vegan London

Help a vegan cheese company recover

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Vegans, we need to band together.

I AM NUT OK is a superstar vegan cheese company and they need our help.

Check out what the brand said about the vandalism of their kitchen:

Hello! We are an independent vegan cheese company based in London called I AM NUT OK. Many of you who know our brand also know us (Nivi and Angela) and our story, but we are guessing some of you are new to us and our products!

We started as a couple making vegan cheeses and spreads at home, and when we outgrew our home kitchen, we moved to a small commercial kitchen. Recently, we decided to take a bigger step to scale up our business and found the perfect space.

After spending all our savings on securing the new space and building plans, we finally started building our dream kitchen. A few weeks back, when we went to go and check on the space, we entered the building to find the door had been forced open, breaking the locks and shutters. Upon entry, we were met with a totally vandalised space – every surface has been graffitied, trash was left everywhere, and the construction we’d been undergoing had been completely destroyed. Every entrance point was broken, the cables to operate the shutters had been cut, our new break room kitchen destroyed, bathroom trashed, and there was even vomit and human excrement…

This setback has not only cost us to have to replace, repaint, and clean everything, but it has also unfortunately delayed our building plans, costing us thousands in rent which the landlord will not cover. We are honestly in shock, and we have been unsure what to do, as we really do not like the idea of asking for money, so if you would like to support our business by purchasing from the online shop instead, that would also mean a lot to us! Any donations over £150 (UK only), we will send you a thank you cheese hamper for supporting us. We are grateful for anything, even sharing with those that might be able to help.

To all our customers, thank you so much for supporting our business all these years to help us get it to where it is now, and we are so excited for the new kitchen to be completed and share our journey with you – setbacks, victories, and all!

This is a tough situation that would break a lot of us, but Angela and Nivi are determined to rebuild.

Click here to donate if you can afford to give and be sure to take them up on their hamper offer if you are feeling flush with cash. I AM NUT OK make some of the finest vegan cheeses on the planet!

You can also follow I AM NUT OK on Instagram.

Buy vegan cheese and cakes in Camden

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I mentioned a few weeks ago that I am involved with rolling out a new vegan market in central London and I’ve now got some news for you.

Tasty news!

Vegan Makers at Buck Street Market is starting small (sigh… COVID is making everything so tough) but the three traders we have lined up for you this week are top shelf.

Vegan Makers at Buck Street is a 4-day a week collection of traders located in the courtyard of Buck Street Market. You might have already seen this impressive complex made from shipping containers, just a few metres along Camden High Street from Camden Town Underground station. See the location thanks to Google Maps.

Our artisan market is starting small this week, but you can get along for some of the finest vegan products in the city. (Vegan Makers is on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between 11am and 5pm)

What will you find this week?

Vegan Makers is now a permanent home for Honestly Tasty, the sensational vegan cheese company based in Wood Green.

Run by sister and brother team Beth and Mike, Honestly Tasty is quickly becoming the vegan cheese brand everyone is talking about. Mike trained in vegan cheesemaking in Berlin, so stop by their stall to talk about their interesting family story and to buy their game-changing cheeses.

You can also follow Honestly Tasty on Instagram.

You can’t have a Fat Gay Vegan market or trader get-together without Chanel and Cake Cult LDN.

In her previous incarnation as Vegan Delice, Chanel was the heart and soul of Hackney Downs Vegan Market. Her cakes, donuts, and tray bakes would bring people from all over London.

We expect Cake Cult LDN to be just as popular at Vegan Makers at Buck Street Market, especially with busy people on their lunch breaks.

Everything Chanel makes is delicious and I say that as an authoritative source, having eaten MANY items over the years.

You can also follow Cake Cult LDN on Instagram.

Have you been looking for vegan-friendly CBD oil?

Our third trader this week from Thursday until Sunday at Vegan Makers at Buck Street is Cosmic Oils.

