Vegcentric, a definition
Vegcentric is our little yet mighty food philosophy which does exactly what it says on the tin. We believe the most wholly sustainable, healthy, and delicious way of eating is to put vegetables at the centre of the diet, or plate of food, and a little high welfare animal protein, should one choose to include it, very much on the periphery, no more than a couple of times a week.
Joey coined the term whilst running her successful supper club, Hare on the Hill, after appearing on Masterchef the Professionals. Cooking for 22 people, with ‘x number of vegans’, ‘x pescatarians’, and ‘x veggies’ could be quite the juggling act… throw in a few gluten intolerances and it was a nightmare! She needed one delicious menu for all and thus ‘vegcentric’ was coined. A little optional meat and fish was included in the sharing plates to start, and the main course was a celebration of one or two hero vegetables of the season.
Even since, Joey and Katy have specialised in making vegcentric recipes as delicious and exciting as can be. Their recipes are principally vegetarian, yet some make use of a little organic cheese, wild meat, or the odd few anchovies or slices of chorizo.
What’s the upside to a vegcentric diet?
1. Planetary health. Opting into a plant-based, or a more plant-based diet can reduce one’s carbon footprint by an extraordinary margin - some sources cite this as high as 73%. And if the plants in question are seasonal and local so much the better.
2. Personal health. Vegetables are loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants which are anti inflammatory and immune boosting. A plant-based, or more plant-based, diet will be lower in saturated fat and higher in fibre too.
3. Animal welfare. Industrialised animal protein is a horrific reality for millions of sentiment beings. Practices such as routine administration of antibiotics and unnatural diets to boost weight gain and productivity is commonplace; as are abhorrent living conditions with no freedom of movement and zero daylight.
Vegcentric is a deliberately inclusive word - it’s a ‘non-label label’ if you will! It doesn’t subscribe to binary terms or dietary absolutes, instead, it champions mindfulness, moderation and sustainability… and it’s open to all of us: vegans, omnivores, those who couldn’t give to figs about naming their diet, and everyone in between! We can all opt into putting seasonal veg at the centre of our diet and in doing so take better care of our health, our fellow creatures, and that of our planet.
What’s key is that it’s a celebration not a fast! Vegcentric cooking can be as bold, colourful and utterly delicious as any diet - more so we would argue! - as well as being a fantastic choice for the individual and the wider world. And if you’re looking for a little culinary inspiration, you’ve come to the right place!
