8 countries where plant-based travellers are treated better than anywhere else

From vegoutmag.com

By Avery White

From temple cuisine in Taiwan to innovative dining scenes in Germany, these destinations make vegan travel feel less like a challenge and more like a celebration 

When I left my finance career and started travelling more intentionally, I quickly learned that being vegan on the road could feel like a constant negotiation.

Explaining dietary restrictions in broken phrases, scanning menus for hidden dairy, watching fellow travellers dig into local specialties while I picked at a sad side salad. But then I discovered something that changed everything: some countries don't just accommodate plant-based eaters, they genuinely welcome us.

These eight destinations have transformed how I think about vegan travel.

Whether through deep-rooted cultural traditions, progressive food movements, or simply an abundance of naturally plant-based cuisine, they've shown me that eating well while exploring the world isn't just possible. It can be one of the best parts of the journey.

1. Taiwan: Where Buddhist traditions meet modern innovation

Taiwan might be the most underrated vegan destination on the planet.

With a strong Buddhist influence and a cultural respect for vegetarianism that spans generations, you'll find dedicated plant-based restaurants on nearly every block in cities like Taipei and Kaohsiung. The phrase "wo chi su" (I eat vegetarian) is widely understood and respected.

What sets Taiwan apart is the sophistication of its vegan cuisine. We're talking about mock meat preparations that have been perfected over decades, night market stalls with clearly labelled vegetarian options, and temple food that rivals fine dining.

Have you ever had a bowl of perfectly spiced dan dan noodles made entirely from plants? Taiwan delivers.

2. Germany: Europe's plant-based powerhouse

Germany has quietly become one of the most vegan-friendly countries in Europe. Berlin, in particular, has earned its reputation as a plant-based paradise, with more vegan restaurants per capita than almost any other city in the world. But the movement extends far beyond the capital.

What I appreciate about Germany is the practicality of it all. Supermarkets stock extensive vegan sections, restaurants clearly mark menu items, and even traditional beer halls are adapting their menus.

The country's strong environmental consciousness has accelerated this shift, making plant-based eating feel less like a niche choice and more like a mainstream option.

3. Israel: Mediterranean flavours, naturally plant-forward

Israel's culinary landscape is inherently welcoming to vegans. With an estimated five percent of the population identifying as vegan, the country has embraced plant-based eating with remarkable enthusiasm. Tel Aviv, in particular, has become a global destination for vegan food lovers.

The beauty of Israeli cuisine lies in its naturally plant-based foundations. Hummus, falafel, shakshuka (easily made vegan), fresh salads bursting with herbs, and warm pita bread form the backbone of daily eating. You're not asking for substitutions here. You're simply enjoying the food as it was meant to be eaten.

4. India: A vegetarian heritage spanning millennia

India offers something no other country can: a vegetarian tradition so deeply woven into the cultural fabric that plant-based eating feels completely normal. Entire regions, particularly in the south and west, have cuisines that are predominantly vegetarian, with vegan options abundant once you navigate dairy.

The key phrase to learn is "no ghee, no paneer, no curd." Once you've communicated this, a world of incredible flavours opens up. Dosas, idlis, vegetable curries, dal in countless variations, and street food that will make you question why you ever thought vegan travel was difficult.

What other country offers this kind of depth and variety in its plant-based traditions?

5. Thailand: Street food heaven with vegan roots

Thailand's Buddhist heritage means that vegetarian eating, called "jay" or "mang sa wirat," is a familiar concept throughout the country. During the annual Vegetarian Festival, entire cities transform their menus, but even outside this period, finding plant-based food is remarkably straightforward.

The challenge in Thailand is often fish sauce and oyster sauce, which appear in many dishes.

But once you learn to ask for "jay" food or seek out the yellow flags marking vegetarian vendors, you'll discover a cuisine that celebrates vegetables, tofu, and bold flavours. Pad thai without fish sauce, green curry with coconut milk, mango sticky rice. Thailand proves that vegan food can be vibrant and satisfying.

6. United Kingdom: A quiet revolution in plant-based dining

The UK has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. What was once a land of meat pies and fish and chips has become a leader in plant-based innovation. London now boasts some of the world's most creative vegan restaurants, and even small towns offer dedicated options.

