Hackney Downs Vegan Market is ending

Well, all things shall pass.

It is with a mixture of fondness, a little sadness, and a big sense of achievement that I announce the ending of the legendary Hackney Downs Vegan Market.

What started as a special Christmas market collaboration with Eat Work Art at Hackney Downs Studios quickly became the biggest regular food event in the UK.

Hackney Downs Vegan Market has played such an important part in changing the face of veganism in London, across the UK, and even throughout the world. It has inspired countless copycats and made big business take notice of vegan consumers in a way that very little had done before it.

Our community market was featured by the BBC (web, radio, TV) and countless blogs, newspapers, podcasts, magazines, style guides, and social media platforms.

The market has been a special place where we have given a huge stage to businesses owned or co-owned by women, people of colour, disabled people, and LGBTQ+ people. Josh and I have been committed to redressing disadvantage and oppression via the safe space of our market.

Many of our traders used the funds earned at Hackney Downs Vegan Market to go onto bigger and better things. Those early months of the market with record breaking attendances helped independent businesses such as Temple of Seitan and Young Vegans funnel much-needed funds into new shop premises.

The market helped support the financial stability of our vegan scene. It brought in tens of thousands of pounds to the pockets of independent business owners across its lifespan. We made this possible by charging the lowest pitch fees of any vegan market. We worked hard for little return so our traders could earn a living, not feel exploited.

We made global headlines with our record breaking attendances and we forced the city to rapidly recognise the power of the vegan shopper.

In turn, this was our undoing. Ian from Clarkshaws Brewing called it the ‘winner’s curse’.

Veganism is absolutely everywhere and people don’t have to travel for at least an hour on the Overground followed by a 10-15 minute walk in the cold in order to get inventive and tasty vegan food anymore.

It is now on their own doorsteps and to a large extent they have us to thank for that. We showed London how immensely in-demand vegan food was and the city took notice. Vegan food is simply in every nook and crevice of the capital, therefore our attendance figures at Hackney Downs have suffered. Many of our past food traders will now deliver to your door at the touch of an app, making the idea of going to an outdoor market less appealing for people.

Of course it makes me sad to see the market end due to lower attendance but as an activist wanting to see veganism spread far and wide, I have to be secretly happy.

I cannot sufficiently express my gratitude to our regular traders enough. It is impossible in this space to tell you about the countless ups and downs these people went through. Winter at the market is particularly brutal and the World Cup last year almost broke us completely.

These traders spend days preparing food and goods for the weekend, not knowing how many people will show up. Street trading is notoriously unpredictable but people like Chanel of Vegan Delice, Davina and Michelle of Cafe SoVegan, and Ian and Lucy of Clarkshaws always gave it their all in all types of weather.

They didn’t do it just to make money. They tirelessly supported the market because they understood it helped build social capital. It was a home away from home for many of our traders and an adored place to visit for our customers. They did it because they believed it made the world a better place.

They are my idols.

Eternal thanks to Adam of Eat Work Art (who has since moved on to another role) and his replacement Rosie for taking us under their wing and giving our traders a home for two years. Our market manager Robertas is nothing short of a hero and has built stalls and battled extreme weather to make sure everything ran smoothly. When he couldn’t be there, he made sure his friends Laurynas and Nerijus filled in and now they are also part of the market’s legacy and family.

And thank you to all of our customers who have braved the elements and made the market a world-famous foodie destination.

Together, we all did this amazing thing to improve outcomes for animals and our community. We made a difference.

We really, truly did.

Please visit the final ever weekends for Hackney Downs Vegan Market and make sure our traders go out like they started… with a bang!

Final dates for the market are Sat 15 and Sun 16 December as well as Sat 22 and Sun 23 December, 2018. The weekend of December 22 and 23 will be our Christmas market, so don’t miss out.

All details for the market can be seen online here. Get along to these final weekends and be a part of history.

Extra note: the FGV section at Venn Street Market is set to continue every Saturday in Clapham and don’t miss our one-day-only Xmas lunch market at Guildhall in the City of London on Friday December 21, 2018. Details here.

