Entering the Meat-Free Life

Delicate radish (faux scallops) with tempura avocado and olive oil pearls at Leku at the Rubell Museum in Miami, Florida, USA (Photo by Cheryl Tiu)

I stopped eating meat in January 2021. Truth be told, I was never really a big meat eater, opting for mostly fish or chicken on a daily basis, with the exceptions of celebratory events, restaurant/ chef specialties, and learning about local delicacies during travels. Watching documentaries like “The Game Changers” made me toggle with the idea of giving up meat. But it was a Youtube video by the Cosmic Skeptic (Alex O’ Connor) that sealed the deal for me and my husband. We dropped meat instantly and became pescatarians. (So yes, that means we still eat seafood, dairy and eggs, but have moved to a much more plant-forward lifestyle, opting for plant-based as much as possible.) We have not looked back ever since and do not miss meat/ poultry, nor regret this decision even one bit.

I also moved to Miami during the pandemic. It was an unexpected move, as I flew in on January for one of my holidays (at the time, R and I were long-distance, with him living here and myself in the Philippines) and then Covid hit and the world shut its borders and I got “stuck,” armed with just one suitcase and none of the things you’re meant to take with you when you move to the other side of the world. With the exception of being extremely far away from my family, I was grateful to be in Miami during the pandemic. And now it has become my home.

Anyway, my long-winded point is that being new-ish here meant that no one was shocked or surprised whenever I told people I was pescatarian, or had to disclose our dietary restrictions for a dinner or event. It was the opposite when I traveled back home for the holidays in December 2021. A lot of people could not fathom why I had stopped eating meat, and made comments like, “Poor you, you can’t eat it.” But the point missed here is that I primarily stopped eating meat for the animals. It was a conscious choice I made. A number of people have also asked me if it would hurt my business as a food journalist/ food content creator/ food person. It has not. Because I write about food through a lifestyle lens; I don’t review or critique restaurants. Same goes for my social platforms, where I post only about what I feel passionately about. In fact, I have noticed that a lot of chefs are excited when they learn I am pescatarian, as they get to showcase their pescatarian and veg-forward menus.

And there has not been any shortage of excellent meat-free dishes around the world! London, which I’ve been to twice during the pandemic, especially surprised me, as I had no idea how incredibly plant-forward the city is. Even Starbucks has an entire row of plant-based offerings, as do Waitrose and Saintsbury’s in their grab n’ go sections.

I’m sharing some of incredible plant-forward (vegan and vegetarian) dishes I’ve recently enjoyed at various non-veg restaurants from different parts of the world that DISPEL the misconception that plant-forward/ plant-based cuisine is all lettuce and salads!

PS I’m passionate about this space, and if anyone would like to share similar experiences or work together on something in this realm, please don’t hesitate to reach out! xx