View Full Site
News Opinion & Analysis Sport Business Times Books Lifestyle

Five foodie highlights of the virtual Festive Vegan & Plant Powered Show

Now's your chance to learn from some famous faces how to prepare scrumptious plant-based fare

19 November 2020 - 07:30
By hilary biller AND Hilary Biller
Simon Toohey, who was a finalist in Season 11 of 'MasterChef Australia', is one of the famous faces who is taking part in the 2020 virtual Festive Vegan & Plant Powered Show.
Image: Supplied/FVPPS Simon Toohey, who was a finalist in Season 11 of 'MasterChef Australia', is one of the famous faces who is taking part in the 2020 virtual Festive Vegan & Plant Powered Show.

Stumped on what special vegan or vegetarian dishes to serve as part of your festive celebrations? Would you love to learn how to turn the humble mushroom into an upmarket Indian feast, or make the ultimate vegan burger?

You’ll get tonnes of inspiration, recipes and tips for preparing tasty plant-based fare at The Plant Kitchen. This online cookery theatre forms part of the virtual Festive Vegan & Plant Powered Show (FVPPS), which is taking place on November 28.

The Plant Kitchen features an exciting line-up of cookery demos and masterclasses by leading local and international chefs and food personalities.

Here are some of the highlights:

Cook along with an Aussie MasterChef finalist

Famed for his passion for greens, Simon Toohey placed third in MasterChef Australia 2019. He can now be seen taking a second shot at the title in Back To Win, season 12 of the hit competitive cooking show, which is airing on DStv.

For the FVPSS, he’s teamed up with uCook to present an interactive masterclass. Foodies in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban can sign up to have a box of ingredients delivered to their doorsteps and use them to cook along with Toohey as he prepares a scrumptious veggie hotpot.

Note: today (November 19) is the last day to book for Toohey's masterclass — details below.

Get festive with a world-famous vegan chef

Also known as the Avant-Garde Vegan, chef Gaz Oakley is a social media sensation who boasts a million YouTube subscribers and is the author of three cookbooks.

He’ll be demonstrating how to make a special festive dish so that vegans and vegetarians won’t need to feel left out this Christmas.

Social media sensation Gaz Oakley is also known as the Avant-Garde Vegan.
Image: Supplied/FVPPS Social media sensation Gaz Oakley is also known as the Avant-Garde Vegan.
SA Culinary Olympic team captain, chef Dion Vengatass.
Image: Supplied/VFPPS SA Culinary Olympic team captain, chef Dion Vengatass.

Take a culinary Olympian's mushroom masterclass

Private chef and SA Culinary Olympic team captain Dion Vengatass, who has worked at top hotels like The Saxon and the Mount Nelson, describes himself as “a crazy, over-passionate perfectionist who is obsessed with growing, cooking and eating food”.

He’ll show you how to turn humble mushrooms into a posh tandoori feast with his special masala blend and some charred aubergine ‘caviar’.

Learn to make the ultimate vegan burger

Zimbabwean-born microgreen farmer and founder of the Sunshine Food Co in Cape Town, Elisha Madzivadondo is famed for his take on a vegan burger, which he’ll be demonstrating how to make. Served on a beetroot bun, it’s huge and chockful of wholesome ingredients.

Elisha Madzivadondo makes a mean veggie burger.
Image: Supplied/FVPPS Elisha Madzivadondo makes a mean veggie burger.
Chef Hope Mdakane is a rising star on the SA food scene.
Image: Supplied/FVPPS Chef Hope Mdakane is a rising star on the SA food scene.

Discover the secrets to an epic vegan dessert

Chef Hope Mdakane, 25, was the recent winner of the SA Chefs Association/FVPPS talented young chef competition. He wowed the judges with a vegan dessert inspired by his grandmother’s trifle, which he’ll be demonstrating how to make online. Think vegan dark chocolate teamed with honeycomb, peach-and-chocolate-mint compote and salted caramel ice cream. Yum!

• Beyond The Plant Kitchen, the 2020 FVPPS will feature expert talks and a ‘virtual mall’ showcasing the latest plant-based food, drink and lifestyle products. The show is not just for vegans and vegetarians, but anyone looking lead a healthier, more eco-conscious lifestyle. Tickets, priced from R120, are available at quicket.co.za

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

© 2024 Arena Holdings (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.