Welcome back to another episode of the PBN Podcast!

Today's guest is the incredible Sarah Bentley, the visionary behind the plant-based community cookery school and charity Made In Hackney. Sarah has nurtured its evolution from a local project to an influential organization with a national and international reach, advocating for a shift towards plant-based diets without losing sight of its core mission of communal care.

Under her leadership, Made In Hackney has empowered over 400,000 individuals to embrace plant-based eating and has collaborated with more than 200 community partners.

Sarah is now focusing on penning a debut cookbook featuring a decade's worth of community-inspired plant-based recipes and launching a consultancy to drive significant, positive change for the environment and society through the third sector and committed corporations.

Host: Robbie Lockie

Editor: Polly Foreman

Audio Editor: Phil Marriott

Social Media: Darrell Sawczuk

Producer: Xisca Taylor

00:00:00 An Introduction to Sarah Bentley from Made In Hackney

00:03:00 Discovering the vegan lifestyle

00:13:20 Getting into Music Journalism

00:17:25 Food sovereignty

00:22:07 Why The World Needs Community Kitchens (incl. TedTalk clip)

00:21:48 The inception of Made In Hackney?

00:39:12 Ambassador Andi Oliver visits Made In Hackney Community Meal Service (clip)

00:40:45 Why we need to see more Made In Hackney’s around the world

00:42:20 “We will open!” (TedTalk clip)

00:42:57 Making a stand and taking control

00:51:08 Expanding the movement

00:57:58 The partnership with Fuller’s pubs: creating a “plant-based hero” on the menu

01:00:05 The noise around Plant-based meats

01:14:58 The future of Made In Hackney / New roads ahead

01:17:41 Stranded on a desert island

Welcome back to another episode of the Plant Based News podcast!

In this episode, we spoke to metal drummer Dirk Verbeuren. Dirk joined Megadeth, one of the world’s biggest thrash metal bands, in 2016.

Dirk has always been an animal lover, but - like many people - he previously didn’t realize what was happening to animals in our food system. His wife Hannah opened his eyes to animal agriculture back in 2005, prompting him to ditch meat and go vegetarian. He went vegan eight years ago after learning more about how animals are being treated for food.

We sat down with Dirk to discuss the link between veganism and metal music, the animal causes close to his heart, the importance of using his social following to stand up for animals, and much more.

Dirk's story is a testament to the power of personal change, informed by love for animals and a quest for a more compassionate lifestyle.

Follow Dirk here - https://www.instagram.com/dirkverbeuren/

Host: Polly Foreman

Audio Editor: Phil Marriott

Social Media: Darrell Sawczuk

Producer: Xisca Taylor

00:00:00 An introduction to Dirk Verbeuren

00:01:50 The start of Dirk’s vegan journey

00:03:15 Are we genuine animal lovers?

00:05:07 The “lightbulb moment”

00:06:05 Sharkwater: an investigation of sharks' importance to ecosystems and humankind's mass destruction of shark species worldwide (movie clip)

00:10:15 Raising awareness of animal welfare, environmental activism and veganism on social media

00:12:40 Negative experiences on social media

00:16:15 Discovering ‘Mr Brightside’ by The Killers long after it was a hit

00:18:46 Veganism within the metal community

00:21:30 Megadeth ‘Night Stalkers Chapter II’ (music clip)

00:22:38 Misconceptions about veganism

00:24:23 Favourite plant-based foods

00:31:05 The environmental benefits of a vegan lifestyle

00:46:10 Advice for anyone wanting to go vegan

Welcome back to another episode of the Plant Based News podcast! Today we have a very special guest joining us for the third time.

Earthling Ed is a vegan educator, public speaker, content creator, and best-selling author. He’s widely known in the vegan community for his incredible animal advocacy, his ability to effectively communicate the vegan message, and respond to literally any argument put to him against veganism He’s just published his third book, named How To Argue With A Meat-Eater (And Win Every Time), which teaches you everything you’ve ever wondered about how to respond to difficult questions about the vegan lifestyle.