Supermarket chains have invested heavily in vegan product lines, making self-catering simple. Pubs serve plant-based Sunday roasts. High street chains offer clearly labelled vegan menus. The shift has been so significant that the UK now ranks among the top countries globally for vegan product launches.

For a country not traditionally associated with vegetable-forward cuisine, this evolution feels genuinely exciting.

7. Singapore: Where food culture embraces everyone

Singapore's hawker centres, those legendary open-air food courts, might seem intimidating for vegan travellers at first glance. But this tiny nation's diverse population means that vegetarian Chinese, Indian, and Malay cuisines are all represented and readily available.

The city-state has also embraced modern plant-based eating with enthusiasm. You'll find everything from traditional Buddhist vegetarian stalls to cutting-edge restaurants serving lab-grown proteins.

Singapore's food-obsessed culture means that even vegan options are held to high standards. Nobody here is content with mediocre food, regardless of dietary preference.

8. Portugal: The Mediterranean's emerging vegan star

Portugal might surprise you. This country, known for its seafood and meat-heavy traditional dishes, has developed a thriving vegan scene, particularly in Lisbon and Porto. The transformation has been rapid and genuine, driven by both local demand and the country's large expat community.

What makes Portugal special is the quality of its produce. Fresh vegetables, olive oil, crusty bread, and incredible wine create a foundation for satisfying plant-based meals. Many traditional dishes, like açorda (bread soup) and various bean stews, adapt beautifully to vegan versions.

The warmth of Portuguese hospitality extends to accommodating dietary needs with grace.

Final thoughts

Travel has a way of expanding how we see the world, and food is often at the centre of that expansion. These eight countries have taught me that being vegan doesn't mean missing out on cultural experiences. It means discovering new ones.

The next time you're planning a trip, consider choosing a destination where your dietary choices are celebrated rather than merely tolerated. You might find, as I have, that some of the most memorable meals happen when you're not fighting for accommodation but simply enjoying what's already there.

Where will your next plant-based adventure take you?

https://vegoutmag.com/travel/s-st-8-countries-where-plant-based-travelers-are-treated-better-than-anywhere-else/

The best countries for vegans have been revealed – and the winner might surprise you

From  veganfoodandliving.com

New research has uncovered the best countries for vegans as plant-based living is outperforming climate change in global interest

Forget the outdated notion that plant-based travel means settling for a plate of chips and a side salad. A landmark global report released by The Vegan Society has revealed the best countries for vegans, effectively mapping the future of compassionate living.

The comprehensive Veganism Around the World report suggests that whether you are looking for a bustling night market in East Asia or a chic bistro in Europe, options are exploding globally. In fact, if you are looking to dodge a steak-heavy menu, you might find paradise in some unexpected corners of the globe. The data reveals a significant cultural shift is well underway, with “veganism” now consistently outperforming “climate change” in global search interest.

Global leaders in plant-based dining

When it comes to the sheer ease of finding a meal, New Zealand has taken the crown as the most vegan-friendly destination per capita, with approximately 345 vegan-friendly dining options per million people.

Not far behind in the innovation stakes is Taiwan, which leads the world for the highest density of fully vegan restaurants, with 14.8 dedicated vegan spots per million residents. Meanwhile, Iceland has emerged as Europe’s star performer; despite its rugged reputation, a staggering 43% of its restaurants now offer at least one plant-based dish.

Best countries for vegans: Report highlights

The Vegan Society’s data highlights where plant-based lifestyles are most established and where dining accessibility is highest. From high rates of dietary identification to the density of dedicated eateries, these are the countries are leading the way in compassionate consumption.

India holds the top spot for highest rate of veganism. Graphic © The Vegan Society

Top 10 for vegan dining options (per million people):

• New Zealand (344.81)
• Australia (309.89)
• United Kingdom (302.93)
• Cyprus (281.72)
• Austria (280.10)
• Switzerland (275.94)
• Portugal (259.28)
• Ireland (228.22)
• The Netherlands (218.85)
• Greece (218.12)

Top 10 for dedicated vegan restaurants (per million people):

• Taiwan (14.8)
• Portugal (13.7)
• Singapore (11.8)
• Jamaica (11.3)
• Estonia (8.8)
• Austria (8.3)
• Puerto Rico (8.1)
• Vietnam (7.9)
• The Netherlands (7.7)
• Canada (7.3)

The USA holds the top spot for the most dedicated vegan restaurants, with 1,717 eateries. However, when looking at vegan restaurants per million people, it ranks much lower at number 29.

