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Veg has the edge

Ben Rooth
29/ 7/2008

VEGETARIAN cuisine has been placed back at the top of the menu thanks to a new business venture launched by two chefs.

Altrincham-based Sarah Kearns has launched Vegetarian Options with her business partner Marise Maddison.

The duo intend to work with chefs from restaurants, cafés, hotels and food manufacturers to improve their vegetarian offerings by developing bespoke dishes.

For the past decade, both Sarah and Marise have worked on a freelance basis for the Cordon Vert School based at The Vegetarian Society, in Altrincham.

But they decided that the time was now right to launch the new business.

Sarah - who used to run the Cake Bread Café, in Ardwick - said: "Both Marise and I have seen a massive increase in interest in vegetarian cuisine over the past decade and after extensive research realised that there was a gap in the market for what we do.

"We spend time with our clients and create a bespoke menu which is right for them.

"Our aim is very much to increase the number of vegetarian options that are available to both restaurants and diners."

One of the first organisations Vegetarian Options designed a series of dishes for, after being founded last autumn, was British Tomatoes, which represents the interests of the Tomato Growers Association.

More recently, it has also helped with the vegetarian menu of Marmalade, in Chorlton.

Sarah and Marise also continue to develop recipes for clients such as the Vegetarian Society and Premier Foods. Sarah adds: "I think that, as a nation, we are simply not as good at cooking vegetables in delicious and innovative ways as other countries.

"The general perception of vegetarian food is, more often than not, quite dull, and we intend to try and remedy this."