Veg and vegan
LOUISA DALEY INVESTIGATES THE RISE OF VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN DISHES IN THE UK AND TRIES TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF ACCREDITATION AND HOW VENUES ARE MEETING DELEGATE PREFERENCES
V egetarian and vegan food is becoming increasingly popular with delegates – so much so in fact that it ’ s no longer an ‘ add on ’ or a tick box exercise – it ’ s now the norm . At events , delegates rather expect these options to be front and centre ,.
This is something Michael Mitchell , catering services director , Sodexo Live !, ACC Liverpool , recognises . He explains why : “ Delegates are now more conscious about what they eat and look towards both the health and environmental benefits of consuming a plant-based diet – part of this is due to the pandemic , which has brought more light to both discussions .”
To name just a few benefits , “ vegetarian and vegan dishes are made from fresh , sustainable and locally sourced ingredients ,” says Mitchell . As a result , “ these dishes combat the environmental impact caused by the consumption of animal products , avoiding significant waste and large carbon footprints ,” he believes .
ACC Liverpool / Sodexo Live ! has increased its plant-based options and at least 50 % of its event catering menus are now vegetarian or vegan .
Its first event following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions was exclusively vegan based . “ We produced a vegan grab and go style lunch in compostable packing . Since then , we have seen a huge uptake on this lunch option .
In 2020 , ACC Liverpool and Sodexo Live ! also hosted The Perfect Planet , the BBC ’ s new nature documentary hosted by Sir David Attenborough . “ Our culinary teams at ACC Liverpool were asked to prepare a plant-based four-course meal using earth friendly ingredients such as spinach , chickpeas , seaweed and lentils , with a chocolate volcano and cherry lava dessert .”
While vegetarian and vegan food clearly has an appeal – the common misconception with these dishes is that they are just for delegates who are vegetarians and / or vegans . However , Mitchell stresses that “ they are for just about everyone ” – whether you ’ re a pescatarian , flexitarian or meat lover .
Delegates choose this diet for a range of reasons , including taste preferences , health benefits or religious beliefs . This is something event organisers , venues and chefs must remember when planning menus – it ’ s vital to make your food inclusive .
Showing commitment : accreditation Catering to the needs of delegates and supporting the environment can go even further than what happens in the kitchen .
What about accreditation ? Let ’ s take The UK ’ s Vegetarian Society Approved trademarks as an example . “ Our mission is to help people make the shift to vegetarian diets and lifestyles ,” says Vanessa Brown , head of business and catering services at the Society .
“ We have two trademarks , one for vegetarian products and one for vegan products . The vegetarian trademark has been going since 1986 , and the vegan trademark since 2017 ,” she says .
Brown says many venues seek these accreditations to make a clear statement to their customers about the food they serve . “ They are showing that they take
“ Vegetarian and vegan dishes are made from fresh , sustainable and locally sourced ingredients . As a result , these dishes combat the environmental impact caused by the consumption ofanimal products .”
Michael Mitchell plant-based catering seriously , and that it ’ s not an afterthought .”
Like any other accreditation , a venue ’ s food / in-house caterers must undergo assessment and meet strict criteria in order to gain The Vegetarian Society ’ s approval . “ The trademark process involves our experts checking all ingredients and production methods . For example , we check a venue ’ s ingredients , processes and systems for cooking and serving .
“ Only products that meet our criteria are allowed to display these trademarks ,” explains Brown . For example , vegetarian approved products must contain no ingredients resulting from slaughter ; only use free range eggs ; be GMO-free ; have no animal testing carried out / commissioned and have measures in place to avoid cross-contamination during production .
Menus using free-range eggs , vegan-approved products must meet the same criteria and additionally contain
64 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / ISSUE 121