To some, veganism is a well-known way of life, but for many others, the concept is rather alien, and the idea of a plant-based diet seems an almost impossible feat. However, more and more people are turning to this way of eating and discovering that there is much more to being a vegan than meets the eye.
There are many reasons that people choose to adopt a vegan diet: health, environmentalism, animal welfare and even merely, trend. But whatever the reason, they are all looking for the perfect vegan menu.
The Guardian newspaper reported that in 2018, 600,00 people labelled themselves as a vegan. This is a considerable portion of the market and one that needs to be catered for in restaurants.
If you’re looking to progress in your role in the catering industry, understanding vegan cuisine is a modern concept that will show you’re up to date with industry trends. So, how do you create the perfect vegan menu?
Source Your Ingredients Correctly
Creating a vegan menu starts right at the beginning, with sourcing the ingredients. Take a look at what you have available locally and try to stick to this as much as possible.
Vegans are usually just as interested in where their food has come from, as to how it was made, so how you source your food is almost as important as how it tastes.
For ingredients which come from further away, try to incorporate these into less frequent dishes. This will cut costs, help to reduce your carbon footprint and improve your reputation.
Conduct Market Research
Next, do your market research. Maybe you’re starting with a wealth of knowledge on vegan food, or maybe, you’re a complete novice. Either way, you cannot ignore the value of customer opinion.
You can carry out market research in many different ways, from simply having a conversation with a customer to sending out questionnaires and asking for suggestions. It’s all about collecting as much information as you can. Guessing will get you nowhere.
Don’t Limit Yourself
Using plant-based ingredients is not as limiting as people believe and you do not need to just create a ‘copycat’ menu of traditional meat-based foods.
Explore the ingredients and flavours available to you and aim to make these the main showcase of your menu, not a soya-based substitute.
There are so many amazing flavours, and textures available to use in vegan cooking, creating the perfect menu should result in dishes which stand-alone; without having to replicate things customers have turned their backs on – such as burgers and sausage rolls.
Get Feedback
Finally, as with any menu, it is only as good as the paper it is written on until it is tasted. Create samples and allow your friends, family and customers to try them. Gather the feedback and adjust your menu accordingly. They will be able to give objective criticism, and your menu will benefit from this.
Follow these tips, and you will be well on your way to creating the perfect vegan menu!
And if you’re interested in a role where you can explore vegan cooking, contact us at Personnel Solutions for more information on 01392 840071.
