Vegetarians no longer have to feel like the proverbial redheaded stepchildren. Gone are the days when vegetarianism was viewed unfavorably. Today, this meatless lifestyle occupies an important place in our culinary culture.
There are a variety of reasons why people support a vegetarian lifestyle: health and well-being, concern for animal welfare, humanitarianism, spiritual and religious beliefs, moral and social aspects; while others are concerned with economic issues, environmental awareness and the prevention of world hunger. Whatever the motivation, vegetarianism and veganism have a strong following, and as the emphasis continues to shift to healthy living and people educate themselves about the cruel and unfair treatment of animals, their popularity will continue to rise.
Vegetarianism is popular in Hollywood among many of the stars, especially actress and model Pamela Anderson; She is a longtime member of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and passionate advocate for animal rights who became a vegetarian as a teenager. She continues to promote vegetarianism today by working with PETA on her numerous campaigns. Because of her continued commitment to humanitarianism and as a loyal and outspoken supporter of PETA, Paul McCartney presented her with the “Linda McCartney Memorial Award” in August 1999 as an honor to her late wife, who was also committed to PETA ideologies.
But you don’t have to be a true vegetarian to enjoy vegetarian dishes or have a passion and understanding for cooking. Vegetarian food is no longer stereotyped as boring, unhealthy and tasteless. This growing market trend equals big business, and as the demand for vegetarian orders increases, fast food chains and restaurants are doing their part by offering tasty and nutritious meat-free menu selections. Even colleges, universities, schools, and hospitals are incorporating vegetarian food into their meal plans. Food markets are also keeping up with the trend. Whole Foods offers a broad line of high-quality, healthy, affordable vegetarian products from fresh to frozen. According to Kat Sullivan, associate marketing coordinator for Whole Foods’ South Pacific region, “Whole Foods Market has the largest selection of all natural vegetarian and vegan products available. We will continue to look for new and exciting vegetarian to-go options in our stores, as we develop recipes from our kitchen to offer in our Prepared Food Department. Whole Foods Market launched the Animal Compassion Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for farm animals. Our meat standards are the highest of the industry, and we hope that the foundation’s work educates ranchers and meat producers about the importance of animal welfare.”
Vegetarianism is going mainstream and going “raw.” Healthy and meatless are acceptable options in today’s society. Eating vegetarian is a personal choice and does not need to be explained or defended. It is the responsibility of the food service business; especially professional chefs who are role models, mentors, culinary educators and industry representatives, to have knowledge and experience in vegetarian cooking and produce. Executive Chef Jesús Cibrian of Aramark at the Las Vegas Convention Center agrees. “Today, people are more conscious of their diet and it is important to know how to prepare vegetarian food. I constantly receive requests from clients to have vegetarian alternatives served at their catered banquet events, and I also offer vegetarian options in our International Food Restaurant Market. We have a full salad bar and the salad becomes a main course for many people.” Chef Jesus was honored to serve as Executive Chef at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece “The demand and consumption of fruits and vegetables at the Olympics was phenomenal. We were overwhelmed by the vegetarian requirements! The trend is there and we must accommodate all vegetarian and vegan requests to the best of our ability.”
Tal Ronnen, executive chef and founder of the Veg Advantage foodservice consulting group, works with product manufacturers and foodservice distributors to educate them on the alternatives available to meet the demands of the growing vegetarian community. She also works closely with chefs and restaurateurs to help them add quality alternatives to meat, dairy, and eggs and add delicious, healthy appetizers, entrees, and desserts to their menus that will satisfy the tastes of vegetarian and non-vegetarian diners. vegetarians. “Diners are becoming more sophisticated, and a Portobello mushroom or couscous dish no longer cuts it. A recent Aramark survey found that 25 percent of college students want vegetarian options when dining out, so a restaurant that does not have a variety of vegetarian dishes may be missing out on a large segment of consumers Offering a variety of vegetarian options on the menu can help a restaurant escape the “veto factor” where, for example, a family vetoes a restaurant because her vegetarian daughter doesn’t like the options available there.” Chef Tal believes: “The easiest way to satisfy all the different types of vegetarians is to offer a vegan meal. A vegan meal does not contain meat, dairy, eggs or honey, and this option is suitable for all types of vegetarians. For For example, if you offer a meatless dish that contains cheese, vegans and ovo-vegetarians (a vegetarian who eats eggs but doesn’t eat dairy) won’t order it. doesn’t eat eggs), ovo-vegetarians and vegans alike. Vegan options will be acceptable to all vegetarians, so having a vegan option on your menu is an easy way to keep all of your customers happy.”
Being a vegetarian, vegan, or choosing a healthier lifestyle doesn’t mean you’re limited to carrot juice and bean sprouts. This way of life is quickly becoming an accepted norm and grocery stores and restaurants have been much more accommodating by offering a variety of flavorful and nutritional options.