Being vegan ain’t all cupcakes and chickpea meringue, sadly.
My friends at The National Anti-Vivisection Society have asked me to share this news with you. Please take a few minutes to read and get involved if you can. For the monkeys.
Haus of FGV
Upsetting news
This blog post is extremely upsetting.
My friend Indira is an amazing vegan food creator. She has been trading at street markets and supplying cafes over the past year as Tickled Tastebud Co. Indira’s vegan pies are the best I have ever tasted in the UK. I even had the pleasure of hosting a supper club with her on one occasion which resulted in rave reviews.
I spoke with Indira yesterday and found out why she has been silent on social media for a few weeks. She asked me to pass on the following information to anyone who has been missing her food.
Indira is a breast cancer survivor, but sadly she has recently become incredibly unwell again. She is pregnant with her second child, which initially led doctors to think her symptoms were connected to her pregnancy.
This was not the case.
After three weeks in hospital, Indira was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer of the liver and has been told her condition is terminal.
I am terribly saddened for Indira and her family. Her wonderful, supportive husband and darling daughter both welcomed me and my partner Josh into their home last year for a wonderful evening of fine food and company.
Indira is one of the most compassionate and caring people I have met.
When I put a call out for food to be handed out to my Vegan Coach Trip passengers, Indira worked overtime to donate dozens of vegan cheesecakes and took hours out of her day to personally deliver them to me in central London.
Indira walks the walk when it comes to caring for animals. Her vegan food business that she has poured her heart into is now put on hold as she manages her physical health. I know Indira had recently secured a grant to expand her business and had even teamed up with a business mentor to help her with future plans.
It is very telling of her considerate nature that Indira’s main motivation for asking me to share this news was not wanting to disappoint her customers who have come to love her food. She is saddened to think of people who might feel let down or confused by her sudden withdrawal from her food business.
Please take a moment to leave a comment of support and appreciation for Indira below. You might also consider sending a short message of support via her Twitter account.
I am fundamentally saddened by this news and wish to thank Indira for the compassion she has extended to me over the past few years. I am incredibly proud of and thankful for the wonderful vegan food her company provided to London and surrounding areas.
My thoughts and love are with Indira and her family as they move forward.
Infinite love and sadness.
Runaway success
The first ever Rock ‘n’ Roll Vegan Brunch was a rollicking runaway success yesterday.
Music was played. Beer was guzzled. Food was devoured.
A million thanks to Dave and the team at Vegbar for helping me bring this wonderful event to life. Chef Christian deserves a standing ovation for his mouthwatering soul food plate. Several guests declared it the best brunch they have ever eaten in London.
Check out this pic my buddy Jhenn posted on Instagram.
The biscuits and gravy were a smash hit. Every single attendee raved about them.
Much love and appreciation to Clarkshaws for coming along to set up a beer sampling station, especially as they have a big party to plan for in the near future. Their vegan beers were adored by everyone who got a chance to try them and I’m happy they are now permanently available at Vegbar.
What a wonderful event.
If you missed out this weekend, don’t stress. Rock ‘n’ Roll Vegan Brunch is now a full time concern for hungry Londoners. It takes place every single Saturday between 10am and 3pm.
Come along!
Time for compassion
Vegan food is creating headlines globally as media outlets fall over themselves to push plant-based eating as a trend in order to drive readership. You cannot go a week without a UK national news outlet trumpeting vegan food as the thing to watch. Even your friendly FGV got swept up in this recent wave of interest.
As exciting as this hyper-interest in meat and dairy free eating is, one important component is missing from all the stories.
Vegan Roadshow
Roll up. Roll up. Fat Gay Vegan is hitting the road this summer.
I am thrilled to announce my first ever Vegan Roadshow, a collaboration between musicians, activists, food providers, music venues and me.
The idea is simple.
Eco-Jet new vegan airline
Here is the biggest and most exciting story EVER posted on my blog.
Get ready to fly on the world’s first vegan airline!
Brighton weekender
If you have been living under a rock, I have two things to say to you:
1. What’s it like under there? I’ve always imagined it to be very snug.
2. VegfestUK Brighton is happening this weekend!
VegfestUK is mammoth and legendary. Attendees this year are set to enjoy more than 150 stands showcasing vegan food, products, activist groups, charities and more. Vegan comedians are going to attempt to make the crowd laugh and there will be plenty of vegan beer and cider doing the rounds.
I think there might be just a few of the 10 000 or so tickets remaining, so be very quick and book now.
Of course I didn’t want to be left out of proceedings, so I am setting up a very low key DIY postcard shop at stall Q16 on the ground floor. Please drop in to buy a few cards, pick up my event flyers, sign up to my email list and have a chat.
I will also be hosting a fabulous LGBT Social on Sunday at 1pm as part of Vegfest celebrations. Click here to read more.
And…. there is more.
I am a judge on the new product showcase. I get to be all judgemental! Click here to read about it.
See you soon, Brighton!
The Standard
Quick news.
I was asked to contribute to an Evening Standard article listing the best vegan brunch spots in London.
Check it out here.
That is all.
End of an era
Time marches on, people.
Almost four years ago I started an event that quickly became a staple of vegan London. London Vegan Potluck was established because I couldn’t believe the event didn’t already exist when I arrived to the UK from Australia.
I wanted a monthly food party where vegans and the vegan-curious could make and share homemade, compassionate dishes in a friendly community setting.
What started as a cosy event in the arcade next to the Ms. Cupcake bakery in Brixton soon blossomed into an incredibly busy happening in the longterm location of Faraday House in Holborn. We were even featured on BBC Radio.
A review of the first ever London Vegan Potluck can be seen here. Many thanks must be given to Mellissa Morgan of Ms. Cupcake for her generosity in allowing us to set up next to her business for those formative first six months. Additional thanks to Freedom Brewery who donated beer for the first London Vegan Potluck, thus becoming the first business to support and believe in an event that will have run for four years as it comes to a close in May 2015.
Out-foxed
I think this is a joke. It has to be a joke, right?
Following a run of animal-themed pop-up cafes and events (see here, here and here), someone has set up a page announcing the launch of a fox cafe in London.
I could be wrong, but I call bullshit on this one.
I’m kinda hoping it is set up by an activist group who plan to collect email addresses and send a message to all signups, letting them know what a terrible idea it is to commodify and objectify animals.
I can only hope. Otherwise, I despair.