In terms of vegan dining options, the USA also holds the top spot, with a staggering 47,845 restaurants offering at least one plant-based dish. The UK is in second place, with over 20,000 vegan options.

When travelling to some countries, it's easy to get vegan meals on the ground and in the air. Photo © Travelanza/Adobe Stock

Innovation and the future of food

It isn’t just about where you can eat today, but who is building the food systems of tomorrow. Per capita, Singapore is currently the world’s leader for plant-based and fermentation innovation, followed closely by Israel and the Netherlands. These hubs are attracting ‘alternative protein’ companies at a record rate, blending high-tech engineering with a supportive business environment.

Leading hubs for alternative protein companies (per million people):

• Singapore: 7.44
• Israel: 6.66
• The Netherlands: 5.03
• Denmark: 4.20

Interestingly, consumer appetite for these innovations is strongest in Asia. Additionally, consumers in India and China are reportedly twice as likely as those in the US to purchase plant-based meat.

Claire Ogley, Head of Campaigns, Policy and Research at The Vegan Society, noted that the report is the “first comprehensive investigation” of its kind. She stated that the data shows veganism is “no longer a niche movement” but is gaining significant cross-cultural traction.

“It’s also promising to see that despite stereotypes, people’s feelings towards veganism are mostly neutral, and actually lean positive in many cases,” she added.

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/news/best-countries-for-vegans-revealed/

7 countries where vegan travellers are treated like royalty

From vegoutmag.com

By AINURA KALAU

Travelling as a vegan used to mean packing protein bars and hoping for the best, but now there are entire cities where plant-based eating is celebrated 

Last month, I travelled to Thailand with two of my girlfriends. One is fully vegan, the other vegetarian, and I eat everything. We'd spent weeks planning the trip, and honestly, I was a little worried about how we'd navigate meals together without anyone feeling left out or frustrated.

Turns out, I had nothing to worry about. Thailand made it ridiculously easy. Every restaurant had multiple plant-based options, street vendors knew exactly what we meant when we asked about fish sauce or eggs, and my vegan friend never once had to settle for a sad salad or plain rice. She ate like a queen the entire trip.

That experience got me thinking about how different it is to travel as a vegan depending on where you go. Some places make it effortless, while others can feel like a constant negotiation. If you're plant-based or traveling with someone who is, these seven countries will make your life so much easier.

1. Thailand

Thai cuisine is naturally full of plant-based dishes, and the Buddhist influence means vegetarian and vegan options are everywhere. You'll find the term "jay" on menus, which indicates food prepared without animal products, including things like garlic and onions.

Street food is where Thailand really shines. You can point to what you want, ask if it has fish sauce or eggs, and most vendors will either confirm or offer to make it without. Pad thai, green curry with tofu, mango sticky rice, fresh spring rolls. The list goes on, and it's all delicious.

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the islands all have dedicated vegan restaurants too. But even in smaller towns, you won't struggle to find something good. The food culture here just gets it.

2. India

India might be the easiest country in the world for vegan travellers. A huge portion of the population is vegetarian for religious and cultural reasons, and many regional dishes are naturally vegan.

You'll find everything from dosas and idlis in the south to chana masala and aloo gobi in the north. Dairy is common, so you'll need to ask about ghee, paneer, or yogurt, but most cooks are happy to adjust. The concept of plant-based eating is so deeply embedded that it doesn't feel like a special request.

I have a friend who spent three months backpacking through India as a vegan, and she said it was the first time in her life she didn't have to explain herself. Restaurants list "veg" and "non-veg" right on the menu, and even street vendors understand what you're asking for. She still talks about the food like it was a religious experience.

3. Taiwan

Taiwan's Buddhist culture has created a massive vegetarian food scene, and much of it happens to be vegan. You'll see the word "su" on signs, which means vegetarian, and many of these places serve entirely plant-based meals.

