vegan London

Queer Vegan Yoga

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Queer Vegan Yoga is here.

Following on from many talks I’ve had with friends and people I’ve met at events around London, it became clear to me that our city needs a body positive yoga class designed for the LGBTQ+ community and our friends.

I also wanted it to be delivered and taught by a vegan.

Queer Vegan Yoga is a collaboration between Fat Gay Vegan, yoga teacher Tatum De Roeck, and venue The Well Garden located at Hackney Downs Studios (home of Hackney Downs Vegan Market).

Starting as a special event on Saturday March 10, 2018, Queer Vegan Yoga is an affordable space for people to explore what yoga can do for them even if they have felt excluded from other yoga classes in the past.

Spots are £12 and you can book for either 1:00pm or 2:30pm by clicking here.

This class is for all body types with a ‘vegan lesbian yoga teacher’ who is committed to inclusive teaching. Here is a little bit about Tatum:

Tatum was a Londoner living in LA picking up lots of jobs and cliches, she was an actress/waitress and a vegan lesbian yoga teacher. Then she got some cancer and her relationship with yoga changed. Her mat became a place of sanctuary, she couldn’t do all the poses but her mat was a place that accepted her even when bald, itchy, tired and sore. She now lives in London and is passionate about creating fun classes in which everyone can be themselves. She believes we don’t need to adapt our bodies into yoga poses but rather yoga should adapt to each of us.

Tatum and FGV

Queer Vegan Yoga is a class committed to exploring yoga that is beneficial to each individual regardless of body size, gender identity, or sexuality.

The first sessions of Queer Vegan Yoga will take place at The Well Garden on Saturday March 10, 2018 at 1:00-2:00pm and then 2:30-3:30pm. You can book a spot for either of these classes online now.

You can also RSVP and invite friends over on the Facebook event page.

You can now go to an inclusive yoga class AND the best vegan food market in London on the same day!

UK chain turns completely vegan

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BREAKING NEWS.

London fast food business Arancini Brothers is set to transform its entire business vegan by the end of the month.

Following on from the runaway success of their Old Street location turning vegan, David Arkin has made the monumental decision to veganise his entire business.

In what is a world first, all three locations of Arancini Brothers plus their food truck will all be completely vegan eateries by the end of February 2018.

I caught up with David to get the scoop on this incredible transformation.

Here is what he told me:

Your entire business and all your locations are about to become vegan. Why have you made this decision?

It’s been our goal to go vegan for the past three years. The interest in veganism we saw in 2017 showed us we could do it and Veganuary was the perfect time. Old St was a test but we had full confidence in our flavours and recipes, knowing that our customers would still come back. The support we have received over the past six weeks has been amazing and February hasn’t slowed down.

Does it feel like a risky move?

Any big change in a company that has been running for as long as we have feels risky. We employ a lot of staff. We have rents and taxes to pay. But I have never felt so good and confident in our decision. Veganism is here to stay and we hope people love our food enough for us to be around for a long time.

Some of your regular customers are used to buying meat products from you. What is the reaction you are seeing from them?

We have lost some customers but the reaction has been good and to be honest our food is better than it’s ever been before. Our meat replacements are amazing and really tasty and are going down well with our meat eating customers. They are also telling us they are happy they can have a meal that keeps them going all day and helps them eat less meat.

Are you seeing new customers who have never been Arancini Brothers regulars since you started raising your vegan profile?

We are seeing a lot of new faces at all three locations, most of who are meat eaters looking for a tasty meal. The vegan community has been amazing and the support and feedback we are getting just builds our confidence in our decision to be a 100% vegan company.

Your location on Old Street has been vegan for just over a month. Has the success of that changeover made your decision easier? How successful has it been?

January is traditionally one of the quieter months of the year. As a company we have had a record month and Old St is up about 30% on last year. It has beaten all our expectations.

Kentish Town and Dalston aren’t going vegan at the same time. Can you give us a timeline outlining your vegan switch?

Kentish Town will have its soft launch this weekend (February 17, 2018) with a new 100% vegan brunch and dinner menu only available at that location and Dalston will be 100% vegan by the end of the following week.

This is phenomenally inspiring news.

Congratulations to Dave and the entire Arancini Brothers team for making this commitment to veganism.

I was asked in an interview a few weeks ago if I thought veganism was a fad and I answered no. It isn’t a fad, it is a social shift and Arancini Brothers is on the front line of this shift.

London, you are about to have your very own vegan fast food chain. Get hyped!

Follow Arancini Brothers on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. See all their locations over on their website.

