Vegetarian and vegan lifestyles are gaining momentum and popularity the world over, with 2019 being declared the year of veganism by both The Economist and Forbes magazine.
Today (1 October) is World Vegetarian Day and, to cater for their ever-increasing number of vegetarian and vegan patrons, South African restaurants are broadening their menus.
According to food blog Chef’s Pencil, South Africa is listed among the top 25 nations in the world to have embraced veganism.
‘It is beyond being a trend,’ said Mozambik restaurant founding member and executive chef, Brett Michielin,
‘It is critical for restaurants to wake up and start being creative in the kitchen. Vegetarian meals do not have to be boring.’
He said the surging popularity in veganism and vegetarianism is no longer a ‘fringe movement’, but a growing lifestyle choice.
Media reports match Michielin’s sentiments, with The Economist reporting that 25% of Americans between the ages of 25 and 35 identify themselves as vegan or vegetarian, and that 375 million people globally follow the lifestyle.
World Vegetarian Day was launched in 1977 by the North American Vegetarian Society and endorsed by the International Vegetarian Union the following year.
It aims to bring awareness to the ethical, environmental, health and humanitarian benefits of adopting a vegetarian lifestyle.
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