Cosmic Oils specialise in high strength CBD oils and related products. Everything they do is homemade in London and of course it’s always vegan. You can also follow Cosmic Oils on Instagram.

Get along to from 11am this Thursday June 24, 2021. These traders will be in the courtyard of Buck Street Market Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this week between 11am and 5pm.

You can follow Vegan Makers on Instagram for all the latest trader information each week.

If you need more reason to visit our traders (umm… vegan cheese and cake is not enough?), Buck Street Market is overflowing with vegan food options from their regular restaurants.

PRTZL is on the first floor and is home to 100% vegan burgers and hot dogs. Bad Vegan (on the top level but not 100% vegan hence the name I guess) is having their grand opening on Thursday June 24 and are even giving away free food. Magic Falafel is 100% vegan and they are also on the first floor. There are many other vegan options on site as well as just a few metres around the corner (Temple of Seitan and What The Pitta to name just two).

Buy cheese. Buy cake. Buy CBD oils. Support independent vegan traders.

Really Good Beer is really good… really!

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Do you like beer? Do you like making positive choices for the planet as a consumer?

Well, say hello to your new vegan beer supplier!

Launched in March 2021, Really Good Beer is all about sourcing beer from small breweries and chaneling partial profit to good causes.

That sounds EXACTLY like my drop of amber.

What is the ethos behind Really Good Beer? The gang over there says:

Our mission? To create gorgeous beer that helps solve important problems whilst you’re drinking it. Clever huh? OK, not Einstein clever, but we like to think we wouldn’t be kicked out of A-level business studies.

After realising that the five largest mega-brewers in the world make nearly 60% of all the beer on Earth, Really Good Beer jumped into action.

What was the plan of action to make sure they could make a difference to the world of beer and the world in general?

First: we brewed our first beer in a shared space in Hackney but we realised the better model was to get our beer brewed at existing small breweries (who really know their stuff).

We spent a long time (and tasted a lot of beer) finding the right partners and now work with several; they are all small, independently owned, focused on sustainable production, and (pretty much) all award-winning.

And second: we track down the most impactful projects and charities seeking to solve some of the planet’s biggest problems to pair with each of our beers; then we think of a low-key genius name that brings together the beer, cause and charity partner.

The beers are never mass produced and Really Good Beer are committed to giving 2.5% from the sales of all their beer to initiatives that tackle the biggest problems facing people and the planet.

Really Good Beer has just been named in the Top 12 IPAs in The Independent Best Buys and named as “Best Beer with Purpose”. Amazing! (read more about that here)

You can also read about some of the small charities each beer supports online here.

It sounds like a winning situation all round. Beer from small producers and money for charities… and I almost forget to mention that all the beer from Really Good Beer is vegan!

Click here to buy through the web shop (soon to be in bars and stores) and follow Really Good Beer on Instagram.

New vegan ice cream hotspot for London

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Copperhouse Chocolate, London’s only vegan chocolate shop and cafe, has launched a new vegan ice cream range in its Chapel Market cafe in the heart of Islington.

Juliet Sampson, owner of Copperhouse, already had the idea to create her own delicious vegan ice cream and lockdown provided the perfect opportunity to experiment after their usual supplier moved out of London.

They currently sell six flavours that are all made with organic coconut milk as the base and of course contain their famous house blend hot chocolates. Favourites include Raspberry Chocolate (using Copperhouse Chocolate Raspberry Dream hot chocolate with a homemade raspberry swirl), Mint with brownie chips (with fresh mint and crumblings of homemade vegan brownies), and Coffee caramel (a delicious combination of Monmouth coffee and salted caramel swirl).

All the ice creams are made using organic ingredients and are 100% vegan. They are available as scoops priced at £2.50, oat milkshakes £4.90, cookie ice cream sandwiches with a choice of peanut butter and choc chip homemade cookies £5.50 and the decadent Hot Chocolate affogato using their delicious range of homemade hot chocolates £4.50.

