From channelnewsasia.com
The German capital is emerging as a popular vegan destination, with plant-based food readily available throughout the city
BERLIN: Berlin is emerging as Europe's gastronomic capital for plant-based food, with advocates saying taste does not have to be sacrificed when ditching animal products.
Businesses offering creative vegan options are becoming increasingly common in the German capital.
Observers told CNA that the gastronomic shift taking place there also reflects a global trend, with more people choosing to go vegan due to animal cruelty and climate change concerns. This comes as meat-rich diets are found to be fuelling the climate crisis.
EATERIES RIDE ON PLANT-BASED DEMAND
In Germany, studies have shown that about 1.5 million people now describe themselves as full-time vegans, from merely 100,000 a decade ago.
Another 40 million Germans - or about half of the country’s population - describe themselves as flexitarians - those who actively opt for less animal-based food on their plates.
In Berlin, food establishments are riding on the trend.
A table at some vegan eateries, such as fine dining restaurant Oukan, is now one of the hottest tickets in town.
“We produce a lot of what comes onto the plate,” said Oukan head chef and co-owner Timur Yilmaz.
“That means creating our own tofu, making our own misos, creating our own soy sauces and garums. We grow our own koji, which are all ferments, or meat replacement products, as you might call them, to enhance the flavours and to create a very nutritious but also delicious multi-course meal.”
Across town, Doen Doen Planted Kebap Berlin shares the same vegan philosophy.
Its owner Solomon Papadopoulos took a gamble last year, reinventing the doner kebab - one of Berlin's most famous dishes - by replacing beef and chicken with a pea-protein product.
While around 80 per cent of his customers are vegetarian, he is seeing a growing number of customers ditching the traditional fast food dish for his plant-based alternative.
“I've had so many interesting moments while talking to people, convincing them, (and) even offering them the option to try it (without paying),” said Mr Papadopoulos.
“It's been fantastic to see the reaction. Even after just one, they say it's amazing, so this is great to see.”
Berlin is emerging as a popular vegan destination, with plant-based food readily available throughout the city
“MOST OF THEM ARE PRETTY GOOD”, SAYS FOOD CRITIC
Besides restaurants, supermarkets are also looking to cater to the growing appetite for vegan fare.
German retailer REWE recently opened its first purely plant-based grocery store in Berlin, with more planned in the pipeline.
It is the first vegan outlet for the REWE Group, which operates more than 3,800 stores across the country.
The company said it is responding to the demand. Nearly 30 per cent of its customers are regularly substituting some animal products with vegan alternatives during their grocery runs.
Food blogger Per Meurling believes the spread of vegan places is not just a passing trend but is here to stay.
“I'm one of the biggest critics when it comes to challenging vegan foods. A lot of it hadn't been that tasty, and it's been fairly focused on being functional,” he said.
But this is changing, added Mr Meurling, who is founder of Berlin Food Stories – a curated directory of the best places to eat in Berlin.
“There is some really good vegan food out there right now which people seek out,” he noted.
“It's exciting. And even if you look at the classics, like the classic currywurst places for example, they all have a vegan alternative nowadays and most of them are pretty good actually.”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/vegan-food-plant-berlin-europe-eatery-restaurant-meat-4448341
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