From hyper-local farms and vibrant community markets to celebrity-approved vegan restaurants, plant-based foods are on the rise in metro Atlanta. Here, three pioneering vegan voices talk about what the future holds for the movement: innovation, inclusion, and education.
Luis Martinez
Although his Puerto Rican restaurant, My Abuelas Food, is closed, chef Luis Martinez is offering plant-based cuisine through Vegano Atlanta, an outdoor market for vegan sellers he started in 2020 with Yvonne Lara. I continue to convey my love for you.
“Veganism is on the rise, and the days of thinking it's all about bland salads and bland tofu are long gone,” Martinez said, adding that plant-based restaurants and regulars like Takitaki snacks and Bliss cookies are on the rise. He spoke about the proliferation of plant-based restaurants and suppliers in the city. In his market.
These events attracted more than 20,000 visitors, including avid vegans as well as those looking to take a little stab at a plant-based lifestyle.
At My Abuelas Food, his strategy is similar, creating both meat and vegetarian versions of traditional Puerto Rican dishes. The pork sandwich comes with your choice of regular pork or tender and juicy jackfruit.
He cited such a flexible approach and the continued growth of plant-based food options in the Atlanta suburbs, citing Mamak Vegan Kitchen in Chamblee and Loving Hut in Sandy Springs as examples. said he believes it will be key to expanding vegan dining in Atlanta. area.
“My dream is that this trend will spill over into all businesses, inspiring new perspectives in creating menus, hosting events, and conceptualizing new ventures,” he said.
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Issa Prescott
Atlanta native Issa Prescott remembers when there was only one vegetarian restaurant in the city.
“We used to go to Soul Vegetarian a lot when we were kids,” he said. And at age 7, he started cooking plant-based dishes with his mother in the kitchen of his home in Sylvan Hills.
Prescott is now the owner of Life Bistro, a vegan soul food restaurant in the same southwest Atlanta neighborhood. Celebrities at his restaurants include musician Jermaine Dupri and television personality Tabitha Smith.
“We focus on quality ingredients, taste and flavor, while also focusing on the fun side of vegan cooking,” he said. His dishes include Portobello, his mushroom-based Philadelphia sandwich, and Raising his plant-based version of Cane's popular chicken sandwich, which has gone viral online.
“My phone didn't stop ringing for 30 days straight,” Prescott said with a laugh. “That's all people were ordering.”
This playful approach is intentional: “We want to be a great place not only for people who want to transition to a vegan diet, but also for flexitarians who don't want to make veganism a full-time lifestyle.” he said.
Mr Prescott believes that in the future more people will separate themselves from absolutist labels such as 'vegan' and 'carnivore' and further develop movements such as Meatless Mondays to avoid animal products. The plan is to accept the withdrawal of the
“Meat is a big part of our culture, and there's no need to change that just to embrace healthier eating habits,” he says. “But when people choose to go without meat for just one day, it makes a difference to the environment and the sustainability of our food system.”
Credit: Chris Hunt
Credit: Chris Hunt
Jovona Johnson Cook
For local chef and food activist Jovonna Johnson-Cook, veganism means resilience.
“We believe it has the potential to breathe life into communities and bring health, recovery and career opportunities rooted in creativity and growth,” she said.
Johnson-Cook has done just that with MaituFoods, a vegan catering service she founded in 2008. The service provides plant-based meals to school-age children, families, and individual customers throughout the metropolitan area.
At Awari Veganic Resource Center, a five-acre homestead and educational center in Lithonia, she leads hands-on learning experiences such as agricultural workshops, cooking classes, and other educational programs.
Johnson-Cook is also the co-founder of Grow Where You Are, a vegan farming collective run by her partner Eugene Cook.
The goal, she said, is to create and sustain a hyperlocal food system, teaching people how to grow, harvest and prepare locally grown food.
“I think the biggest misconception is that veganism and the consumption of vegetables, fruits and herbs is foreign, but it's rare to find a cultural cuisine that doesn't include vegetables, fruits and herbs,” says Johnson. Mr. Cook said. “I think veganism in Atlanta will continue to grow and expand as we have seen over the past 20 years.”
Her hope is that organizations like hers, along with the rise of community gardens and local farming systems, will help people switch from overly processed vegan products (such as imitation meat) to healthy plant-based foods. She said there was.
“There is so much potential if we think about working with the earth and bringing its creativity to our kitchens and tableware.”
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