London vegan news, reviews & events
Last week found me working at the massive trade show known as IFE. This international exhibition for food and drink manufacturers showcased approximately 1500 stands and was spread across two giant halls at the ExCel centre in east London.
I took time out of working to have a sniff around the halls to discover some vegan products.
Check out the photos below. Anything take your fancy?
This impressed me. Not the products themselves, rather the label.
A recent trip to Tesco was interrupted by a sighting of the word ‘vegan’ shouting at me from behind a closed freezer door. It appears not only are Tesco product developers smartening up to the demand for plant-based foods, they have also realised the ‘v’ word is a desirable thing to place front and centre of a packet.
Here is the biggest and most exciting story EVER posted on my blog.
Get ready to fly on the world’s first vegan airline!
Use your vegan voice to help shape the future of vegan pizza.
Brighton-based pizza restaurant Morelli Zorelli already serves vegan pizza but they want your help in expanding their plant-based range.
The sourdough base specialists have a full-time vegan pepperoni pizza on the menu and most vegetarian items can be veganised with Cheezly at no extra cost.
All of this is awesome, but it gets better.
New vegan pie alert. New vegan pie alert.
I had a tasty encounter over the weekend. An encounter of the vegan pie kind.
Meat alternative company VBites (nee Redwood) were showcasing their brand new vegan pie during the Vegfest Brighton event and of course I made it my business to snap one up.
Here is what my Beef Style and Horseradish pie looked like:
I’m currently in the southern seaside town of Brighton for the annual Vegfest celebrations and I’m investing some time into getting to know some local vegan food.
One plant-based food experience came courtesy of a pizza restaurant called Pizza Face that delivered vegan food and beer to my hotel room.
Check out the photo below.
People in the UK love a cooked breakfast and the number one question I get asked by readers is concerned with that very topic.
Who serves a vegan version of a full English breakfast?
Vegans in Leeds will know the answer to this query. Yep, check out my recent breakfast at Global Tribe Cafe in Leeds city centre.
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!
Here is some fun news out of Huddersfield.
Vicky took time out of her day to let me know about a special vegan lunch menu being prepared by students of Kirklees College in the northern town of Huddersfield.
The college has a restaurant on site, allowing students of the college to practise and hone their skills in a real world setting. It just so happens that the restaurant, Landings 72, has a special vegan event coming up in April.
This is what Vicky had to say:
Our restaurant at Kirklees College, Landings 72, is having a special vegan lunch menu on Thursday 30th April between midday and 1:30pm. There will be 3 courses available – all vegan, with options for each. It is to train our student catering staff and make them aware of special diets and how to cater for them. Our restaurant is open to the public and I would love as many vegans as possible to come along and try the menu and let us have your feedback – it will all help with their training.
The price will be approximately £9.95 for three courses. If you want to book a table now you can email landings72@kirkleescollege.ac.uk and we will let interested parties have more details on menu as they come to hand.
Just as a note – if you cannot make this date but want to try our restaurant (Tuesday-Friday lunchtimes or Thursday evenings), our students can always make a vegan meal on request.
Go on. Get along and support these food trainees as the develop their vegan skills. It sounds like great value for a fine dining experience.
You can follow Landings 72 on Twitter.
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.