Gourmet vegan cake for Valentine’s Day

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The super talented Lizzie of Heart of Cake is famous in London for her glamorous and irresisitible cake creations.

Her layered cakes and macarons are exquisite and she is now offering the best of everything she does in a run of exclusive mini cakes especially for Valentine’s Day.

These Valentine’s Day mini 4″ sharing cakes are perfect for your partner(s)/best friend/yourself!

Each cake is individually crafted and includes macarons, chocolate ganache, flowers and fruit. There are even gluten free options, too.

Priced at £27 and available for collection on February 14 in Stoke Newington, these cakes are limited so contact Lizzie via heartofcake@hotmail.com to lock in your order.

 

Support independent vegan business. Share cake with loved ones. Everyone can win!

Follow Heart of Cake on Instagram.

Vegan wine from London

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One part of learning to live vegan that comes as a surprise to a lot of people is needing to shop carefully for wine.

Yes, that’s correct. Wine is often not suitable for vegans.

Animal derived products such as egg albumen, casein and isinglass are used as fining agents to clarify the wine before bottling.

But there are more and more vegan-suitable wines hitting shelves all the time, including this boutique brand from London!

Forty Hall Vineyard makes a few varieties, including this Brut they are selling and shipping in time for Valentine’s Day.

A little about the vineyard: 

Forty Hall Vineyard is an exciting social enterprise which has established a new 10 acre organic vineyard in north London. Run and managed by local people, the vineyard is the first commercial scale vineyard in London since the middle ages. The vineyard produces and sells quality English still and sparkling wines.

A bit about the Brut:

  • Believed to be London’s first Sparkling Brut
  • Made in the traditional Champagne Method
  • ‘Single Estate’; Produced exclusively from grapes grown on Forty Hall Vineyard
  • Certified Organic
  • Natural and unfiltered
  • Vegan and produced using biodynamic practices
  • 11.5 % Vol

You can order your own bottle (or case) of the Forty Hall Vineyard Brut by clicking here.

You can also follow Forty Hall Vineyard on Instagram.

Why today is a big day for vegan London

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Today is a monumental day for vegan London and I want to share a few thoughts with all of you.

Only a fraction of us get a chance to really understand what it is like to open our own business. It is consuming and terrifying.

As Rebecca and Pat open the doors today of the second permanent location of their superstar vegan food business, Temple of Seitan, I want to send a very heartfelt ‘thank you’ to both of them.

For anyone who hasn’t been in the situation of launching their own business, start by imagining your ability to pay your bills, rent and food expenses being gambled on one of the most notoriously risky business models in our modern world.

Think of the feelings associated with risking everything. Now multiply those feelings ten times and consider what it is like to have that with you 24 hours a day. Yes, even in your sleep.

As Temple of Camden welcomes the crowds today, I send my deep and very real gratitude to Rebecca and Pat.

They have put untold energy (both physical and emotional) into securing the future of their vegan business. This business is not just a way for them to make money, rather it has captured the imagination and attention of the mainstream and is shaping the way people see veganism.

Their delicious food (and the carefully crafted cool image of their stores) is making a lot of people believe they can make the change to a vegan life. They are actually building a bridge to veganism over which hundreds of people are rushing.

They are making veganism seem achievable for thousands of people.

But Temple of Camden is more than just vegan activism. It is the safeguarding of jobs for their employees. Vegan jobs.

Rebecca and Pat have worked impossibly long hours to create a businesses that doesn’t just pay the bills and put money in their pockets. They have created a space where people are able to earn a living without having to be part of a system that abuses and mistreats non-human animals.

Temple workers get to work in an environment that aligns with their worldview. They don’t have to partake in exploitation to pay their bills.

And then there is more.

Temple of Seitan is a certified Living Wage employer. What is that you ask?

Living Wage is a guideline that outlines what workers would need to be paid in order to meet the cost of living in the UK. Temple of Seitan as a business has committed to paying wages in accordance with these guidelines.

To put it basically, they want to champion animal welfare while paying people fairly.

If you visit Temple of Camden this week, month, or year, I would love for you to take a moment to look around and feel thankful.

Feel thankful that we have such hardworking and decent people on our side, putting everything on the line in order to make the world a better place.

Bec and Pat. I couldn’t be prouder or more in awe of all you do.

Thank you.

Follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram.

Inside Temple of Camden

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A few days I gave you a sneak preview of what it looks like inside the soon-to-be-opened Temple of Camden, the second permanent location for food superstars Temple of Seitan.

If you missed that post, which also included some breaking news about their new Camden menu, you can click here to read it.

