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Following a successful trial, Pan Asian restaurant wagamama is launching the much anticipated vegan dish made in collaboration with YouTube star Gaz Oakley which features a ground-breaking vegan egg.
Wagamama recently teamed up with vegan chef and YouTube star Gaz Oakley (a.k.a Avant-Garde Vegan) to trial an innovative new vegan dish in wagamama’s ‘Noodle Lab’ where new dishes are tested before being released nationwide, as well as in Cardiff (Oakley’s hometown).
Following a successful trial, the Pan Asian restaurant is now launching the much anticipated vegan dish which features a ground-breaking vegan egg.
Oakley collaborated with wagamama executive chef Steve Mangleshot to create the fresh, Japanese inspired bowl aptly named “The Avant-Gard’n” to show how creative you can be with vegan food and to add some more interesting options to restaurant menus for vegan customers.
Gaz approached Steve with the idea of launching a fresh, veggie-packed vegan bowl topped with barbeque glazed seitan to the menu. A natural innovator and known for ‘veganizing’ classic dishes, Gaz suggested they try something no other high-street chain restaurant has done before – adding a realistic vegan egg to the menu.
The bowl features sweet and sticky BBQ glazed seitan, caramelized king oyster mushrooms and asparagus, sticky rice, edamame, spring onion, and carrot.
Topped with a vegan egg made with miso-infused coconut and Sriracha mayo, the ‘egg white’ has the same consistency as the real thing and the yolk is equally soft but it is designed not to taste like egg, but to have its own unique taste – a blend of coconut, lemongrass and Sriracha mayo.
In a statement sent to Vegan Food & Living, executive chef Steve Mangleshot said: “We truly believe in championing plant-based eating. Meat-free should not mean taste free. Rather than simply modifying existing dishes to make them vegan, we want to continually innovate in this area. We have a responsibility to keep introducing vegan items to the menu with sustainable eating become increasingly important.
“We loved the fact that the egg added a new dimension of flavour to the overall dish and was not a ‘gimmick’. With the expertise of Gaz I think we’ve created a truly unique and delicious offering.”
Oakley added: “I have been a huge fan of Wagamama since I was a kid and it’s so good to see them really supporting the vegan movement. They are never afraid to innovate so this felt like a natural partnership.
“I was really excited about coming up with the idea of the “vegan egg” as egg features so heavily in Japanese cooking. My social media channels are called @avantgardevegan because I’m always looking to push the boundaries and try new things.”
The Avant Garde’n will be available in all UK restaurants from May 15.
Can’t keep up with all the vegan options launching at wagamama?
Find the full list of plant-based dishes on the wagamama vegan menu here.