The affogato is made with a lusciously extra thick hot chocolate using only the finest vegan milks, it is unlike any other vegan hot chocolate and is similar to Italian/Spanish hot chocolate but made to order. It can also be finished with decadent whipped coconut cream.

The ice cream is also available in a range of takeaway tubs that can be taken home for the freezer and are priced at £9 for a 450g tub – perfect for a delicious ice cream treat this summer.

Copperhouse Chocolate is proud of their single-origin hot chocolates from Colombia, Madagascar and Ecuador which each having their own distinct tastes.

The cafe also hosts a Chocolate Happy House every Friday for between 3-4pm where customers can get a free cookie with every coffee or hot chocolate purchased.

Located just moments away from Angel tube station, Copperhouse Chocolate promises a welcoming cosy space to relax with a comforting cup of proper hot chocolate, delicious ice creams, and vegan food all the while offering a home for community groups, meetups, and gatherings to connect in London.

See the exact location of Copperhouse Chocolate thanks to Google Maps.

Follow Copperhouse Chocolate on Instagram.

£5.50 for a vegan sausage roll

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Hello from London, one of the most expensive places on the planet to buy a vegan sausage roll!

In this weeks mini podcast episode, I moan about the cost of vegan sausage rolls. I also talk about changing my name to Plum King (just a joke, not a fact). In addition, I chat about where I have been eating recently (not a joke, just a fact).

FGV mini news round up December 28, 2022 – final of the year – Fat Gay Vegan

As the year ebbs away join me for a chat about the tough task of going home, Whitney Houston, and vegan food on QANTAS planes.
  1. FGV mini news round up December 28, 2022 – final of the year
  2. FGV’s Mini News Roundup December 7, 2022
  3. FGV’s mini news roundup – news, views, and reviews from the plant-based world and beyond
  4. Fat Gay Vegan mini news roundup March 17, 2022
  5. FGV mini news roundup December 23, 2021 – vegan news and reviews

The June 10, 2021 news roundup is possible because friendly people sponsor me on Patreon. I get to talk about and write about vegan business because of this support.

Thanks!

Follow me on Instagram and be sure to investigate the vegan travel adventures I am hosting online here.

Win a vegan pin

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London, do you like winning things?

I am teaming up with legendary vegan fried chicken business Temple of Seitan to give away 50 pins.

This couldn’t be more vegan. Fat Gay Vegan is giving away 50 Temple of Seitan pins and the pins read ‘VEGAN’.

All the vegan you could want.

Isn’t that cute? Do you want to know how you can get one for free?

I will be on site at the opening of the new Temple of Seitan location on Acre Lane, Brixton this Saturday June 5, 2021 between 12pm and 4pm.

If you see me there, walk up to me and show me that you follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram and I will give you a pin. It is that simple. You don’t have to follow me as well but that would be a nice gesture!

Follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram (click here). Say hello to FGV. Get a ‘VEGAN’ pin.

Click here to see the exact location of Temple of Seitan Brixton thanks to Google Maps.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: one pin per person, no purchase necessary. These pins are available on a first-come basis. If you show up at 3pm and they are all gone, I cannot be held accountable. I will still say hello but I won’t be able to give you a pin if they are all gone.

Best vegan brunch in London

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Essential Vegan has always been one of the best places for vegan food in London but now that they have relocated to inside Dalston Superstore, they are also serving the BEST BRUNCH in London.

Vanessa of Essential Vegan invited me down to try the brunch and I’m serious when I say I haven’t tasted anything this delicious in a very long time. Look at that full Brazilian breakfast! The plate features house made seitan sausages, beans, toast, tofu scramble, potatoes, and a secret recipe spicy relish.

The photos above from my visit also show the jug of Bloody Maria I consumed, as well as some of the signature Essential Vegan starters.

Oh, did I forget to mention this is also drag brunch?

Local drag queens host the brunch every weekend with lots of camp music, games, and entertainment. Seriously the best spot in the city right now. And the entire venue and bar is vegan so you never stop winning.

