The menu is a collaboration between vegan restaurateur Matthew Kenney and KBW Ventures, a mission-driven investment firm founded by environmentalist Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed of Saudi Arabia.

Focusing on ‘innovative’ culinary concepts

The multi-course menu is available at the hotel’s Après Spa Café and is said to focus on innovative creations inspired by a range of global culinary concepts – with an added Qatari touch. 

The menu boasts a selection of appetizers and entrées, including green papaya salad made with basil, cilantro, and spinach leaves, and topped with cashew dressing; and truffle pizza with Tuscan kale, wild mushrooms, cashew truffle cream, and lemon vinaigrette.

Chef Kenney has also crafted a selection of vegan desserts for the hotel, offering a combination of treats made from orange, chocolate, coconuts, banana, and cocoa.

“My mission has always been to empower, inspire and influence others to cultivate a healthy and conscious way of life through plant-based cuisine,” explained Kenney.

“Bringing vibrant food that is equal parts delicious, nutritious and sustainable to Four Seasons Doha is the latest milestone in our conquest to change the way the world thinks about food.”

Increased plant-based offerings in time for the World Cup

The menu has launched ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which will take place in Qatar later this year. As one of the five host cities, Doha is expected to attract a large number of tourists from across the world.

In a recent press release, Prince Khaled said, “It is fitting that Folia, crafted to appeal to palates that have eaten the finest in healthy cuisine, is being presented at Four Seasons Hotel Doha now that Qatar is preparing to welcome the world for one of the biggest sporting events in history.”

He continued, “I look forward to seeing the Qatari plant-based dining scene elevated with Chef Kenney’s inspired dishes.”

The post Chef Matthew Kenney And Prince Khaled Bring Vegan Dining To Four Seasons, Qatar appeared first on Plant Based News.

Monkeypox is a rare infection that typically manifests as a rash, which develops into fluid-filled blisters. The rash is often preceded by symptoms such as a high temperature, headaches, muscle aches, backaches, swollen glands, shivering, and/or exhaustion.

It usually takes between five and 21 days for the first symptom to appear after infection.

Monkeypox in the UK

Monkeypox is typically found in Africa, but more than 130 cases have now been discovered in 19 countries outside of the continent, cropping up in Europe, the US, Canada, and Australia.

There are now 71 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the UK – 70 in England and one in Scotland, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Last week, on May 16, there were just seven confirmed cases in the UK.

According to news outlet i, the recent outbreak is the first time person-to-person transmission of monkeypox has occurred in the UK.

But officials have assured that while the number of cases is “unusual,” the illness is usually mild, clearing up in two to four weeks.

The government has ordered more than 20,000 vaccine doses as a precaution, i reports.

How do you catch monkeypox?

Monkeypox is predominantly spread by wild animals – namely rats, mice, and squirrels – in west and central Africa. A human can catch the disease if they are bitten by an infected animal, or if they come into contact with infected blood, body fluids, blisters, or scabs.

You can also catch monkeypox by eating undercooked meat from an infected animal, according to the NHS, or by handling infected “products” like animal skin and fur.

Touching clothing, bedding, or towels used by anyone with the monkeypox rash also raises the risk of infection. The coughs and sneezes of an infected individual can spread the disease too.

How to avoid getting monkeypox

To lower the risk of contracting monkeypox, the NHS advises people to “only eat meat that has been cooked thoroughly.” Individuals should also not eat or touch bushmeat (the flesh of wild animals).

Washing your hands regularly with soap and water, or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, can also protect against the infection.

The NHS has urged people to stay away from wild or stray animals, animals that look unwell, and dead animals.

Additionally, the organization stresses the importance of maintaining distance from people who are unwell and may have monkeypox, including not sharing bedding or towels.

Those who have monkeypox are advised to self-isolate, and stay away from pets.

Dr. Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser for the UKHSA, said: “If anyone suspects they might have rashes or lesions on any part of their body, particularly if they have recently had a new sexual partner, they should limit their contact with others and contact NHS 111 or their local sexual health service as soon as possible, though please phone ahead before attending in person.”

