Leading the way forward as the innovation expo for the ultimate market place for restaurant and takeaway owners, The Restaurant and Takeaway show was held this year in London at the EcXel Centre.
The show comprised of panel debates, live cooking demonstrations, 350 exhibitors, keynote speeches and an area especially designated for networking.
Heather, being one of the pioneering leaders of plant-based foods for the last 25 years was amongst a select number of individuals to deliver a seminar on Wednesday 26th Sept
Heather delivering her seminar
The topic of the Heather’s seminar was:
Challenging people’s perception of a plant-based lifestyle and solving the problems with parallel replications.
Once again Heather held a captivated audience whilst she delivered a 30-minute seminar.
One of the attendees said:
“Your speech was great, it is very true that people need to be more aware of what they consume!”
Heather also was invited to participate as part of a collective in the ever-growing popular panel discussions. She was with Hakeem Buge from Black Forest Beers Ltd and Sandip Patidar from Black Forest Beers Ltd
The discussion lasted 40 minutes and the subject matter was:
“In the modern restaurant it can feel like everything is constantly changing, updating and improving; but it's vital to know what the future holds in the world of restaurant tech so that you're not left trailing behind your competitors.”
Heather and the other panellists talked about looking into the future for restaurant breakthroughs and what one needs to be investing in now.
Afterwards the audience were invited to ask questions and comments on the social media platforms followed.
“inspiring panel! glad it went!”
“Great discussions, the future looks bright!”
Heather continues to inspire, motivate and educate the planet about the benefits of a plant-based diet
VBites also had a large presence at the show and served a selection of samples across their award winning range from their show piece catering Airstreem van, over the duration of the 2 days.
To read more about the show: click here
This year, Plant Based Live took place on 8th & 9th September at ExCeL in London. It was packed with two days full of inspirational talks, cookery demos, and wonderful food.
Not only did VBites have a huge presence at the show, selling their new OMG burger to a never ending queue of hungry punters, who said it was the best plant-based burger they had ever tasted, but also Heather showcased her plant-based products from her award winning vegan food company, with a cookery demonstration on the Sunday in the Vegan Life Kitchen.
Every seat was taken in the house for Heather’s demo, where she showed how to replace, like for like, cooking a hearty and delicious chorizo and fish stew.
VBITES OMG BURGER
During the demonstration Heather covered an array of topics including workings of the digestive system. Having a degree in nutrition Heather relayed this to the audience in a simple format that led onto a queue of people after the cooking demo coming up to enquire more about human digestion and how a plant-based diet has an effect on this.
The attendees took to social media with a selection of excited comments:
“the cooking demo was great! “
“Heather you were a real inspiration to myself and my friends, thanks for a great talk!”
“it was an absolutely brilliant day and what an excellent demo and talk you gave”
Plant based live brought together some of the UK's leading experts to deliver the facts about living a healthy plant-based life, free from animal derived products and was hosted by Prime Impact.
Click here to read more about plant based live.
It’s a typical February cold and chilly Saturday morning. The kind of Saturday morning where you’d hear the rain battering down on your window and yawn a sigh of relief that you don’t have to leave the house today. However, this was a special Saturday, one that many of us had been looking forward to.
What’s a bit of rain when VEGAN LIFE LIVE has descended upon us?
After a blustery, wet, and loooong walk up the hill, you’re met with a spectacular view of London from outside the iconic Ally Pally (Alexandra Palace). Where Heather had been numerous times in 2010 training for Dancing on Ice.
This time approaching the entrance a huge banner befell us:
“Welcome to Vegan Life Live 2018”.
Why love one but eat the other?
Heather says: "I know people are waking up to the benefits of a Plant based lifestyle but I was absolutely inspired by the queues"
Hosted by Vegan Life Live Magazine - the two-day event was packed to the brim with incredible plant-based exhibitors, the best in vegan cuisine, healthy snacks, protein powders, fashion brands, charities, beauty products, alongside live music and speeches from many professionals and big names in the plant-based community. Amongst those were Viva! Charity, One Planet Pizza, Bounce, Love Seitan, Fit Delis Protein, Earthling Ed & more.
Heather Mills was one of many innovative plant based entrepreneurs invited to make a speech on the Saturday in the Palace Suite. Due to the fact it would take hours for Heather to explain her 25 years in the Plant-Based community, an introduction to Heather’s diverse life, a tribute video (that you can watch here) produced by Plant Based News was played before the talk, providing a ten-minute composition of her history and the achievements and obstacles she has faced in getting to where she is now.
Then, dressed head to toe in green (for the plants….) Heather took to the stage and was welcomed by a huge round of applause. Heather said to the audience:
“I don’t prepare speeches in advance, I don’t write them down, so I never know what I’m going to say ’til the day”
The question of “raise your hands if you’re vegan” was asked and 90% of the room candidly put their arms up. “it’s a journey, it’s okay if you’re not” she politely said to one person in the audience who admittedly revealed they were “plant-curious”
“I’m not trying to change the perceptions of the vegans, I’ve got their interest, it’s about the carnivores, I want the meat eaters to be curious and experimental and to not have an argument as to why plant-based food tastes so good”
After discussing the trials and tribulations of going plant-based after her accident, the silver lining came about successfully starting the vegan business VBites. Questions filled the room as to what hurdles she may have faced in the beginning, which Heather answered honestly and gave some great general and business advice to new entrepreneurs looking to start or grow their business.
Attendees of the talk hung around to talk to Heather after, to ask questions and get signatures. Social media was filled with wonderful words from those that attended too:
“Found @Heatherofficial incredibly inspiring in her talk @veganlifelive today. Thanks so much for the info and advice, and being so friendly! #what a fab advert you are for #compassionate #vegan living”
“in the front row watching @heatherofficial taking questions from the audience. Really good talk about veganism, nutrition and @vbitesfoods #vegan”
Heather writes a bi-monthly column for Plant Based Magazine talking all things plant – based and more anecdotes from her world. Keep an eye out for the next edition, online and on the shelves.
Check out Vegan Life Live’s next event in Manchester on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd April 2018 at Event City and Plant Based Live in September in London at ExCeL on the 8th and 9th September 2018.
If you are still discovering Veganism, like Heather was 25 years ago - check out Heather's full story.
'Til next time Vegan Life Live!
'Vegan 2017 - The Film', from Plant Based News:
"In this superficial world Veganism has to become hip, trendy, cool and fashionable".
Thank you Plant Based News for this film, and the work you have put in to make it. Heather appears alongside some extremely inspirational people.
We hope you like it.
VBites Nominated for a Vegan Award
'A new pop-up takeaway serving award-winning plant-based foods from ethical food firm VBites has opened in Vienna, Austria'...
Vegan Food and Living Magazine
WellBalance Fair, Vienna 15-18 September 2016
Vegfest UK Awards, VBites Nominated as Best Vegan Meat
High profile for her work as an entrepreneur and a campaigner as well as her sporting life, Heather Mills is known as one of the leading athletes globally in her sport of downhill skiing.