With plant-based diets growing in popularity, many foodservice outlets are now making plant protein and vegetables the ‘stars’ of the show.
The Sustainable Restaurant Association’s ‘Make veg a star, not a side’ campaign provides lots of tips and inspiration to get you started. Here are a few of their suggestions…
Serve only meat-free starters or support meat-free initiatives, such as Meat-Free Mondays.
Set goals to increase your veg and plant offer. Increasing the amount of veggie dishes or the amount of veg and plants in each dish.
Make sure vegetarians always have at least two choices of mains.
Make meat an addition to veg-led plates.
Promote vegetarian and/or vegan daily specials.
Tell the story behind the menu; showcase local suppliers, promote sustainable innovation, praise good practice and high standards. Share a story with your customers. Let them know they are part of the positive change and that every bite makes a difference.
Choose your vegetable based on seasonality/locality.
Work with different techniques to harness the potential of umami flavours.
Use spices to enhance the natural flavour profile of your veg and plants.
Work with textures to help make your veg and plants more interesting. Try various cooking techniques such as BBQ, smoked, roasted, poached etc.
Think about the visual opportunities using various colours, showing depth through textures and garnishes – even use emulsions to raise the complexity and skill behind the dish if that suits your brand.
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