Plant power!

There’s no doubt that plant based cooking is increasing. In the last decade the number of vegans has increased a total of 360% within the UK, while nearly half of the population (44%) do not eat meat, have reduced the amount of meat they eat or are willing to cut down[1].

To meet this growing demand we’ve been working on our Root Kitchen concept, which contains a range of delicious vegan and vegetarian dishes, based on veg-centric recipes.

For many of us who eat meat dishes, vegetables are seen as an accompaniment for the meat, the side to supplement the flavours of the main attraction. Veg-centric cooking dispels this notion, putting the focus on the exciting, fresh and nutritious elements each fruit and vegetable ingredient contains and how to maximise those flavours, building on the natural umami in some of the ingredients.  

To help celebrate veg-centric cooking further within our chef community, we have partnered with the Humane Society International (HSI), one of the leading animal protection charities in the world, to host a number of plant based cooking workshops. These were led by myself and Jenny Chandler, HSI’s Forward Food Chef, author and 2016 UN Special Ambassador for pulses, with the aim of creating exciting sessions to further inspire our chefs to get imaginative with plant based meal options.

And we’re doing a great job – we’re creating some amazing dishes that are really delicious! This is a growing market for us and it’s brilliant to be partnering with Humane Society and Jenny to innovate in this area, engaging our innovative chef community, and providing our customers and clients with great plant based options.

[1] Eating Better Alliance survey, 2017