Visit the NHS website for more information.

The post NHS Issues Advice To Meat-Eaters Amid Outbreak Of Monkeypox appeared first on Plant Based News.

Nike x Eilish

Eilish first joined Nike’s artist roster last year. She kicked off the collaboration with a range of leather-free vegan Air Jordans, featuring her signature slime green color.  

In their latest collaboration, Eilish puts her own unique spin on the iconic Nike Air Force 1s.  

The new sneakers – featuring a neutral mushroom color palette – are made from a synthetic nubuck leather material, derived from 80 percent recycled materials, including 100 percent recycled polyester. 

Similar to past releases, the sneakers channel Eilish’s own oversized aesthetic, featuring chunky mid-foot straps. The collection showcases a total of four chunky straps covering the sneaker’s laces, a look that is inspired by two other Nike staples, the Alpha Force Low and Air Trainer 3.

The sneaker also features a fifth strap that goes around the ankle in the high-top version of the vegan-friendly AF1s.

Eilish’s stick-figure Blohsh logo is displayed on the lace deubrés and the Nike Air logos appear as usual over the tongue and heel. The insoles are made with cork and embossed with lyrics from her song Billie Bossa Nova: “It’s hard to stop it once it starts.”

“The challenge and opportunity with this collection was to respect the originals, but make them my own. It was also important for me to mix in environmentally preferred materials where we could and present them in a way that felt fresh,” Eilish shared in a press release.

New apparel collection

The Nike x Billie collaboration also features a new range of matching mushroom-colored apparel in her signature oversized style.

The clothing range includes a fleece hoodie, t-shirt, and sweatpants, embellished with subtle silicone Billie Ellish graphics and the iconic Nike logo turned on its side, pointing straight upwards.

Cruelty is never in style

Beyond Eilish’s music career, she’s an avid activist working to promote sustainability and veganism. She uses her platform to influence the fashion industry as a whole to recognize that cruelty is never in style. 

PETA has also recognized Eilish’s work, naming her its “Person Of The Year” in 2021. President of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk, previously shared: “PETA is happier than ever to celebrate her for seizing every opportunity to point out that vegan fashion and foods are kinder to the animals and the planet we share with them.”

The new Nike x Billie collection is now available on Nike’s website.

The post Billie Eilish’s Latest Collaboration With Nike Features Vegan Air Force 1s appeared first on Plant Based News.

The segment, which referenced data from documentary What the Health, saw Dr. Robert Lustig, a neuroendocrinologist who advocates for low-carb diets, go head-to-head with Dr. Garth Davis, a bariatric surgeon and physician.

They discuss whether plant-based diets are healthier than animal products, whether meat is really killing us, and if industry-funded studies are just muddying the waters of medical research.

With this exclusive re-upload, watch see these doctors thrash out their arguments.

The post WATCH: Could This Be The Best Nutrition Debate Of All Time? appeared first on Plant Based News.

The collaboration sees the UK’s largest hotel brand adding vegan bacon to its buffet menu at all of its 800+ hotels.

The plant-based bacon rashers – which boast 25 grams of protein per 100 grams, and contain iron and vitamin B12 – were crafted by THIS using pea and soy protein.

The bacon will be available as part of Premier Inn’s all-you-can-eat buffet, as well as its kids-eat-free deal.

Hungry for meat-free options

It comes as a seemingly ever-growing number of Brits are making a conscious effort to eat fewer animal products. In fact, research released by Quorn in September found that 41 percent of families in the UK are flexitarian or meat-free.

Yet many want to see more plant-based food when dining out.

A census-wide survey conducted by THIS in May found that 75 percent of Brits wished hotels, cafes, and restaurants offered more plant-based options.

The same survey discovered that nearly half (48 percent) of UK residents are interested in eating plant-based sausage or bacon for breakfast.

“Breakfast is a great occasion for people to get together, and our well-loved breakfast is a great value and hassle-free way to do that,” said Simon Jones, managing director for Premier Inn.