Night markets are a goldmine. You can find everything from vegan dumplings to stinky tofu to fresh fruit smoothies. The variety is incredible, and the prices are low. I've heard from multiple people that Taiwan spoiled them for vegan travel because it set the bar so high.

Taipei alone has hundreds of vegetarian restaurants, and even in smaller cities, you'll have no trouble finding something. The food is flavourful, creative, and easy to access no matter where you are.

4. United Kingdom

London has become a major hub for plant-based eating. You'll find vegan options at nearly every restaurant, from high-end spots to casual chains. Pubs now serve vegan fish and chips, Indian takeaways have extensive vegan menus, and supermarkets stock more plant-based products than I've seen anywhere else.

The shift happened fast. Just five years ago, vegan options were limited to a few specialty spots. Now it's mainstream. Cities like Brighton, Bristol, and Manchester are also incredibly vegan-friendly, with entire neighbourhoods dedicated to plant-based food.

British culture has embraced this change in a way that feels permanent. It's not a trend anymore. It's just part of how people eat.

5. Germany

Berlin is often called the vegan capital of Europe, and for good reason. The city has hundreds of fully vegan restaurants, cafes, and bakeries. You can get vegan currywurst, doner kebabs, burgers, pastries, and even traditional German dishes like schnitzel and sausages, all plant-based.

What I love about Germany is how normalized it is. You don't get strange looks for asking about vegan options. Supermarkets have entire aisles dedicated to plant-based products, and even small towns have at least a few vegan-friendly spots.

HappyCow, a popular vegan restaurant guide, consistently ranks Berlin as one of the top cities in the world for plant-based dining. The infrastructure is there, and the quality is high.

6. Indonesia

Bali has become a paradise for vegan travellers. Ubud, in particular, is packed with plant-based cafes and restaurants serving everything from smoothie bowls to raw vegan desserts to traditional Indonesian food made without animal products.

Tempeh and tofu are staples in Indonesian cuisine, so you're already starting from a good place. Many dishes are naturally vegan or can easily be made that way. The food is fresh, colourful, and full of flavour.

Outside of Bali, Java and other islands also have strong vegetarian traditions tied to local customs and religions. You'll need to ask about fish sauce and shrimp paste, but once you do, most places are happy to accommodate.

7. United States (West Coast)

California, Oregon, and Washington have some of the best vegan food scenes in the world. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle all have thriving plant-based communities with restaurants that rival anything you'd find internationally.

The variety is what stands out. You can get vegan sushi, Mexican food, Italian, Ethiopian, soul food, bakeries, ice cream, you name it. These cities treat plant-based eating as completely normal, and the quality is consistently high.

I know the U.S. doesn't have the same reputation as some of these other countries, but if you stick to the West Coast, you'll eat incredibly well. The food is innovative, the portions are generous, and you'll never feel like you're missing out.

Final thoughts

Traveling as a vegan used to mean packing protein bars and hoping for the best. Now, there are entire cities and countries where plant-based eating is not only accepted but celebrated.

If you're planning a trip and want to make sure you'll eat well, these seven countries won't let you down. The food is good, the options are plentiful, and you won't spend half your vacation explaining what vegan means.

And if you're not vegan but you're traveling with someone who is, picking one of these destinations will make the trip smoother and more enjoyable for everyone. Good food brings people together, and these places know how to do it right.

https://vegoutmag.com/travel/a-7-countries-where-vegan-travelers-are-treated-like-royalty/

These 10 countries are becoming go-to spots for vegan travellers (skipping the U.S.)

From vegoutmag.com

By Maya Flores

Ten rising destinations are quietly becoming vegan havens—none in the U.S. 

Two things nudged me to rewrite my travel list this year.

First, London just watched a fully vegan restaurant pick up a Michelin star—proof that plant-based meals aren’t a sideshow anymore; they’re headliners.

Second, I keep seeing city and national policies move from “nice idea” to measurable targets: meat consumption falling, supermarket goals for protein “splits,” and even laws that guarantee a vegetarian plate in public canteens.

