He emphasized that it is necessary to reduce climate change
Chef Marwan Abu Dawood: The UAE is a pioneer in going vegetarian
Abudawood expects more restaurants in the UAE to adopt a vegetarian approach to cater to different segments of the population.
From the source
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Recently, the world is witnessing an increasing demand for vegetarian diets, and the UAE has been able to lead the region in this regard, as it hosts more than 300 restaurants serving vegetarian dishes, according to the head chef of the Upfield Company in the Middle East and North Africa, Marwan Abu Dawood, «Emirates Today», it is expected that more restaurants in the UAE will adopt this approach to meet the tastes of different segments of society and maintain their customers.
Abu Dawood emphasized that people's diets have an impact on climate change, as many studies have proven a relationship between plant-based diets and a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, resulting from animal food production processes.
The report of the International Panel on Sustainable Resource Management at the United Nations Environment Program showed that establishing a global trend towards plant-based diets is a major factor in protecting the world from the worst effects of climate change.
A report by the World Watch Institute also indicated that 51% of global greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to livestock, such as cows, sheep, camels and other farm animals raised for their meat, so livestock farming has consequences in relation to climate change.
A study published in the International Journal of Food Research (February 2018) showed that eliminating meat from the diet can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 34%.
variable requirements
Chef Abu Dawood explained that as a result of these studies, the world is witnessing today a competition between the most prominent names in the world of food, such as Pizza Hot, Burger King and McDonald's, to introduce vegetarian dishes, and catch up with this trend to meet the changing requirements of consumers, and maintain the largest possible base of customers, indicating that vegetarian diets Focuses on foods derived primarily from plants, but is not limited to fruits and vegetables, but also includes nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains and legumes, as well as fish, poultry, eggs and sometimes red meat.
The trend toward dairy alternatives has increased, with consumers recognizing dietary restrictions, such as lactose intolerance, allowing chefs to rely on a single product to satisfy different diets without compromising on taste.
Awareness
Abudawood added: “As one of the world's leading companies for plant products with a history of more than 150 years in this field, we are constantly aware of the latest trends in the sector.
Since our main office for the Middle East is concentrated in Dubai, we can say with confidence that the UAE is at the forefront of this trend, as it hosts more than 300 restaurants serving vegetarian dishes, and we expect more restaurants to adopt this trend to meet the tastes of different segments of society, and maintain their customers ».
He called for awareness of the impact of individuals' choices for their food on climate change, pointing out the importance of starting with schools to consolidate this culture, as some schools in Dubai have begun to adopt this approach, and contract with companies to supply vegetarian and allergen-free foods.
Marwan Abu Dawood pointed out the keenness of “Upfield”, a company specializing in vegetarian food, based in Amsterdam, to participate in the World Chefs Conference and Exhibition 2022, which was hosted by the UAE capital, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center on May 30, and concluded its activities yesterday, and is considered The exhibition is the first event of its kind for chefs, explaining that they focused during their participation on enhancing the awareness of chefs and the public that vegetarian cuisine now offers wide options that are not limited to salads and snacks, but it is possible to prepare all the favorite meals, from pizza, pasta, and others using completely vegetarian alternatives, and enjoy the taste same.
"Make It Planet"
• Marwan Abudawood said: “During the World Chefs Show 2022 in Abu Dhabi, we launched the #MakeItPlant campaign, which seeks to support and encourage chefs around the world to adopt sustainable, dairy-free alternatives by providing them with vegetarian options.
The tendency of more consumers to adopt semi-vegetarian options that are less harmful to the environment has resulted in a noticeable increase in plant-based alternatives.”
Marwan Abu Dawood:
• «Vegetarian kitchen now offers a wide choice of options that are not limited to salads and snacks, but it is possible to prepare all the favorite meals, such as pizza, pasta, and others, using completely vegetarian alternatives, and enjoying the same taste».
• «It is necessary to raise awareness of the importance of establishing vegetarian patterns, especially from schools, as some schools in Dubai have started adopting this approach, and contracting with companies to supply vegetarian and allergen-free foods».
300
A restaurant in the UAE serving vegetarian dishes.
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