Taste award-winning Oumph meat alternative for free

This weekend at Hackney Downs Vegan Market is your chance to try the award winning meat alternative by superstar brand Oumph!… for free!

Oumph!, a favourite in Sweden and the Nordic countries, is made from soya beans and organic herb and spice mixes. It’s plant-based and free from gluten and dairy… and it is taking the UK by storm.

Oumph! is versatile and easy to cook. It’s suitable to grill, boil, sauté, deep-fry or even heat over an open BBQ. In addition, it’s high in protein and fibre and a source of iron and folic acid, as well has having a low climate impact.

And no animals were harmed to bring it to your table!

Oumph! is absolutely delicious so it comes as no surprise that the brand has been busy sweeping all the awards in 2018, including:

• Oumph! Kebab Spiced – awarded ‘Best Food Product of the Year’, Food Matters Live.

Oumph! The Chunk – awarded Gold ‘Food For Food Service’, FreeFrom Eating Out Awards.

• Pulled Oumph! – awarded Bronze in ‘Ready Meals’ category, FreeFrom Food Awards 2018.

• Oumph! The Chunk – awarded Silver in the ‘Food Innovation’ category, FreeFrom Food Awards 2018.

If you are curious to see what all the fuss is about, get along to Hackney Downs Vegan Market to taste the incredible Pulled Oumph! for free.

Pulled Oumph!

On Saturday December 15 and Sunday December 16, 2018, you can try hot samples of this groundbreaking products served on crunchy corn chips with pickled onion.

Truly sensational.

Pulled Oumph! on crunchy corn chips with pickled onion

Oumph! is a part of Food for Progress. Food for Progress is a Swedish food company producing tasty, nutritious and climate-friendly food that everyone on the planet can eat. 

Check out the full Oumph! range in the UK online here and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

You can see the full trader line up for Hackney Downs Vegan Market online here.

London restaurant bookings skyrocket with vegan menu

City Spice in Brick Lane has been awarded for their new vegan menu and their business is booming!

City Spice restaurant was recently named London’s Best Vegan Indian Restaurant option at the prestigious Bangladesh Caterers Association Awards.

The awards are considered to be the ‘Oscars’ of the curry-house awards and City Spice was selected as the winner of their category in a vote involving the 12,000 member restaurants of the Bangladesh Caterers Association.

But what is all the fuss about and why is the restaurant being honoured?

City Spice recently launched Brick Lane’s first ever purposefully-vegan menu in a curry house, resulting in a 170% increase in bookings for the restaurant in the two months following the launch.

Yes, that’s correct. A 170% increase. That’s the power of plants, people!

The Michel-Indian inspired vegan menu comprises of 14 dishes and was perfected after the restaurant attended a culinary masterclass with Michelin-star chef Rupert Rowley in Sri Lanka.

Some of the vegan dishes that grabbed my attention include:

  • Palani Potatoes (£9.95)
    Fresh cubed pieces of potatoes are cooked with zesty cumin seeds and curry leaves, to provide a distinct, medium flavour, exemplified by a thick mouth-watering sauce.
  • Shobji Kufta Bhujon (£9.95)
    Lightly spiced mixed vegetable balls cooked in a spicy sauce with mushrooms, baked tomatoes and capsicum. Garnished with spring onions and coriander.
  • Mixed Vegetable Jalfrezi (£8.95)
    Seasonal vegetable cooked with an original recipe with an emphasis on the flavours extracted from fresh green chillies, fried onions and green peppers.
  • Mixed Vegetable Rogan Josh (£8.95)
    With its distinctive tomato flavour, this is the perfect go-to for newcomers to Indian cuisine. Medium spiced, tomatoes make up the base of this delicious dish, being built up with a selection of fine herbs as well as our own secret recipe, to give the Rogan it’s aromatic flavour.

Restaurant manager Abdul Muhaimen, 19, who created the menu, commented:

“Brick Lane is an incredible institution, but every institution needs a kick up the bum once in a while! Palates are changing, and the street needs to catch up.