Put together, that’s not a vibe—it’s infrastructure. It also explains why my last few trips felt easier: fewer “Can you make this without…?” conversations and more default options that were already vegan-friendly.

Below, ten countries (outside the U.S.) where the story isn’t just buzzy restaurants—it’s data, decisions, and festivals that stack the odds in your favour.

United Kingdom: a Michelin star and a mainstream moment

If you’ve ever tried to explain vegan travel to a sceptical aunt, “a starred vegan tasting menu in central London” ends the debate.

The UK’s scene isn’t new, but that Michelin nod confirms it’s mature—and resilient.

In practical terms, it means chefs are building entire menus that don’t treat vegan eaters as exceptions, and suppliers are keeping up.

For travellers, London and several regional hubs (Glasgow, Manchester, Brighton) make it easy to do breakfast-to-late-night without hunting.

If you want a sanity check on where to book, HappyCow’s annual city rankings continue to put London near the top globally; 2024’s list had London and Berlin leading the pack.

The big picture: the UK is no longer “accommodating” vegan travellers—it’s competing for them. 

Germany: record-low meat consumption, record-high confidence

Berlin has long felt like a vegan home base.

What’s new is the national data behind the vibe. Germany’s Federal Information Centre for Agriculture reports meat consumption fell to 51.6 kg per person in 2023 — the lowest since the early 1990s, continuing a long-term decline.

That drop shows up in supermarket shelves, street food, and festival line-ups, making it easier to travel between cities without reverting to fries and bread.

For visitors, it means the “default lunch” in places like Berlin, Hamburg, or Munich is as likely to be a hearty plant bowl as a schnitzel.

Translation: fewer compromises, more routine.

Netherlands: the protein transition is policy, not a trend

You’ll feel it at breakfast buffets and in Albert Heijn aisles: the Dutch aren’t just flirting with plant-based—they’ve set targets.

The Netherlands aims for a 50:50 plant-to-animal protein intake by 2030, with watchdogs and universities tracking progress.

Amsterdam went further, endorsing the Plant-Based Treaty and setting a city diet goal of 60% plant-based by 2030 — and local business groups now showcase “protein transition” companies as part of the city’s identity.

What that means for travellers: steady, affordable options across price points, from canal-side cafés to office-district lunch spots. 

Denmark: a national action plan for plant-based foods

Denmark became the first country to publish a National Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods, directing funds, research, and procurement toward greener plates.

This is nerdy policy with very practical consequences: more plant-based items in public kitchens, clearer labelling, and incentives for innovation that spill into restaurants you’ll actually eat at.

Copenhagen already punches above its weight for sustainable dining; the action plan widens that net to school canteens, hospitals, and everyday supermarkets you’ll visit as a traveller stocking up. 

Portugal: vegetarian options by law in public canteens

Years before “UPF” entered dinner-table chatter, Portugal mandated a vegetarian option in all public canteens — schools, hospitals, universities, even prisons.

It’s a simple policy with traveller-friendly ripple effects: trained kitchens, normalized plant-based plates, and broader ingredient pipelines.

In Lisbon and Porto, you’ll still eat your weight in caldo verde and pasteis-adjacent treats, but you’ll see more veggie mains in mom-and-pop places than you did a decade ago because the public sector helped normalize the demand.

Spain: Barcelona built a food strategy through 2030

Spain isn’t stereotypically “vegan,” yet Barcelona turned its year as World Sustainable Food Capital into a permanent Healthy and Sustainable Food Strategy 2030.

That civic scaffolding — 265 initiatives across nine goals — touches everything from public procurement to food-waste reduction.

For travellers, it’s a tailwind: more seasonal veg on menus, more market vendors thinking plant-first, and festivals that nudge eaters toward lower-impact choices.

If your itinerary is tapas-heavy, you’ll still find patatas bravas and pan con tomate — but it’s easier than ever to make the whole day plant-based without combing through niche blogs.

Israel: high vegan share, deep everyday availability

Whatever you call Tel Aviv—“vegan capital,” “veganista playground”—the everyday proof is simpler: a high percentage of Israelis identify as vegan, with longstanding estimates around 5%.

That culture shows up as default dairy-free breakfasts, falafel that needs no edits, and menus where “vegan” isn’t a footnote.

