I’ll pay you to cook for me

Newcastle vegan restaurant expanding

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A wonderful, pioneering vegan café is looking to expand in size and vision but they need our collective strength to do it.

The Painted Elephant is a cosy eatery perched in Newcastle city centre. They serve mouthwatering savoury food and ever since it opened, the restaurant has served as a vital hub for the vegan community in the city. The owners even allowed me to bring live music into their gorgeous venue when I passed through with my Vegan Roadshow.

Amazingly, it is the only 100% vegan restaurant in Newcastle.

The owners of The Painted Elephant have done an exceptional job to not only keep a fledgling restaurant open, but to also make it thrive. It now enjoys a solid following of regular diners that allows the restaurant to pay its overheads, but the plans for expansion are going to need a bit extra.

The owners need to raise £20,000 in order to move on with their plans, which include creating:

  • gourmet vegan food powered by local farmers and producers with a weekly changing, seasonal menu and low food mileage
  • a licensed bar serving infused liquors made from our excess fruits and herbs – nothing wasted
  • home grown herbs and salads cut for the plate
  • handmade vegan cheese on the menu and available to purchase and take home
  • all food waste composted to grow more deliciousness
  • locally foraged ingredients
  • regular themed tasting menu events with many-coursed meals, themed music and decor
  • great alternative music
  • up-cycled decor by local artisans

What the money will pay for:

  • the deposit and a couple of months rent on the new property (separate kitchen and bar area, possibly multiple floors!) to get them started – they’re looking at some of the beautiful railway arches near central station
  • a kitchen made from refurbished appliances and up-cycled fittings
  • growing and composting equipment, including an almost-instant (3 hour) composter for all food waste
  • paint and wall hangings
  • plumbing of sinks, etc
  • beautiful plates, glasses, crockery and more from UK artisans and small businesses
  • creation of new jobs for the local vegan community

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This is our chance to support an independent business, help them grow, watch them support local fruit/vegetable producers and celebrate as they create strength, jobs and security in their community.

This is an important campaign and an incredible chance for you to be a part of something very special. Keep a 100% vegan business independent, help people in Newcastle have a vegan centre they can be proud of and, most importantly, save the lives of animals by giving the northeast a truly compassionate alternative.

Click here now to donate to the expansion campaign and help make The Painted Elephant an even more integral part of Newcastle’s vegan scene.

Follow The Painted Elephant on Twitter and Facebook.

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Plant based with eggs?

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Much excitement was experienced when I got this photo tweeted at me this morning:


Wow. A plant based bar and restaurant opening this month in London. I was giddy with joy.

Giddy until I went over the the Instagram page of Farmacy.

Their definition of plant based is slightly different to mine in that it seems to include eggs. Eggs aren’t event close to plants, right?

I have commented below one of the Farmacy Instagram posts to ask if they are using ‘real’ eggs. I suppose there is a very slim chance that they have created a plant based food stuff that looks exactly like chicken egg when cooked, but I’m not hopeful.

So it seems you have ANOTHER almost vegan eatery to add to your list, London. Farmacy is set to be located on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill.

Click here to follow Farmacy on Instagram. Scroll past the egg photos, of course.

Extra note: here is a link explaining why we shouldn’t eat eggs, even eggs from rescued birds in backyards.

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Vegetarian restaurant is now a UK chain

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By 1847 is a restaurant serving vegetarian food (with a solid showing of vegan offerings) located in the heart of Manchester. You can see my original post about the restaurant from WAY back by clicking here.

I’m not sure if I’ve been completely asleep but somehow I have missed how rapidly this business has expanded and how far flung the new locations are around the country.

By 1847 now have the original Manchester location plus Brighton, Bristol and Birmingham outlets. They are spreading quickly.

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Pop along to one of the restaurants to check out their vegan offerings, including a multi-course Sunday lunch option.

It’s a shame that such a gorgeous meat-free restaurant chain with a smart vision on how to expand still includes dairy on the menu. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my dining experiences with By 1847 but that enjoyment is dampened somewhat by knowing they serve animal derived ingredients.

By 1847 really know what they are doing with food, wine and beer. I sincerely hope they come to see dairy as an unnecessary part of their success.

Follow By 1847 on Instagram and visit their website for location details.

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Masterchef finalist hosts vegan pop up

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Asparagasm is delighted to welcome MasterChef 2012 finalist and founder of ‘Koj Cooks’ Andrew Kojima for a vegan Japanese themed feast.

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Andrew Kojima is a British-Japanese chef based in the Cotswolds.

After reaching the pinnacle of amateur cooking success in the final of MasterChef 2012, he embarked on his life as a professional chef beginning with a fast track training programme in the kitchens of chefs such as Michel Roux Junior, Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal.

Koj teaches, promotes and demonstrates Japanese cookery through pop ups, cookery schools and food festivals and is one of of the UK’s most naturally talented and imaginative private chefs. With a monthly column in Crumbs Magazine he has also contributed to Spear’s and Cotswold Life, and is a judge at the prestigious Great Taste Awards.

Koj has cooked Japanese style food for everyone from The Queen to Hollywood royalty and Asparagsm Nailsworth is thrilled to welcome him as a guest chef as he joins them on Saturday 5th March to present this tantalising vegan menu.

