- Plant-based chef and founder of the Plant Academy, Lauren Lovatt is encouraging people to look at their food beyond just what they see on the plate.
- Incorporating additional creative outlets into our conscious thought process when choosing what we consume will help feed our minds, bodies and soul better than ever before.
London – Food is art. Food is medicine. Food is anything and everything we need it to be. But many of us are not allowing it to reach its full potential. Lauren Lovatt wants to change that. She wants people to learn to look at food beyond its culinary limitations so that they are able to fully satisfy and feed their minds.
“Food to me, is a form of art; something you can delve deep into, as you start to understand the ingredients and techniques and uncover new ways of bringing things together. Appreciating this can help us look at food in a different way – not just something we are detached from on a plate – but a carefully selected group of ingredients that make sense together, that can change how we feel, physically and emotionally. Food has the power to do that. It has the potential to transform who we are, we just need to learn how to unlock that power” says Lauren Lovatt, the plant-based chef and founder of the Plant Academy and creator of Feed Your Mind Candy – a forward-thinking culinary star that has been at the forefront of the plant-based industry and who continues to make waves in the sphere by pushing the boundaries and encouraging people to find their passion through plants.
The benefits of food as medicine are wide-spread and deep-rooted in the dense history of food although many chefs still adopt this practice today; exploring its full potential in their cultures and communities through the addition of new-found experimentation combined with old-age techniques, naturopathy and ancient medicine in their dishes. This concept is one that continues to thrive, giving not only a positive impact on the planet but one to ourselves, as people begin to wake up and understand the feel-good-medicinal benefits food can offer. “The food and mind are connected,” says Lauren. “As we know the gut is often called the second brain. There is more serotonin produced in our gut than in our brain, so the gut really is a control centre for how we feel… and what we eat has a direct relationship to the microbiome of our body. If the gut isn’t working properly then the brain will be directly impacted. When we understand this – there is potential to actively nourish this relationship and take our mind-food to the next level.” Lauren wants people to start looking at targeted plants and herbs, good fats, protein and wholesome rainbow vegetables not just for their standardised vitamin or mineral benefits we are all taught at school but in their ability to support our body, feed our mind and push them both to their optimal functionality by adopting a more conscious consumption mindset… starting by adding more of these to our own plates.
“Take CBD for example – if you see this in a dish you may ask why it’s there and what benefits it brings, and after consuming and reaping said benefits you may then purchase to add to your own dishes at home or even share this information with someone who may also need those benefits. This simple notion opens up a larger conversation and allows you to join a bigger movement; actively encouraging people to broaden their horizons, educate, inform and inspire those around them. This is exactly what we do at our Concept ‘Mesa’ where Lauren curated the menu and trained the staff - Hoy Paris – Paris’s first plant-based boutique hotel, we use medicinal foods – CBD, Lions Mane, Pine Pollen and Fermented Foods – not only to enhance the natural decadence of the dishes and add deeper flavours but also to relay this message long after the meal is finished. These potent ingredients can help improve our health tenfold such as helping to increase and aid better digestion and mental health, improve sleep and reduce anxiety – and the more that we take this power into our own hands and dishes, the better - the food on our plates has the potential to change the future of the food on our planet”.
And it’s not just what we purchase, it’s what we do with it too. When we start to look at food in an artistic form – the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, we can start to develop a deeper understanding of an individual’s or one's own character and unlock certain areas that may have been previously blocked. We can utilise food as a way of conceptual self-expression; a way to share a message to the masses; or strengthen a connection between the food and the consumer. Each plate is unique in style but capturing an unspoken voice that goes way beyond the lingering taste on the palate. And it’s not just for the professionals. By taking the time and care to really think about the ingredients that you are pairing together in both a taste and texture aspect but also when it comes to plating. Instead of just mindlessly spooning ingredients onto a plate – really take the time to appreciate why that ingredient was chosen to become part of something bigger. Just by slowing down while playing – even in your own home, you can begin to acknowledge, recognise and respect how the combination of your choices and purchases reflect who you are. And to use that knowledge to better yourself, your wellbeing and how others perceive you and to use that to your advantage in becoming the person you truly want to become.
