Jake’s Vegan Steaks

Jakes Vegan Steaks is an all vegan catering company that specialises in the meat substitute Seitan. Their aim is to create delicious and innovative dishes as a way to introduce plant based food and nutrition into people’s lives.

Today I spoke with Jake who is the founder/director

 

Q. How long have you been trading at Portobello Market and what attracted you to bring your business to the area?

Jake: I have been trading for ten weeks now. I was drawn to the market as it holds so much history, charm and character, and I wanted to be part of that.

 

 

Q. What type of items can visitors expect on the menu?

Jake:Our signature dish is the Vegan Cheezesteak Burger. Our product being Seitan, is an ancient meat substitute made from wheat, which once cooked resembles a similar appearance and texture to steak. All of our steaks are hand made, cooked to order and then dressed with a variety of toppings to create the ultimate vegan burger experience.

Vegan Cheezesteak Burger: Peppered Seitan ‘Steak’, Melted Coconut ‘Cheeze’, Caramelised Onions, Lettuce, Gherkins, ‘Mayo’, Mustard, BBQ, Sriracha, Toasted Bun.

 

 

Q. What inspired you to start cooking professionally?

Jake: I have always been a keen foodie, being brought up vegan I have always had to be creative in the kitchen. I trained as a chef at Westminster Kingsway for two years, where admittedly I did dabble in trying meat. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I then went to work in restaurants in and around central London for six years, turning back to my veggie roots a couple of years ago. This is when I discovered Seitan. I began experimenting with wheat meat and fell in love with its versatility and nutritional value (super high in protein) and I’ve been working with it ever since.

 

Do you have any advice for first time Portobello Market
visitors?

Jake: Yes, make a day of it. Pop down for a burger and then get lost in the vintage clothes market, it’s a real maze of gems!