“With the recent introduction of our new vegan bacon in partnership with THIS, there’s now even more choice so no one has to miss out!”

THIS co-founder Andy Shovel echoed this sentiment, saying that the partnership is “really promising and timely,” given the UK public’s rising interest in meat-free food.

The post Premier Inn Adds Vegan Bacon To Its Buffet At All 800+ Hotels appeared first on Plant Based News.

The vegan wizarding world

It’s not the only vegan option the Studio Tour offers. In 2020, it launched a vegan version of Butterbeer, the butterscotch-flavored drink enjoyed by Hogwarts students in both the books and the subsequent movie franchise.

Prior to the launch, Evanna Lynch—a vegan activist and actor who played the character of Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films—called on Warner Bros to offer a vegan version of the popular beverage.

She said back in 2018: “I’ve been a member of the vegan community for the past five years and the Harry Potter community for most of my life, and nothing makes me happier than when these two worlds intersect.”

“I genuinely can’t imagine a lovelier day out than going to The Wizarding World to enjoy a butterbeer with my vegan friends. I will be first in line when that day comes.”

Lynch also hosted a podcast called The Chickpeeps with actor and fellow Harry Potter star Robbie Jarvis, as well as Momoko Hill and Tylor Starr.

Each episode discussed topics relating to veganism, including animal advocacy, farming, and activism. There was also a crossover with MuggleCast, a podcast dedicated to Harry Potter.

Series three of The Chickpeeps came to a close last year, and while a fourth season was mentioned at the time, nothing has been announced since. 

The post ‘The Making of Harry Potter’ Studio Tour Now Has Vegan Afternoon Tea appeared first on Plant Based News.

Is luxury fashion getting more ethical?

The news comes four years after Burberry announced a ban on fur and angora. At the time, the brand’s chief executive Marco Gobbetti said: “Modern luxury means being socially and environmentally responsible. This belief is core to us at Burberry and key to our long-term success.”

“We are committed to applying the same creativity to all parts of Burberry as we do to our products.”

Several brands have banned fur in the last few years, including Gucci, Prada, Armani, Michael Kors, and Versace. In 2018, Donatella Versace, Versace’s artistic director, told The Economist’s 1843 magazine: “Fur? I am out of that. I don’t want to kill animals to make fashion. It doesn’t feel right.”

The world of luxury fashion is consistently innovating. Coperni recently teamed up with Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams to launch apple leather bags. Danish brand Ganni went one step further, pledging to ditch leather completely and replace it with plant-based alternatives.

Nicolaj Reffstrup, Ganni’s founder, said:  “Selling leather products, although highly profitable, will soon be as outdated as smoking on TV.”

The post Burberry Just Confirmed An Exotic Skin Ban appeared first on Plant Based News.

It’s not the first time Varshney has hit the headlines for her climbing expeditions. Last year, she summited Nepal’s Ama Dablam, which stands at just over 6,800 meters. 

Widely regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful mountains, Ama Dablam is a tough climb. Not only did Varshney complete the trek, she also did it all while experiencing menstrual cramps. 

“For me, it made me cross my limits,” she told the Indian Express after the climb. “Like, I feel I would not have known how strong I am if this wouldn’t have happened.”

“I feel, a woman can be as strong as she wants and as fragile too,” she added. “And we have to embrace both.”

Vegan climbers 

Varshney is also a passionate animal lover and a strong advocate for veganism.

While she is said to be the first vegan Indian woman to summit Everest, Varshney is not the first vegan climber to reach the top.

Kuntal Joisher reached Everest’s summit in 2016, and in the same year, experienced Australian vegan climber Dr. Maria Strydom also reached the top. Tragically, she died of altitude sickness during the descent.

Joisher summited Everest again in 2018, and is now on a mission “to normalize vegan mountaineering.”

Describing the experience in 2016 for Red Bull last year, he wrote: “It was so overwhelming, I couldn’t hold back the tears. With a minute’s credit left on my satellite phone, I called home, then I sat down to soak in the view from the top. I’ll never forget those 20 minutes. The only feeling that compares is the birth of my daughter.”