Get Ed's new book here - https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-to-argue-with-a-meat-eater-and-win-every-time/ed-winters/2928377222277

Host: Robbie Lockie

Editor: Polly Foreman

Audio Editor: Phil Marriott

Social Media: Darrell Sawczuk

Producer: Xisca Taylor

00:00:00 An introduction to Ed Winters aka Earthling Ed

00:04:55 How To Argue with a Meat Eater and Win Every Time: an introduction to the new book by Ed Winters

00:07:45 The evolution of Ed Winters as a vegan advocate and campaigner

00:11:14 Defending ‘extreme’ veganism on GB News (clip)

00:12:49 Approaching and understanding those with core beliefs

00:16:39 The role of misinformation within our society

00:20:48 Piers Morgan tries the Greggs vegan sausage roll (Good Morning Britain clip)

00:22:41 Combating organisations that push misinformation

00:27:25 Heated vegan debate on TV (GB News clip)

00:28:37 The media’s coverage on vegan industries

00:41:22 The ‘Crop Deaths’ argument

00:52:47 The war on ultra processed plant-based meats

01:01:55 “Elon Musk has had enough of vegan misinformation” (Earthling Ed video clip)

01:03:57 Dissecting the most difficult arguments

01:10:05 Invaluable experiences when writing the new book “How To Argue with a Meat Eater and Win Every Time”

01:12:40 Celular Agriculture

Welcome to another episode of the Plant Based News podcast! Today we're joined by a very special guest, Zack Polanski, a UK politician and deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales. Zack has also been a member of the London Assembly for the party since 2021.

In April of this year, Zack made headlines after writing an open letter to London mayor Sadiq Khan urging him to make veganism more accessible in the city. Zack also stressed the importance of plant-based diets for addressing the “climate and ecological emergency.”

Host: Robbie Lockie

Editor: Polly Foreman

Audio Editor: Phil Marriott

Social Media: Darrell Sawczuk

Producer: Xisca Taylor

00:00:00 An introduction to Zack Polanski

00:03:14 The beginning of Zack Polanski’s vegan story

00:08:00 The importance of a plant-based food system

00:12:08 The National Food Strategy - an independent study of the UK food system

00:14:35 Behavioral change on a mass scale

00:22:45 Getting into politics with the Green Party

00:27:48 This Is How The Greens Can Win: Aaron Bastani Meets Zack Polanski Clip (Interview for Novara Media)

00:28:48 The Importance of being involved in Politics

00:37:45 An open letter to The Mayor of London

00:51:19 What are food subsidies?

00:56:47 The Transfarmation Project: helping farmers transition from industrial animal agriculture

01:02:38 Artificial Intelligence

01:07:34 Stranded on a desert island

Welcome back to the Plant Based News Podcast!

Our guest today is Anjali Harikumar, widely known as Be Extra Vegant. Anjali is a self-taught vegan Indian chef and content creator. She's not only a passionate advocate for veganism but also a PhD candidate working on cutting-edge nanophotonics research in Grenoble, France. Anjali shares her love for veganized Indian recipes through her social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Follow Anjali here - https://www.instagram.com/beextravegant/?hl=en

Host: Robbie Lockie

Editor: Polly Foreman

Audio Editor: Phil Marriott

Social Media: Darrell Sawczuk

Producer: Xisca Taylor

00:00:00 An introduction to Anjali Harikumar

00:03:42 Discovering the vegan & plant-based lifestyle

00:08:07 Okjar

00:10:13 Spiritualism: challenging the idea of including animals within compassion

00:17:51 The Land Of Ahimsa: Dolly Vyas-Ahuja’s documentary

00:21:58 Veganizing Indian recipes

00:27:06 Beextravegant: Anjali’s content on social media

00:33:12 How to be relatable and original on social media

00:37:40 Nanophotonics: the study of the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, and of the interaction of nanometer-scale objects with light.

