PUTTING DOWN ROOTS
Louisa Daley investigates the rise of vegetarian and vegan dishes . She talks to The Vegetarian Society , ACC Liverpool and Manchester Central to understand the role of accreditation and how venues are meeting delegate preferences
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 either expect these options to be front and centre , just like meat options , or to see a completely plant-based menu .
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 eating 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 explains .
This growing shift towards vegetarianism and veganism has encouraged ACC Liverpool / Sodexo Live ! to increase its plant-based options . “ To meet this growing
“ 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 of animal products .”
- Michael Mitchell demand , at least 50 % of our event catering menus are now vegetarian or vegan . We have delivered a range of events that are 100 % plant-based with great success ,” he says .
For example , its first event following the lifting of 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 – which is a sign that event organisers are actively thinking about the health and environmental benefits for their delegates and events ,” says Mitchell .
In 2020 , ACC Liverpool / 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 .”
Whilst 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 meat lover , pescatarian or flexitarian .
Delegates choose this diet for a range of reasons , including taste preferences , health benefits or www . conference-news . co . uk