Autumn
Plotting food revolution with local veggie antics, rebel recipes, and garden-variety mischief!
"I finished my cookbook in the first 4 months of the programme, something I've wanted to do for years!"
My endeavour and mission in life is to be part of a food revolution, engage people in fun, playful, crazy, and delicious ways to eat more local, seasonal, and organic veggies. As part of the endeavour it includes writing, designing, and self publishing my own vegan cookbook. And also hosting experiential farm to table food events. A recent event I hosted was a food event in a greenhouse where people ate edible chocolate soil from plant pots, symbolising that our food is only as healthy as the soil it grows in.
What impact do you want to have by bringing your endeavour alive and into the world?
I want more people to find joy in cooking, sharing food, and eating well for themselves and the planet. Our current food system is overly focused on convenience, resulting in over-processed and over-packaged foods that are disconnected from their natural origins. My hope is that by educating people in fun and engaging ways, they will develop a deeper understanding of the food system and connect to the course of their food. I want to show that eating well doesn't have to be boring or time-consuming—it can be simple, delicious, and accessible to everyone.
Which Make_Happen distinction do you use the most or has impacted you the most?
The ‘One Thing’ has really supported my process. It made my dream of writing a cookbook a reality! I often think back to the idea of ‘how do you eat an elephant…?’ ‘one bite at a time’ and this is the same for any endeavour, often I think big and get excited by my project but then start to feel overwhelmed with so many things to do. I really saw this impact my cookbook mission. I broke it down and thought about ‘the cookbook’ as one page at a time, and over a period of a few months I had a completed cookbook! The one thing really works.
What’s the biggest achievement so far since starting the Make Happen programme?
Publishing my cookbook!!!!! It’s been something I have wanted to do for so long and after 5 months on the Make Happen programme my cookbook was completed! As well as hosting 2 fully booked farm to table events! I am excited to see where things go during the second half of the course.
What advice would you give to aspiring Make_Happeners who are just starting their creative journeys?
There’s no rush, enjoy the process of creating.
Be bold, try things, fail.
It’s never too late to get started or change direction.
Have fun, and remember it won’t always been 100% fun everyday, but keep connected to why you’re doing what you’re doing, and how it’s going to impact others, this will keep you motivated even on days you don’t feel like doing anything.
Where do you envision yourself in 5 years in relation to your endeavour?
I will have a sassy Sprouts hub, a space with a large kitchen for hosting workshops, a yoga studio, and a growing garden. This is a place retreats and day workshops will take place. I will have 3 cookbooks published and be working on my fourth, and will have sold over 10,000 copies of my first book Homemade Vegan. I will have weekly Farm to Table events happening across Europe in collaboration with local organic farms. And I will be hosting artistic food experiences in art galleries such as the Tate Modern.