MENU BY KOJ

Sake, Rhubarb, Ginger & Fennel Fizz

Maitake Mushroom & Jasmine Tea
with Ganmodoki (Pumpkin, Hijiki & Tofu Fritters)

Sushi & Sashimi 
Red Pepper Nigiri, Avocado Maki, Beetroot Sashimi, Apple, Spring Onions, Wasabi Emulsion

Nasu Dengaku 
Aubergine with White Miso & Edamame, Carrot & Sesame, Millet, Cauliflower & Brown Rice

Chocolate & Blood Orange Trifle 
Blood Orange Jelly, Orange Polenta Cake, Chocolate Sorbet

Two time-slots available for dining, due to the anticipated popularity of the event.

Tickets for the first sitting of 6pm – 8.30pm are £40 /pp

Tickets for the second sitting of 8.30pm – 10.30pm are £40 /pp

For all bookings and enquiries please call 01453 839352 or email dine@asparagasm.com so that you don’t miss out on this special dining experience!

Click here to RSVP to the Facebook event.

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Vegan night in Edinburgh

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Did you know that a non-vegan restaurant in Edinburgh holds a vegan night once a month?

The Bread Street Brasserie offers three fancy courses for just £17.50 on the first Wednesday of each month. That means your next chance to book yourself in for this monthly food event is next week (Wednesday March 2, 2016).

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The menu for next week is a cut above with dishes including bruschetta, curry, burgers, salads, soups and even fruit crumble.

Click here to see the full menu and click here to book a table.

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Ms Cupcake goes savoury

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Ms. Cupcake has got sugar on lock.

The Brixton bakery does sweet treats like no on else and has been at the forefront of cake business in the UK for years. But what if they turned their hand to savoury food?

Well, you can find out this weekend.

ms cupcake savoury

For the first time ever, Ms. Cupcake will be serving sweet AND savoury food across two mammoth stalls at VegfestUK in Brighton and the savoury sounds divine.

Did someone say chilli, mac & cheese and jackfruit? Yes, they did.

I reached out to Ben at Ms. Cupcake  for some info and he told me:

This is the first time we have ever done two stalls at a show. We’re bringing our traditional Ms. Cupcake sweet stand as well as a hot food stand to VegfestUK Brighton this coming weekend.
On the catering stand, customers will be able to choose from vegan Mac ‘n’ Cheese, Pulled ‘pork’ Jackfruit and Tex-Mex Chilli. There will be a range of mouthwatering toppings available such as hot peppers, sauces and more. There will also be a range of other savoury snacks on the stall to compliment the main dishes.

In news almost as big, we are bringing our homemade vegan lemon curd to the sweet stand as well as branded merchandise for die-hard Ms. Cupcake fans.

Listen to me carefully, readers.

You gave got to get some of that lemon curd in your life. I haven’t had Ms. Cupcake lemon curd for years and I still dream of it.

Sounds like the Ms. Cupcake stands are going to be extremely crowded at VegfestUK this weekend.

Get info on VegfestUK Brighton by clicking here.

Visit Ms. Cupcake online.

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Vegan Japanese luncheon

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Book a spot for this gorgeous vegan meal in a hurry.

My buddy Jhenn is once again rolling out a fabulous multi-course vegan Japanese luncheon for limited guests in her very own London home this Sunday (February 28, 2016 from 1pm).

Jhenn is a culinary hero in the capital and I haven’t met a person who has walked away from one of her meals feeling anything less than completely satisfied.

What is Jhenn serving on Sunday?

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Beer and food night

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beerboutiqueSouth west London, you don’t get a lot of vegan events but this one will make it feel worth the wait.

Weird Beard Brewing Co has teamed up with The Beer Boutique of Putney to stage a one-off beer and food event called Weird Vegans.

What’s in store for the vegan and vegan-sympathetic who venture down to the beer specialist this Tuesday (February 23, 2016)?

Here is a short description of the event:

Weird Beard hero and affirmed beardless veganist Natasha will be joining us to drink beer and talk veganism for an evening of fine foods and cracking ales. To say this will be a guilt free event would be a lie, as the days of the prototypical emaciated vegan are long gone – and we welcome the rise of the sleazy vegan, the sporty vegan, the greasy vegan, the gluttonous vegan, the sneezy vegan, and the intoxicated vegan.

Tickets are priced at just £15 and can be bought online here.

Have a ridiculously-good time if you decide to go along!

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Review: Green Eggs Cafe in Philadelphia

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Post by:

josh panel

On my last day in Philly, my brother and I wanted a hearty breakfast before he dropped me off at the airport. Thanks (once again) to the HappyCow app, I discovered that just around the corner from his place is an establishment called Green Eggs Cafe and despite the name, they have decent vegan options.

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Food in a box

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I’m annoyed. I leave London for an extended time and all the good stuff happens.

My pal Gabi emailed me last week to tell me about an incredible food delivery service recently launched in central London.

I scooted over to the MOJO-BOX website to find out why Gabi was so excited and as soon as I saw the food photos, I knew the hype was justified.

After drooling over the food photos, I messaged the company to discover more.

This is what they told me:

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