Vanilla Black: Winter

Who is this for? 

Heads of Catering, Head chefs, Catering managers, Development chefs, any TUCO member who is interested in learning about the on-trend vegan and vegetarian cuisine.

Why should I take part?

Established in 2004, originally in York, Vanilla Black is a contemporary vegan and vegetarian restaurant that offers a menu that challenges vegan and vegetarian stereotype dishes, uses unusual ingredients and creates unique combinations of taste and visual impact. The restaurant is recommended in the Michelin Guide and boasts two AA rosettes. Fed up of seeing the same meal listed as every restaurant's vegan and vegetarian option, Andrew uses inspiration from popular dishes to completely recreate dishes that are vegetarian or vegan. As the popularity and demand for vegetarian and vegan cuisine rises astronomically fast, the need for chefs to provide a good variety of healthy, filling, delicious dishes becomes more challenging. This study tour will offer inspiration outside of falafel, halloumi and vegetarian lasagne, to give you heaps of ideas for vegan and vegetarian dishes that you can recreate or adapt for your own institution.  Andrew Dargue, the founder and chef proprietor of Vanilla Black, opens his doors to TUCO with an exclusive dining experience which includes an introduction to the restaurant and its concepts followed by a very honest, question and answer session.

How will it help me?

During the event, you will...

• Explore Borough Market to realise the large array of vegan and vegetarian items on sale, taking home a goody bag of several vegan items found during the treasure hunt
• To meet the inspirational Andrew Dargue for an intimate and honest question and answer session and explanation of the stories behind the dishes
• To taste some innovative vegan and vegetarian dishes at Vanilla Black, which will open your eyes to the use of different sweet and savoury ingredients that make up a delicious and varied vegan and vegetarian menu.
• To network with like-minded TUCO members working in similar roles at other UK universities, enabling you to exchange innovative ideas, taking new inspiration back to your own institution
• To equip yourself with a new knowledge and appreciation of vegetarian and vegan cuisine.

Following the event, you will...

• Introduce new techniques and dish design into your menus
• Better respond to the wants and requirements of your vegan and vegetarian customers through a deeper understanding of their dietary choices
• Create vegan and vegetarian dishes that are delicious and well presented

What’s included?

• Visit to Borough Market with a treasure hunt of items purchased with cash provided by TUCO
• 3-course meal selected from the extensive menu at Vanilla Black
• All drinks at Vanilla Black
• Introduction plus question and answer session with Andrew Dargue
• Visit to Vanilla Black's kitchen to witness the making of your dishes.
• A goody bag from Andrew Dargue

What’s not included?

• Travel to and from the development day
• Tube travel is required to travel between Borough Market and Vanilla Black and is not included. Delegates should bring a travel card or contactless payment card with them in order to travel

Provisional Itinerary:

Download a provisional itinerary here. Please note, this is subject to change. Final itineraries will be uploaded to your Dashboard approx. 1 week prior to Tour commencement.