He added: “It was a huge achievement for me as a mountaineer, but it also shone a positive light on veganism.”

The post Prakriti Varshney Hailed As First Vegan Indian Woman To Summit Everest appeared first on Plant Based News.

Aveda’s global brand president Barbara De Laere said in a statement: “Aveda was founded on the principle to care for the world we live in, and this includes always being opposed to animal testing.”

“We have been a leader in sustainability for more than 40 years. We are proud to underscore this commitment to our planet with our Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny approval. The internationally recognizable gold standard for cruelty-free cosmetics.”

Vegan and cruelty-free Aveda

Last year, Aveda also announced it was going vegan, eliminating products like honey and beeswax from its entire product line. The move involved reformulating more than 500 products over the course six years.

At the time, the brand’s vice president of research and development Christine Hall said that removing beeswax was one of its “biggest challenges.” This is because of its integral role in creating “texture, structure, color payoff, and smoothness.”

But eventually, it managed to create a new strong and effective blend, with no need to call on bees.

Cruelty Free International’s CEO Michelle Thew praised Aveda’s “well-deserved reputation” for ethical business and sustainability. She added: “I am thrilled that this now includes Leaping Bunny approval.”

The post Global Beauty Brand Aveda Now Certified Cruelty-Free With Leaping Bunny appeared first on Plant Based News.

Sound familiar? The 99p vegan burger may be a first for McDonald’s, but plant-based food pioneer Ready Burger has been plating up the same deal for months. 

McDonald’s 99p burger

Those keen to take advantage of McDonald’s latest promo must act quick. Fast-food-lovers can only get their hands on its 99p burger on May 18 and May 20, 2022. 

On May 19, customers can get a discounted Veggie Deluxe instead (those wishing to eat plant-based must request it without the sauce, which contains egg). And on May 23, McDonald’s vegan-friendly Veggie Dippers will be just 99p too. 

All three deals are only available via the free-to-download McDonald’s app.

The titan fast-food chain trialed its first vegan burger at a handful of locations in October 2021. A “remarkable” response from the public motivated McDonald’s to bring the product back – this time, to all of its 1,300 restaurants across the UK/Ireland. 

The McPlant is the result of a collaboration between McDonald’s and Beyond Meat. It features a vegan Beyond beef patty, dairy-free cheese, onion, pickles, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, and a vegan secret sauce. 

McDonald’s promises that the burger offers the “same iconic taste” as its meat-based options. And, unlike many other eateries which charge more for their vegan meals, the McPlant costs the same as a Big Mac (except for, of course, this week’s 99p offer).

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Affordable vegan fast food

Notably, in January, up-and-coming vegan fast-food chain Ready Burger lowered the price of its eponymous burger from £1.99 to 99p. (Now we’re not saying McDonald’s outright copied the start-up, but we’re not NOT saying it…)

Ready Burger’s promotion was originally to celebrate Veganuary. But after selling more than 2,000 burgers a week during that month, founders Max Miller and Adam Clark decided to make the 99p Ready Burger a permanent fixture on the menu. 

The 99p burger is joined by a wide range of other vegan bites, including chicken nuggets, bacon burgers, fries, ice cream, and the iconic Big Ready.

“We wanted to double down on our core mission of serving delicious, speedy, plant-based fast food at unrivaled prices accessible to anyone in the market,” they told Plant Based News earlier this year.

And it appears the public was hungry for the change. Since Ready Burger opened its doors in London last year, customers have purchased more than 260,000 of its vegan options. Now, the company plans on opening two more locations in the UK this year. After that? Global expansion. 

“We’ll be bringing more world firsts with exciting new menu items in 2022, all at the same prices people have come to know us for, and we have advanced expansion plans with new stores,” Miller said, adding that Ready Burger will “never compromise on flavor, convenience, or price.”

“We won’t be stopping here!”

For more information about Ready Burger, check out the website and follow them on Instagram. 

This is a paid-for advertorial.

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