Passion for the Planet
Eating at a Meeting Podcast Episode 117
Passion for the Planet
Kicking off the new year talking about and celebrating veganism and how it can help us be better stewards for our planet.
Who better to help me do this than Vegan ethical food advisor Chantal Cooke. Her 30+ years as an environmental journalist, founder of UK’s only ethically focused radio station PASSION for the PLANET, a long time vegetarian/vegan, she is a wealth of knowledge to start the year and Veganuary.
Listen in as Chantal and Tracy chat about why moving to plant-based eating so important, how we can make it easier for caterers to meet the needs of vegetarians and vegans, pet-hate for veggies/vegans and probably SO much more.
Guest Introduction
Chantal Cooke is an award winning journalist turned PR guru, founder of PASSION for the PLANET radio, and boutique PR agency Panpathic, and a vegan for many years.
What do safe, inclusive & sustainable food and beverage experiences look like to you?
For me they need to be vegan. There is no such thing as ‘sustainable’ meat, so if you truly want to be sustainable you need to start by being plant-based.
Do you have an example of a situation that negatively effected you and/or other individuals or groups’ food and beverage experience?
Yes, for many many years i’ve found that the food in meetings does not cater for vegetarians let alone vegans. It’s getting better, but the choice and quality often leaves a lot to be desired, and when it is good, all the meat eaters it and there’s nothing for those who don’t eat meat!
What is a best practice you use/or have seen to create safe, sustainable, and inclusive F&B experiences?
Cross contamination can be an issue, people who don’t have special diets eating the good made for those with a special diet is also an issue – so the best I have seen is making the ‘special’ diet food (eg vegetarian/vegan) the bulk of the food on offer. It’s all food after all and if done properly should be tasty and attractive to everyone.
What do you wish people knew about what you do?
I love helping people get better at offering vegan food, and catering for the increase in plant-based eating. I like to help make it as easy as possible for them – we all have enough to do, so let’s focus on making life easy, but tasty and sustainable! My passion is the environment and living as ethically and sustainably as possible – if I can a) achieve in that in my own life and b) help others achieve that, I am happy.
Just for fun…What is your favorite food and your favorite drink?
I love a good nut roast with all the trimming – roast potatoes, red cabbage and chestnuts, roasted carrots and parsnips, Brussels sprouts and porcini gravy. Finished off with a vegan melt in the middle choc pudding (or any vegan pudding for that matter!) I love tea – that’s my favorite drink. But I am partial to the odd glass of gin too.
Links
Connect with Chantal — LinkedIn | Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Twitter
Check out other featured guests on the Eating at a Meeting podcast.
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