Click here to book a table and follow Essential Vegan on Instagram.

So many vegan jobs in London

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As the economy starts to reopen, many vegan restaurants and cafes around London are furiously looking for staff.

The past year and a bit saw a lot of businesses close, some temporarily and some for good. As people get used to spending money again and once again dining outside their own homes, vegan business owners are throwing caution to the wind and reopening.

I’ve noticed quite a few vegan job adverts popping up online over recent days including with Temple of Seitan, a legendary vegan business with which I am currently working!

Here are a few picks for jobs that caught my eye from three of the best names on the vegan London scene.

Be sure to also use employment portals and platforms online to search for vegan employment. I’m certain you will find a lot more out there.

Essential Vegan

Essential Vegan in Dalston needs you! They are looking for an experienced part-time kitchen assistant to join their lovely team immediately. Please send your cv to info@essentialvegan.co.uk and you could be working with their gorgeous team and serving drag brunch every weekend!

Follow Essential Vegan on Instagram.

Temple of Seitan

Legendary vegan fried chick’n business Temple of Seitan is expanding in a big way. With a fourth restaurant set to open in South London and the number of delivery kitchens now at five (including the latest in Colindale), Temple is on a hiring mission.

Temple of Seitan is currently searching for a kitchen manager and team member for Colindale, plus a supervisor and team member for South London, near Brixton. You can email Dan@templeofseitan.co.uk with your CV and let him know which position/s you are interested in.

Follow Temple of Seitan on Instagram.

Café Van Gogh

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPXu2bMph5A/

Café Van Gogh is one of my favourite places to eat in London. Everyone on their team is so friendly and the food is always gorgeous. I love the place so much, I even recently interviewed founder Steve Clarke for my podcast and you can listen to that online here.

The restaurant on Brixton Road is searching for an experienced café manager for their front of house team. You can see more details in the Instagram post above and email info@cafevangogh.co.uk if you are interested.

Follow Café Van Gogh on Instagram.

FGV takes on Oumph!

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I love getting invited to try new vegan products and I love it even more when said products are TASTY!

Oumph! reached out to me recently and asked if they could sponsor me to shop for their range in an Iceland store near me. If you don’t know, Iceland is a chain of supermarkets in the UK that specialises in frozen foods.

The exciting news of the month is all about the HUGE selection of vegan meat products now stocked in Icelend stores, including a bunch of products from Oumph!

Click here to take a look at the very DIY video I made of my trip. It features shoddily recorded footage of me shopping in my nearest Iceland store.

The meat free/plant based freezer in the store is packed with brands from the LIVEKINDLY Collective including Oumph!, LikeMeat, The No Meat Company, and Fry Family Foods.

I bought pretty much one of everything, but my favourites so far have been the Oumph! Mince and the Oumph! Balls. Check out this ramen-inspired dish we had at my house tonight featuring the mince.

Get into your nearest Iceland store if you want to check out the vegan freezer, but take my word on the balls. You gotta get the balls!

Much love to Oumph! for sponsoring this content. You can follow them on Instagram.

FGV talks with Café Van Gogh

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I recently (as in today!) had a chat with Steve Clarke, founder of Brixton vegan restaurant Café Van Gogh.

We chatted about how excited he is about coming out of lockdown, new head chef Bonita, what makes the café so special to the local community, and what’s on the new menu.

It is a fun and informative chat about one of the best places to eat vegan food in London.

Click here to listen or use the player below.

FGV mini news round up December 28, 2022 – final of the year – Fat Gay Vegan

As the year ebbs away join me for a chat about the tough task of going home, Whitney Houston, and vegan food on QANTAS planes.
  1. FGV mini news round up December 28, 2022 – final of the year
  2. FGV’s Mini News Roundup December 7, 2022
  3. FGV’s mini news roundup – news, views, and reviews from the plant-based world and beyond
  4. Fat Gay Vegan mini news roundup March 17, 2022
  5. FGV mini news roundup December 23, 2021 – vegan news and reviews