This is the first time I have posted a blog without a recipe. I have run out of time to put together a recipe due to being very occupied with The Vegan Chef and Lifestyle Training. I feel nervous to share a blog without a recipe but I can’t help myself share what has been going on.
 
On Saturday the 30th June eight exceptional people graduated as vegan chefs. Their final assignment was to cook for fifty three people at their own graduation celebration. 
 
And cook they did. Not only did they cook but they planned and experimented, they spent time trouble shooting, they drew pictures of their plating up, they made every step of their planning faultless, they set up the hall and continued to learn as they were doing all of this. A baking team and a savoury team was assigned and they worked well in those teams. The baking team helped with plating up on the graduation day, as did three previously trained vegan chefs. 
 
It was a brilliant day and the food was of exceptionally high standards. In the words of Gavin our local market manager (who has been vegan since birth) ‘I’ve never eaten such good food. There is nowhere out there that I can buy food of this quality.’
 
The day started at seven in the kitchen and the chefs were very calm and organised. As the time approached twelve thirty there were a few jitters felt in the kitchen but the teams had this, they were all over this (as the young folk say), they were ready. Guests arrived early in anticipation and sat outside enjoying the view with a cup of tea. 
 
When the guests walked into the hall the first thing they noticed was the ‘celebration cake.’ Comments from people since seeing this cake have been ‘I’ve never seen such a beautiful cake’ to ‘ what a masterpiece.’ A chocolate cake with freeze-dried strawberry and dragon fruit icing. I didn’t get to try it but people are still raving about how good it was.
 
Vegan Celebration Cake
 
 
As guests arrived so did the canapé. Morsels of mouth popping flavour. Cucumber slices with chickpea smash, sun blushed tomatoes with hemp seed pesto, dehydrated crackers with horseradish cream and beetroot tartar.………………. Accompanied by a strawberry, mint and lime flavoured water.
 
 
Cucumber Canapes
 
 
Tomator Canapes
 
 
crackers and horseradish
 
Guests were guided to their seats by our MC Jyoti who then gave a speech about how kind and intelligent it is to be vegan.  I then talked about the exceptional students and how difficult it is to walk the path of veganism, how today it is still a discriminated path to becoming a vegan chef and how proud I am at how wonderfully hard the chefs had worked and how kind they were as human beings.
 
Jyoti - MC
 
 
Jacq one of the chefs announced the menu then it was all action in the kitchen.  The waitresses have since commented on how calm it all was and how loving the energy was in the kitchen even though they were working so hard.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The entrée was served and it impressed the guests. It was Nori marinated and seared king mushrooms on a bed of pea puree and pickled radish. Mine was whisked away by a waitress before I had even finished it. I was gutted as I was enjoying every single mouthful. 
 
oyster mushrooms
 
However I soon forgot my disappointment, as the main was sensational to say the least. The main was marinated and slow cooked jackfruit with fondant potatoes, tea-smoked onions with a rich jus and roast carrot puree. The side dish was rosemary and balsamic carrots.
 
 
Carrots
 
Certificates were awarded, photos taken and then the dessert eating frenzy began. Four desserts to choose from, most people chose them all.  The celebration cake, pana cotta with fresh strawberry coulis, vegan ferrero roche and a raw tropical mango and pineapple cake.
 
 
 
Guests left around two thirty and the packing up began and was carried out so well with a massive team of helpers.
 
What a success the 2018 graduation of the Vegan Chef and Lifestyle Training was.
 
A huge thankyou to you all for following our eight week journey and to those of you who helped out. To Pandora and Metche for assisting during the course, to Wayne for being our roadie which included much lifting and cleaning. To Shai Shriki for playing the most beautiful music at the graduation. To Anthea, Simon, Todd, Ruth, Lilli, Sue, Amanda, Sarah, Emily for being guests teachers on the training. To all the farmers, to Trent at Santos organics for ordering us the most exceptional produce. To Jyoti for being a great MC, to Nisarg for flying from Melbourne to be head waiter, to the angel waitresses, Nicole, Georgie and Ang. And for me personally thank you to my beloved for supporting me through this eight week journey. 
 
 
 
 
 
There are now eight more incredible vegan chefs stepping into the culinary world. I am so proud and so happy that our common goal is for the animals. My vision of a future without hurt is being realised.

Mother Land Here I come

Thought I should let you all know that I am taking off to what I consider the mother land. I will be in India for four weeks. By the time you receive this newsletter I will already be there. So I will take a break from writing blogs. I hope to come back fully inspired to create even more delicious recipes to share with you all. 
 
When I get back I will go straight into teaching the August vegan foundation course. As I write there is still one place left, it may have by now been snapped up but if you have been wanting to join that course please email me and I will let you know if the spot is available. There are 6 spaces left still in the October course and both of the November courses.
 
Have a great few weeks and I look forward to sharing another recipe with you soon.
 
Love Veet 

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