00:40:20 Fighting misinformation and disinformation

00:43:00 What Happens When: A Plant Based News web series that debunks some of the common myths

00:46:00 Avoiding the feeling of being overwhelmed by the pressures of being a vegan content creator

00:59:38 Hosting a dream vegan dinner party

01:02:06 Stranded on a desert island

Welcome to another episode of the PBN Podcast.

Todays guest is JH Burnett, a former sheep farmer and artificial inseminator in the dairy industry who, after being horrified by the atrocities witnessed in these industries, turned Vegan. Now, alongside his wife Elle, he is a full-time Vegan author and activist.

Burnett is a well-spoken Vegan educator, coach, author, and storyteller. He has recently launched his memoir 'Ex-Farmer Goes Vegan.' This book chronicles his journey to Veganism, detailing the cruelty he witnessed, the questions raised, the darkness he fought against, and the love and compassion he experienced, culminating in his long-overdue 'escape.'

Host: Robbie Lockie

Editor: Polly Foreman

Audio Editor: Phil Marriott

Social Media: Darrell Sawczuk

Producer: Xisca Taylor

00:00:00 An introduction to JH Burnett

00:02:55 The start of JH’s vegan journey

00:08:15 The transition from a meat-loving, South African farmer to a compassionate vegan

00:23:10 The impact of animal agriculture on human health

00:24:47 80 non-vegans watch a screening of Dominion - Scary Film Challenge at Leeds University (2019) (Krieg Vegan video clip)

00:26:31 Dominion

00:36:16 Who or what influenced JH as a compassionate vegan?

00:43:18 A poem by JH Burnett

00:44:17 Experiencing working within the dairy industry

00:58:59 A nightmare story by JH Burnett

01:00:00 Being a life coach

01:07:30 Stranded on a desert island

Welcome to the Plant Based News podcast.

Today, we have an inspiring guest joining us. Thuy Pham, founder of Mama Đút, a vegan restaurant in Portland, Oregon. She's renowned for her vegan pork belly, quickly becoming an Instagram sensation.

Thuy's extraordinary journey, from a Vietnamese child refugee to a trailblazing restaurateur, has been beautifully showcased in the Netflix series "Street Food: USA”.

Host: Robbie Lockie

Editor: Polly Foreman

Audio Editor: Phil Marriott

Social Media: Darrell Sawczuk

Producer: Xisca Taylor

Follow Thuy here - https://www.instagram.com/mama.dut.foods/

00:00:00 An introduction to Thuy Pham - Founder of Mama Dut (including clip of ‘Mama Dut Foods Documentary’ from Mercatus PDX)

00:04:20 Discovering the vegan and plant-based lifestyle

00:06:56 Netflix’s ‘Street Food: USA’ puts spotlight on Portland’s Mama Dut (clip from Koin 6 News Channel)

00:08:12 Being a mother

00:09:42 Action is karma - the important role that karma plays in Buddhism

00:14:32 The importance of food in Thuy’s culture

00:24:58 Shifting the trauma from childhood and taking ownership of family culture

00:28:35 Cooking with Thuy (Instagram video clip)

00:31:34 Portland ranked America’s most vegan-friendly city

00:35:10 Mama Dut, Thuy Pham’s Vietnamese inspired vegan restaurant

00:38:15 Creating Thuy’s Vegan Pork Belly

00:49:48 Words of wisdom for those starting out in the restaurant industry

00:49:25 Restaurant Owner Revolutionizes Vietnamese Food (video clip from Rated V For Vegan)

00:56:00 Future plans

00:57:55 Stranded on a desert island

Discover the transformative health journey of Joe Best Bliss ex-Goldman Sachs banker turned wellness adventurer. In this enlightening talk, Joe unveils his battle with obesity and Type 2 Diabetes and how after trying many well-known diets he triumphed through a uniquely balanced plant-based lifestyle he created for himself.

Immerse yourself in Joe’s insightful approach to overcoming binge eating, managing diabetes, and fostering a mindful connection with food. It’s not just about health, but self-discovery, personal growth, and breaking boundaries around diet and well-being.

