What can you tell us about your new book Peace and Parsnips?
Peace and Parsnips
It's a cookbook that embodies my love for food, both global cuisine and classic British dishes, plus my passion for travelling the world, cooking with local, seasonal produce. There are recipes for a quick mid-week dinner to a weekend banquet. It's vegan cooking for all!
Please tell us about your journey into veganism.
I was a vegetarian for years and then began to learn more about the dairy industry and the ethics behind veganism, it didn't take me long to realise that being vegan represented the lifestyle that I wished to lead; healthy, ethical and environmentally-friendly.
Why are fresh ingredients better than frozen?
Frozen peas are awesome! I have nothing hugely against freezing food, sometimes it is by far the more economical way to cook. I do think that most food is better fresh, for nutrition and texture.
What is your favourite recipe from the book?
My friend Gareth just emailed and said he loved the Papardelle with Artichoke and Almond Sauce. So today it's that one. A question like that is always hard, like what is your favourite album of all time. Can I have a top five? There are so many recipes in there that I love, I wanted to squeeze as many of my favourites into Peace & Parsnips as possible. There are well over 200. Far too many to pick just one!
Why do you feel the need to revolutionise the way we think about vegan cooking?
Vegan cooking still has the lingering soggy lentil and beige, dessicated burger stigma, but this is all changing big time! Vegan food is wonderfully creative and highly nutritious, vibrant and delicious. Plant based cooking is a joy and with a few simple methods, highly accessible to all. All we need is plants!
Please tell us about Meat vs Veg for those who have not seen the TV series.
It was something I did with a very meaty chef called Mike Robinson and was a huge laugh. We were cooking against each other, an epic battle and the public decided who was tastiest. We also cooked all over London from Battersea Dogs Home, to a rowing club in Fulham. A real hoot!
You started your career and managing fine dining and working in hotels- so when and why did you decide to write this book and become an author too?
It came right out of the blue. I now live in very rural North Wales, halfway up a mountain and am lucky to cook in an idyllic retreat centre where we have our own organic veg farm. I basically ended up cooking for the right people, then more right people and soon the message spread. Food is such a wonderful language! That's the simplified version.
What can you tell us about your food company Raw?
I was helping two lovely chaps get a Raw food company off the ground and we were doing brilliantly, we had outlets in Selfridges and a few across London, then BOOM! The financial crisis hit and we were on the receiving end.
What is next for you?
I am off to America next spring, Peace & Parsnips is coming out over there. Vegan food is very popular in America and I'm looking forward to diving in head first.
I'd love to write another book and maybe do some more TV work. The vegan lifestyle is becoming much more popular and accessible, this is amazing.