Vegetarian Express gives operators a taste of Rio
With the global spotlight on Brazil this summer, food supplier Vegetarian Express is urging operators looking to harness the Brazilian food trend to consider the needs of customers that are avoiding meat.
To support operators, Vegetarian Express has teamed up with chef Paul Gayler MBE to create a range of Brazilian-inspired vegetarian dishes, including corn feijoada with smoked paprika; roasted tofu and tomatoes; butternut squash, cassava, spinach and corn pie; and palm heart, potato and Gruyère empadinhas.
Will Matier, managing director at Vegetarian Express, said: "Global events bring people together, which is why it's so important operators don't exclude huge demographics such as vegetarians or flexitarians. Brazilian cuisine is predominantly meat-based but it has so much more to offer with influences from Europe, Africa and neighbouring South American countries. The exciting thing is, it varies hugely from region to region, meaning chefs can mix it up on menus and get creative in the kitchen."
He added: "These new recipes demonstrate not only how to serve up native ingredients such as palm hearts in an interesting and innovative way, but also how operators can offer a vegetarian twist on traditional Brazilian dishes. Feijoada, for example, is a stew typically made using pork but tastes delicious when swapped with smoky roasted tofu. By using the recipes, operators can avoid the stress of menu planning but still maximise the opportunity available to them."
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