For travellers, the win is friction-less dining in mainstream spots, not just dedicated vegan cafés. (As with any destination, check advisories; conditions can change).

India: a national vegan logo brings clarity

India’s deep vegetarian traditions make it friendly territory, but dairy can surprise strict vegans.

A quiet game-changer arrived when India’s food regulator finalized the Vegan Foods Regulations, including an official vegan logo.

As more packaged foods and restaurant items adopt the mark, it’s easier to shop stations, supermarkets, and airports without decoding long ingredient lists.

Add to that the breadth of naturally plant-based regional cuisines (Idli-sambar breakfasts! Chole with bhatura, minus ghee!) and you can string together full travel days with very little friction.

Thailand: a country that turns vegan for nine days

If you’ve seen the yellow-and-red เจ (jay) flags in Thailand, you already know the signal: for the Nine Emperor Gods / Vegetarian Festival, cities and towns flood with stalls serving “pure” meat-free food.

Even outside festival weeks, that shared vocabulary (“gin jay?”) makes street-food ordering easier—especially in Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.

The festival isn’t exactly Western veganism—there are additional purity rules like avoiding garlic and onions—but the practical result for travellers is a huge, delicious inventory of plant-based dishes you can point to and eat.

Taiwan: one of the world’s largest vegetarian populations

Taiwan quietly makes plant-based travel feel effortless: Buddhist and temple cuisines, thousands of vegetarian restaurants, and a population where about 13% identify as vegetarian.

Convenience stores label veggie items clearly; night markets have entire rows of plant-based snacks; and Taipei routinely appears on vegan-friendly city lists.

For travellers, the upside is consistency—no need to hope a single neighbourhood has options.

Every district does.

Final words

If you’re tired of spending half your trip Googling “vegan options near me,” choose destinations where the systems already lean plant-first.

Your future self will thank you at 8 p.m., when dinner is not a scavenger hunt but a stroll.

And if you want the big-picture payoff: these places aren’t just kinder to your itinerary — they’re testing the food policies and business models the rest of the world might copy next.

That means every great meal is also a preview of where travel—and dinner—are headed.

https://vegoutmag.com/travel/n-these-10-countries-are-becoming-go-to-spots-for-vegan-travelers-skipping-the-u-s/

Reinventing classic Taiwanese dishes as vegan delights

From taipeitimes.com

Like many young Taiwanese men who recently graduated from university, George Lee (李芳成) isn’t quite sure what he’ll do next. But some of his peers surely envy what he’s already achieved.

During the pandemic, while staying with his brother in California, Lee started an online food page, Chez Jorge. At first, it was a straightforward record of what he cooked each day, with many of the dishes containing meat.

Lee soon began to experiment with plant-based dishes, specifically vegan versions of Taiwanese dishes he was already familiar with.

“Very often, I found myself awed by not only how delicious they were, but also by how little I missed meat,” he tells the Taipei Times.

Not every post focuses on a Taiwanese dish, however. Lee has shown his followers how to make kung pao “chicken” (with the poultry replaced by okara, the pulp left over after making soymilk or tofu) and a meat-free version of Malaysia’s nasi lemak. He’s also demonstrated chocolate tofu donuts, vegan “meat” floss, and hot and sour soup, the last featuring vegan ingredients in place of the usual pork, pig’s blood and egg.

His snowballing social media presence (as of this April, he had around 593,000 followers on TikTok and close to 700,000 on Instagram) eventually led to a Random House book deal.

                           George Lee, right, puts the final touches to a dish so collaborator Laurent Hsia can take photographs

                                                                                     Photo courtesy of George Lee

A-Gong’s Table: Vegan Recipes from a Taiwanese Home, which was published on April 30, is an exploration of foodways inspired in part by the a-gong (阿公, “grandpa”) of the title. According to Lee, his maternal grandfather was ultra-serious most of the time — but he was also a man who tremendously enjoyed good homecooking.

When Lee was 17, his grandfather passed away. As is common in Taiwan, close relatives temporarily became vegetarian, so as to ease the deceased’s journey into the afterworld. Lee writes in his book’s introduction that, by the end of that 100-day period, he’d “lost the appetite for chunks of meat that required a fork and a knife. I frequented vegetarian restaurants because they offered the variety of vegetables and legumes I had grown accustomed to. I didn’t think of it consciously then, but my outlook on food had changed.”