While we’re delighted to have been recognised by the BCA, that’s just the tip of the iceberg for our family run restaurant. Since its launch we’ve now sold more than a thousand vegan dishes!”.

The restaurant was even recently featured on ITV News to talk about the runaway success of the vegan menu.

This isn’t the first time the restaurant tasted success in the BCAs. In 2017 the East End restaurant won London’s Restaurant of the Year at the Bangladesh Caterers Association Awards, and Best Asian Restaurant at the Asian Curry Awards.

Click here to see the new vegan menu online. You can see the exact location of City Spice thanks to Google Maps.

Customers can try the vegan menu, which also includes vegan wines, by booking a table. Simply visit city-spice.london/contact, dial 020 7247 1012, or email reservations@city-spice.london to secure your dining experience.

Follow City Spice on Facebook.

FGV received a fee to post this news. 10% of this fee has been donated to water security charity Isla Urbana in Mexico City.

Vegan café in northwest London

Another amazing stockist has come on board to sell my book Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t.

Ahimsa The Vegan Café is a gorgeous vegan eatery located in Pinner, a neighbourhood in the London Borough of Harrow.

The food served up in Ahimsa is some of the best in London. Take a look at some of these food photos below.

As the photos show, the Ahimsa menu is overflowing with everything from fresh salads to gourmet pizzas.

And now they also sell my book!

Support this wonderful community-focussed café by dining with them often and when you buy a copy of my book, they get to keep 50% of the money.

See the exact location of Ahimsa thanks to Google Maps.

You can follow Ahimsa on Facebook and Instagram.

You can also buy my book online via Amazon, Foyles, WH Smith, and Audible.

Vegan dinner at Black Cat Hackney

Black Cat Hackney is one of the finest places to eat vegan food in the UK so you know you don’t want to miss out on their exclusive one-night-only Christmas supper club.

The exciting menu consists of a mix of classics and new items:

Starter (to choose from):

Caramelised cauliflower bisque topped with grilled seasonal mushrooms and served with garlic sourdough bread
OR
Wild mushroom croquette, whipped cashew chevre cheese, salt baked heritage beets, Hackney leaves and balsamic reduction

Main (to choose from):

House made seitan steaks, steamed seasonal greens, roast potatoes, lemon white wine shaved brussels sprouts, pastrami seasoned carrots and parsnips ribbons. Served with Black Cat’s gravy
OR
Blue corn crusted tofu cutlets, sweet potato and pumpkin mash, braised cabbage and roasted red pepper, Mexican chiles and peanut sauce

Desserts (to choose from):

Lemon thyme yoghurt cake, rhubarb compote, caramelised figs and coconut sour cream
OR
Peanut-butter chocolate cheesecake with bourbon biscuit base and salted candied nuts

The dinner is taking place at Black Cat on Clarence Road, Road on Saturday December 15, 2018.

Book now your tickets to spend this great evening with Black Cat. Choose from two time slots:

  • 6pm until 8pm sitting
  • 8:30pm until 10:30pm sitting

This event is BYOB meaning you are welcome to take your own drink.

You can also follow Black Cat on Instagram.

New vegan store in Northern England town

Do you live in, or visit, the northern town of Halifax in West Yorkshire?

Great news. You have a brand new independent vegan business to throw your support behind!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq4QiiplD6E/

Leaf is a small, independent business situated inside The Piece Hall in Halifax.

It is stocked with plant-based food, groceries, pantry items, toiletries, gifts and zero waste products.

I used to work in Halifax many years ago and it was tough to imagine something like Leaf popping up, so I can’t tell you how thrilled I am for the people of this town.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrCw3L6Aj1p/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq7aywkA5SZ/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq7Qcgeg7-y/

Take a moment out of your day to follow Leaf of Halifax on Instagram.

Buy my book AND support a vegan business

My first ever book was published back in January and I’m here to give you two good reasons why you should by it right now.

Well, one of the reasons is just an OK reason while the second idea is the very good reason.

Idea the first: my book is a fabulous Christmas or festive present to give a loved one. Even if you think the person has little chance of switching to a vegan lifestyle, the book is an engaging read packed with funny and touching personal stories.

