Mehak Anand reveals how the plant-based alternative has made an entrance into the prestigious starred menu.
Photo by Cotton Bro
Until now, it has been difficult to find Vegan meat alternatives in the UK, not least in a Michelin-star restaurant. Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, however, more options have been popping up on menus in famous food chains.
The Harwood Arms in Fulham–the only Michelin-starred pub in London –has recently introduced new plant-based products into its fine dining cuisine. Being the first of its kind, the famous pub has upped the ante to offer a meat-free alternative to its famous bacon with a scotch egg. Produced by THIS™, a UK-based company which specializes in meat alternatives, the new plant-based bacon is the vegan-friendly alternative that vegetarians have been looking for– and for the affordable price of £5.50.
Why So Much Buzz?
While many restaurants are able to offer vegan alternatives, creating the same tastes and textures has proven to be a bigger challenge. The Harwood Arms’vegan scotch egg features a blend of herbs and leeks in addition to the vegan bacon. As Sally Abé, the Head Chef at The Harwood Arms, has said, “We spent a great deal of time perfecting the recipe and the addition of THIS™ has given us just what we were looking for.”
“Meat alternatives have often been met with scepticism by Michelin-starred restaurants and chefs so I was actually quite emotional when the Harwood Arms the team told us they wanted to put THIS on their menu…Ourcollaboration represents a major step forward in plant-based food innovation where products are now so realistic, they are welcomed into the world of fine dining.” - Andy Shovel, Co-Founder of THIS
A report on plant-based meat alternatives from the global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney predicts that only 40 percent of the meat we eat by 2040 will come from animals, 35 percent will come from lab-grown meat, and the other 25 percent will be sourced from plant-based alternatives.
The Future of Vegan Cuisine
Over the past few years, a lot of people have transitioned towards a partially or entirely vegan diet. Although there are a number of reasons for this change, many vegans seek to avoid unnecessary harm to both animals and the environment in their patterns of consumption.
The production of one pound of factory-farmed beef, for example, requires around 15.5 thousand litres of water per kilogram, as well as many acres of land. In battery farms, six hens might be forced into cages barely big enough for one, with poor living conditions increasing the chance of their carrying contagious diseases. Even the pandemic that has all but brought the world to a standstill is believed to have started in a wildlife market.
With an increasing range of meat and dairy-free products, vegan cuisine can offer both delicious and nutritious alternatives to traditional meals. While many food-lovers remain sceptical, restaurants like The Harwood Arms hope that a new menu could change a few minds.
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