Restaurants are embracing National Vegetarian Week

Organised by the Vegetarian Society, the week, which promotes a meat-free lifestyle, runs until Monday.

The latest figures show there are just over three million vegetarians and vegans in the UK, which would make it likely that the island is home to some 3,000 islanders on a meat-free diet.

The Kiln enlarged its vegetarian offering a year ago, partly due to demand and partly because owner Jenny Meeks is vegetarian herself.

‘I suppose I have pushed more vegetarian food onto the menu, after all I eat here everyday and don’t want to eat the same thing,’ she said.

‘35% of our lunch menu is vegetarian and 25% of that is vegan, and our breakfast menu has even more veggie options.’

She felt that Vegetarian Week was an opportunity for people to try something different.

‘We have found a lot of customers are choosing our vegetarian options as they want to stay away from meat one or two days a week for health or ethical reasons.’

Miss Meeks said that on a recent trip to the UK she had been disappointed by the choices available.

‘Even in London, unless it’s a specific vegetarian or vegan restaurant, you struggle to find more than one vegetarian option.

‘I believe in Guernsey we actually do quite well.’

She added that The Kiln stayed away from meat substitutes to concentrate on more natural alternatives, like battered banana blossom wrapped in nori edible seaweed.

In 2019, people in the UK ate 17% less meat than in 2008 and spent almost £600m. on meat-free food items, almost twice the spend of 2016.

Now even the island’s meatiest eateries are making sure they are now serving a vegetarian alternative.

Chefan is known for its beef burgers, but owner Stefan De Laune said there was an alternative on the menu to make sure groups with a vegetarian among them would not walk past.

‘We are by no means a vegetarian restaurant,’ he said.

‘We sell beef burgers and fries, but we knew we had to cater for people who wanted to go meat-free, especially among the younger generation.

‘At the most we will sell 40 vegetarian burgers a week, whereas just last week we did 650 burgers. We had thought about putting on a meat-free Monday, but we haven’t really seen enough traction to make it worthwhile.’

Mr De Laune settled on Beyond Burgers for his veggie option after trying other alternatives. It is made to taste as close to the real thing as possible, but with an ingredients list including yellow peas, red lentils, faba beans and brown rice.

‘It’s the best on the market, and it’s also gluten and soya-free, which was important – although to me it tastes like a low-end burger.’

Mr De Laune has ordered separate utensils for the vegetarian option.