new ways to prepare all kinds of food.

“I enjoy all kinds of cooking, because I enjoy eating,” he said.

And the organizers of the Meatless Cooking series wanted to see how many people would enjoy eating meals prepared using only fruits and vegetables.

Patience Brewster and Mary Beth Carlberg organized the series and asked Uyehara to lead the classes.

Carlberg said she started the course after taking inspiration from her daughters, who are strict vegetarians.

Uyehara began with some simple but effective - and delicious - dishes.

Uyehara turned the church's kitchen into something that could be on a set on the Food Network. He demonstrated his dishes from start to finish, providing some insights on nutrition and how to cook healthy meatless dishes along the way.

Among his creations last Wednesday was a simple miso soup along with asparagus with Asian seared tofu and a marinade.

Also an important note for the class is that all the ingredients for these dishes were easily acquired at local stores that offer international sections.

Uyehara talked about tofu, which is derived from soy. He called soy a versatile bean because it is used often to substitute for meat in vegetarian dishes as well as Asian-inspired meals.

Tofu has many health benefits, such as helping to reduce cholesterol and protecting against some forms of cancer, as well as serving as a good source of protein, calcium and iron.

Uyehara liked offering alternatives to the usual meals in American diets.

“It is a challenge,” Uyehara said. “What do you get when you usually go out and want a vegetarian choice? A grilled portobello mushroom. This is a way to open up the options for meatless dishes.”

The series will continue for the next two Wednesday evenings. A $5 donation is suggested and all are welcome.

Uyehara encourages all those who attend to bring their favorite meatless recipe, which organizers will collect into an electronic cookbook and e-mail to those who participated in the series.