Plant Based Planet cookbook

I’m very excited to announce that in late January 2021 I am releasing a cookbook that I’ve co-curated. Plant Based Planet is a collection of recipes gathered from chefs, creators and foodies around the world to showcase the breadth of vegan food and to amplify and uplift the diverse range of people behind such food.

I’ve been working on the book for several months, having conceived the idea with good friend Kym aka blogger The Vegan Food Fiend. We were both frustrated by the lack of diversity in food writing and veganism, seeing the top searched recipes for everything from curry to cornbread to katsu curry being from people not from the background or heritage of the dish.

Take Indian food as an example - with a continent of over a billion people and millions more in diaspora communities around the world, why are some of the most prominent or easily searchable recipes by white people? Often these people get to positions of power, influence and success due to the privilege they have based on their race which has subsequently impacted their networks and opportunities, or just their general appeal to the masses.

I’ve written a lot about these issues on my website and other platforms before - including outlining what cultural appropriation in food is - so would encourage you to have a read if you haven’t already.

Food culture is such an important part of who we are. It is what sustains us, helps us grow, connects us to other people. Through Plant Based Planet we have not only been able to share 150 incredible recipes, but we have also been able to share beautiful, heartwarming stories from each of the contributors. When you read about the importance of a certain dish or food down someone’s ancestry or how a specific ingredient has shaped who someone has begun, you truly begin to understand the role of food stories and how this defines who we are.

We are honoured to have worked with so many incredible people on this book, the majority who we’ve only got to know since starting the project and who we’ve communicated with entirely online. However, we still feel like we know them well as they’ve shared such an important part of who they are through their dish and their story.

All the profits from the book are going to the Food Empowerment Project - a food justice organisation that aligns with our values of intersectional veganism. The FEP works to support marginalised communities who are affected by food policy, whilst also educating and raising awareness of veganism as the most effective lifestyle choice to sustain the future of our planet and all animals - human and non-human - on it.

The book will be primarily published as a digital e-book however there will be a very limited print run too!

You can find out more about the book and all the contributors via our Instagram page and you can buy the book via plantbasedplanetcookbook.com.