Today’s post is to share some more shots of the Temple of Camden interior (and exterior) to help get you excited ahead of their grand opening on January 31, 2018.

Check it out below!

You can follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram to stay updated on all the latest news.

Vegan cheese goes London wide

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If you went to VegfestUK London in late 2017, you will know that one vegan cheese company in particular caused a lot of excitement.

New Roots absolutely blew everyone away with their stunning line up of vegan cheeses, including the spectacular camembert.

This cheese caused such a stir, it sold out in a matter of hours.

If you are anything like me, you’ve probably been dreaming of the time when this cheese would become more widely available.

Well, wake up and stop dreaming. New Roots is in London big time.

The Swiss cheese makers have just secured a London distribution deal with Marigold and are busy securing retail stockists. First stop? You can now buy their gorgeous vegan products at GreenBay Supermarket in Fulham.

Other retailers include:

More retailers are being added so keep updated by following New Roots on Instagram.

You can also ask your local independent health food retailer to stock New Roots. Let them know you want these products on their shelves and tell them the brand can be ordered via Marigold distribution.

Vegan slipper making workshop

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How about a Vegan Slipper Making Workshop, London?

Get along to The Canvas Café on Sunday February 4, 2018 between midday and 2pm for a slipper making class with Juta Shoes.

Handcraft your own espadrille slippers using reclaimed vegan materials and sustainable jute soles… and you might as well eat delicious food from the now 100% vegan café!

What you’ll do:

  • Choose from stock of reclaimed and upcycled vegan materials
  • Learn to shape and pin your shoe to the sole
  • Handstitch the upper to the sole with waxed linen thread

What’s included:

Experienced makers offer expert instruction and support, and everyone walks out in their own pair of slides. All materials are provided and no experience necessary. The vegan material is reclaimed from donated coats and bags, and Juta will bring a range of colours and textures for you to choose from. They use premium jute soles sourced from southern Spain, which are thick, robust, and comfortable.

 

Click here to book your workshop ticket.

Arancini Brothers to stay vegan

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A few weeks ago, I shared news about London fast food chain Arancini Brothers turning their Old Street location into a 100% vegan eatery.

Since January 2, 2018 the outlet has served thousands of vegan and vegan-curious customers (as well as some meat eaters who just want outstanding food) who have raved about the extensive and delicious vegan menu.

As it is halfway through their vegan month, I dropped in on owner Dave Arkin to find out how it has been for the business and what the future holds.

How has the vegan month been for Arancini Brothers Old Street?

The support we’ve had from our regular customers and the vegan community has made the first few weeks the most incredible and satisfying experiences since selling our first risotto ball almost 9 years ago.

Have you been surprised by the interest and support of vegans?

More delighted than surprised. I have to say a big thank you to all the support we’ve had from you (that’s me, FGV!) and the vegan community. You have all made our vegan switch at Old Street possible.

Any news on the future?

After just two weeks of running our Old Street location as a fully vegan business, we’ve decided to keep the location vegan for good. It will always be a fully vegan place to eat and I couldn’t be happier with the decision.

How incredible is this news?!

Arancini Brothers Old Street is now a 100% vegan food outlet, 100% of the time. Forever.

I would like to extend my personal gratitude to Dave and his team for taking this leap of faith. The impact this will have in their part of London, across the UK, and further around the world is impossible to calculate but people are taking notice.

This is monumental.

Dave is showing you can do a good thing and still run a business. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

You can follow Arancini Brothers on Instagram and click here to see the post I did about their huge vegan menu at Old Street (including photos!).

If you want to see the exact location of Arancini Brothers Old Street, you can thanks to Google Maps. Remember that the outlet is open between Monday and Friday between 9:30am and 4:00pm.

Sneak preview of a vegan donut shop

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The countdown is on.

London, your very first 100% vegan donut and coffee shop opens on January 17, 2018.

Lauren of Dough Society asked me to share a few quick glimpses of what the interior of the shop looks like ahead of their grand opening.

Check it out. So gorgeous!

The Dough Society donut and coffee shop is located on Mare Street in Hackney. It’s almost exactly half way between Temple of Hackney and Black Cat Hackney. That part of town really is exceptionally vegan friendly.

Click here to see the exact location thanks to Google Maps.

To celebrate their opening, Dough Society will be giving away one donut to the first 100 customers through the door on Saturday January 20, 2018. (Grand opening is a few days before this giveaway, so get in for one of the early preview days to avoid the rush)

Be sure to follow them on Instagram to stay updated on all their delicious shop news and donut flavours.