The book includes more than 80 recipes, including 12 breakfast items, 11 “little eats,” 17 mains, plus soups and festival foods like popiah rolls (潤餅, runbing — aka spring rolls). For the majority of these dishes, he provides the name in Hoklo (the local language also known as Taiwanese) as well as Mandarin.

                                                     A-Gong’s Table: Vegan Recipes from a Taiwanese Home, published April 30.

                                                                                    Photo courtesy of Random House

Of all the recipes he’s devised, Lee expresses particular satisfaction with his plant-based facsimile of braised pork over rice (滷肉飯). In A-Gong’s Table, he refers to it by a name used in many Taiwanese vegetarian restaurants: sulufan (素滷飯).

His determination to replicate the stickiness-in-the-mouth feeling one gets when eating the meat-based version led him to test no fewer than 15 iterations.

Knowing that pig-skin gelatine is a key component of braised pork over rice, Lee tried substitutes like peach resin, golden fungus and blended-up mountain yam.

“I eventually settled for adding extra oil. You really can’t skimp on oil in many of these vegetarian dishes, because gluten and soy substitutes for meat are fatless,” he says.

Lee spent the summer of 2019 training as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu’s cooking school in Paris. When it comes to vegan cuisine, however, he says he found what he learned by watching Buddhist nuns prepare his family’s mourning meals was far more useful.

Working alongside friend Laurent Hsia (夏啟鐸), who took all of the photos in the book, Lee researched and wrote A-Gong’s Table while an undergraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley. He initially studied Chemistry, then switched to majoring in English.

He says he’s still considering his next steps.

“Working in restaurants and pursuing more written work on the side is a big possibility. As opposed to traditional cookbooks, I’m now more interested in art and poetry books, or how I might traverse between the genres and forms. Food will always be an element in my writing, I’m sure.”

Lee stresses that it’s never been his intention to convert anyone to a plant-based diet, and he’s the first to admit he doesn’t rigidly adhere to veganism. Whenever he cooks for himself, he makes plant-based dishes, but now he sometimes eats eggs, dairy products or the very occasional piece of fish or seafood.

His friends and family members have never expressed disapproval of his dietary choices, he says.

“They’ve always been accepting, though reintroducing fish to my diet was something my mother suggested. She was worried I wasn’t getting enough nutrition, and actually she was right, I did feel better. My limbs didn’t feel as cold anymore,” he says, explaining that, from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, his body was too “cold” (寒, han), perhaps due to a weak circulation.

He’s noticed, however, that conversations about veganism in Taiwan often take a different direction compared to those he’s had in the US.

“My friends in Taiwan typically share stories about parents or relatives who are Buddhist vegetarians. In America, they’re more likely to talk about themselves or a peer who took the initiative to eat plant-based foods after, say, watching a documentary,” says Lee. This difference “encouraged me to enlarge on certain Buddhist aspects of the storytelling in the book,” he adds.

Katy Hui-wen Hung (洪惠文), who’s met Lee a number of times, says she’s been greatly impressed by his enthusiasm for experimenting with new ingredients. For instance, after a recent trip to Pingtung County, where he experienced millet-based dishes, he made popiah rolls and sticky-rice dumplings using millet.

“His book is refreshingly free of politics. And rather than try to convert people to veganism, it’s more a celebration of loving memories,” she adds.

A local history and culture enthusiast (and co-author with this writer of a book on Taiwan’s food history), Hung points out that being able to contemplate a vegan diet is proof that Taiwanese nowadays are privileged compared to their parents and grandparents. For people of her generation — Hung attended university in the early 1980s — eggs were an essential source of protein, she says.

Mai Bach, cofounder of the Taipei-based vegan restaurant group Ooh Cha Cha Ltd (自然食), is among those looking forward to A-Gong’s Table.

“I believe George is super-talented and I love the perspective he’s taking, emphasizing roots and ancestral knowledge over individual contributions,” says the Californian.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2024/05/18/2003818024