Photos: Phil Randell
Now veganism has so comfortably landed, it feels alien to imagine a time when oat-milk didn’t sell out at the supermarket. In 2012, I decided to open up shop with The Spotless Leopard — or rather, hatch. Back then, being vegan was still a very provocative thing to share. It could lead to a torrent of questions and sometimes, some pretty unkind words.
Only seven years have passed, but since then, both veganism and my converted camper van have become an integral part of the Bristol food scene. Serving home cooked meals on a particularly leafy street corner, I started out with a mission to prove that being vegan doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all those comforting classics. Creamy mac and cheese with crispy bits of smoked tofu act as a happy alternative to bacon, and a rich chilli non-carne filled with soya mince, brown lentils and kidney beans seem to have built us a very committed community of vegan (and non-vegan) customers. Our lentil, bean and mixed seed burger remains the most popular meal, even in the sea of plant-based burgers that now flood almost every cafe and restaurant in the surrounding area.