There are also plenty of arguments for why we can be kinder by choosing veganism, as well as how we can also make choices to challenge racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, and worker exploitation.

Reason the second and the best reason?

You can buy my book directly from the Shoreditch, London cafe Essential Vegan.

It is crucial that we support independent vegan businesses such as this cafe founded and operated by my dear friends Vanessa and Neni. You won’t find two people working harder to put veganism on the map and their food is sensational.

Grab a copy of Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, drink and live like you give a sh!t from the shelves of Essential Vegan for £8.99 and 50% of this money stays with the cafe.

Yep! You can eat some of the best vegan food in the UK, do some Christmas shopping, and ensure that more of your hard-earned cash is staying in your vegan community.

If you aren’t able to get along to Essential Vegan but still would like a copy of my book, you can order online from Amazon, WH Smith, or Foyles. You can also buy the audio version via Audible.

You can follow Essential Vegan on Instagram.

Try vegan Baileys for free

Have you been curious about the vegan Baileys drink called Almande?

If you are interested in sampling the drink for no charge, get along to Hackney Downs Vegan Market this Saturday December 8, 2018.

Baileys will be on hand to impress market goers with their popular dairy-free drink.

Almande by Baileys is a liqueur made from sweet almond oil and almond essence (extracted from crushed almonds), cane sugar and purified water with a touch of real vanilla. It has a creamy feel, but is light in taste.

I enjoy mixing Almande with chocolate milk for a fun drink, while blending it with soya milk, ice, agave syrup, and peanut butter is a dream come true.

The sampling team will be serving tasters from 2pm until 4pm so get along early (the market opens at 11am) for lunch and then stick around for some free Baileys! It is also a great time to start some of your vegan Christmas shopping as we will have cheese, vegan fish, gifts, and more. Full market line up is here.

Extra note: Chanel of our resident bakery stall Vegan Delice is planning some special vegan Baileys themed treats on her stall this Saturday to coincide with the tasting session. Eat cake and be happy!

New vegan bakery for London

One of the most popular traders we have ever hosted at Hackney Downs Vegan Market is LuckyLek.

Nora was always drawing large crowds with her exquisite baked goods and her patisserie items were snapped up quickly by eager fans.

Nora and LuckyLek disappeared from our market lineup a while back but for very good reason.

London has a brand new vegan bakery now that Nora has teamed up with her friend Nama. Get ready to visit Nora & Nama: Vegan Bakery & Deli in Camden.

If you can see the photo above, you will see that Nora & Nama have extremely special menu items and expertly-crafted baked goods.

Customers will discover and adore cakes, celebration cakes, finger food, cookies, bread, canapes, pies, tarts, baked goods, starters, spreads, and gluten free options.

The bakery is located in Camden Market (unit 596-598 Camden Lock) and the grand opening celebration is taking place on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 December, 2018.

Click here to RSVP to the Facebook event for the opening weekend, follow Nora & Nama on Facebook and Instagram, and see their official website here.

 

Special vegan Christmas dinner in London

Are you in London during the week before Christmas and are you interested in delicious vegan food?

Get the facts below and book!

Superstar food creators Phung Kay are staging a very special pop up at Craving Coffee Tottenham this year.

They are serving a four-course meal and the menu sounds sensational. Check it out below:

  • Course 1: Hoisin “Duck” and Yam in Netted Roll with juniper berry, cranberry and plum sauce.
  • Course 2: Chickn & Chestnut bao with pickled daikon.
  • Course 3: Pi Pa Tofu & sage stuffing served in a fried potato bird’s nest served with steamed rice in lotus leaf and braised red cabbage and pan fried brussels sprouts.
  • Course 4: Goji berry & Chrysanthemum jelly with lychee ice-cream and black sesame tuile

I am BOWLED OVER by those gorgeous food photos taken by the talented Sara of Shisho Delicious.

Dates for this very special dinner are from the 20th until the 22nd December, 2018. They have added a new sitting on Thursday 20th at 6pm and only a handful of seats remain for Friday 21st at 6pm.

Click here to check for availability and book.

Follow PhungKay on Instagram.