VBITES WINS THE GREAT MOSHIMO VEGAN CHALLENGE 2017

VBites, the largest UK plant-based food company owned by Heather Mills, has won The Great MOSHIMO Vegan Challenge (22nd November), beating stiff competition from some of Brighton’s top chefs.  

The annual event, which has earned Brighton’s pre-eminent Japanese restaurant MOSHIMO a prestigious PETA award for the promotion of plant-based eating, invites Brighton’s most celebrated chefs to MOSHIMO to create Japanese-inspired plant-based dishes to be voted on by customers.  

Amongst those competing was Michael Bremner from multi-award-winning 64 Degrees, and Alun Sperring from Chilli Pickle. Joining them in the competition were local restaurants La Choza, Silo, Cashew Catering, CanTina, Purezza, The Market, and Lucky Beach. 

MOSHIMO came a close second, with Purezza, the newly opened vegan pizza restaurant in Kemp Town, taking third place. The event, which has become an eagerly anticipated fixture for vegans and non-vegans alike, was set up by MOSHIMO in 2009 to demonstrate what its menu might look like in the future if fish stocks continue to deplete at the present rate. Over the years MOSHIMO has increased its vegan menu to become one of the best places to eat plant-based food in the city.  

From Wednesday 29th November 2017, MOSHIMO is launching 50% Vegan Wednesdays, where all plant-based food will be discounted by 50% for MOSHIMO Members (25% for non-Members). 

MOSHIMO IS FAMOUS FOR ITS FISHLOVE CAMPAIGN TO END OVERFISHING. 

MOSHIMO became known for its work in fish sustainability due to its high profile Fishlove campaign, a series of photographs featuring naked celebrities with fish which became one of the most successful campaigns ever to end over-fishing. The images, including those of Helena Bonham-Carter, Dame Judi Dench, Mark Rylance, Gillian Anderson, Julie Christie, Lizzie Jagger, Sir Richard Branson and Sir Ben Kingsley, were shown on the front covers of the media across the world many times over. They are credited as being instrumental in some big wins for ocean conservationists. 

Nicholas Röhl, co-owner with Karl Jones of the independent restaurant, said:                          

“We’re keen on promoting not just sustainable, but what we call restorative eating, a type of ethical consumption which aims not just to make the environment sustainable, but to actually restore and improve it inorder that we give back more than we take away. Scientists believe that the world’s oceans will be without fish by the middle of this century if fishing methods do not change substantially.” 

Karl Jones went on to say:                                 

“Demand for fish continues to grow, and the methods for catching fish remain unsustainable, so we’re keen to look at approaches to protect fish stocks for future generations. One of the ways we can do this is to increase the amount of plant-based food and decrease the amount of animal or fish protein on our plate.” 

VBITES WINS THIS EVENT FOR FOURTH TIME 

Heather Mills has led the Vegan movement for 25years. Having worked on fish, meat and dairy replacements for years, Heather created VBites in 2009. It now distributes over 85 products to 24 countries.  

Moshimo’s co-owner Karl Jones was inspired by Heather’s Vegan duck and cheeses enough to be the first non-vegan restaurants to offer meat, fish and dairy replacements.

VBites winning dish, their 4th since the event began, was an inspired Duck style gyoza dumpling with beetroot powdered garnish, micoherbs with ginger water dressing and homemade tare sauce. To further save the Marine eco-system Heather has produced an Algal Oil that will wipe out the need for Omega 3 fish oil capsules. Heather has been developing it for 10 years when she realised overfishing for oil is causing more devastation than the consumption of fish.

For further information, images, and quotes please contact nicky@moshimo.co.uk

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