Follow Joe on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZpaU0jtkNkvZCblq4vyUqA

Host: Robbie Lockie

Editor: Polly Foreman

Audio Editor: Phil Marriott

Social Media: Darrell Sawczuk

Producer: Xisca Taylor

00:00:00 An introduction to Joe Best

00:05:21 What does it mean to be a diabetic?

00:07:08 The beginning of Joe’s vegan journey

00:11:38 Factors that changed Joe’s life

00:13:13 Plant Based Food that helped reverse Joe’s symptoms (vlog clip)

00:14:59 The simple solution: swapping out an animal based diet

00:22:19 Morning Affirmation (vlog clip)

00:22:59 A diet that is always changing

00:26:02 Weight

00:33:09 Evolutionary change

00:42:11 A low-fat, low-carb diet

00:48:40 A message for those who can’t stick to a plant based diet

00:52:57 The highs and lows of reversing diabetes

Welcome to The Plant Based News Podcast, where we deliver pioneering vegan news and ethical views weekly. Today we are joined by a very exciting guest, Georgie Purcell.

Georgie Purcell is an Australian politician and a member of the Animal Justice Party. She was elected as the Member of the Legislative Council for Northern Victoria in November 2022, making her the second AJP MP in Victoria and the third in Australia. She is also a lawyer, a unionist and an advocate for women’s rights and reproductive health.

Georgie is a vegan herself and has been vocal about the benefits of plant-based food and lifestyle for animals, people and the planet. She has also challenged some of the myths and misconceptions that surround veganism in the mainstream media and society.

Follow Georgie on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/georgie.purcell.ajp/

Host: Robbie Lockie

Editor: Polly Foreman

Audio Editor: Phil Marriott

Social Media: Darrell Sawczuk

Producer: Xisca Taylor

00:00:00 An Introduction to Georgie Purcell

00:02:39 Discovering the vegan lifestyle

00:04:30 The power of the Earthlings documentary

00:07:06 The benefits and challenges of making the switch to veganism

00:10:30 Dealing with the challenges of growing up within a predominantly meat-eating environment

00:13:09 Culture and toxic masculinity inc. Gamechangers trailer clips and Pork On Your Fork ad

00:19:25 Getting involved in Politics

00:24:18 The Patriarchal System

00:30:05 Improving the lives of animals within abusive industries

00:35:28 International Women’s Day: Wearing Online Gendered Abuse

00:39:22 Sexism and Misogyny: How can this behavior be addressed?

00:45:37 Some of MP Georgie Purcell’s effective campaigns for animal welfare

00:53:45 Inspiring people to be more politically active

00:57:26 Stranded on a desert island

Today’s podcast is supported by Complement, our co-hosts of the Plantapalooza: Longevity Online Festival. Claim your free VIP ticket at https://plnt.news/Planta

Welcome to The Plant Based News Podcast, in this episode we have a very special guest. She is a gastroenterologist, an author, and an expert on the role of inflammation, diet, and disease. Her name is Dr. Shilpa Ravella, and she has just published a fascinating book called A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet & Disease. Dr. Ravella is also a vegan herself and an advocate for plant-based nutrition.

Buy Dr. Shilpa Ravella book 'A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet and Disease' here - https://amzn.to/45A0d1B

Follow Shilpa on Instagram here - https://www.instagram.com/shilpa.ravella/

Host: Robbie Lockie

Editor: Polly Foreman

Audio Editor: Phil Marriott

Social Media: Darrell Sawczuk

00:00:00 An introduction to Dr. Shilpa Ravella

00:01:08 The beginning of Dr. Shilpa’s vegan journey

00:02:30 Support from others during those formative years

00:04:49 Training in Gastroenterology

00:06:40 How the food you eat affects your gut (TED-Ed information)

00:07:50 How bacteria makes up our bodies

00:11:44 SPONSOR: Complement ad

00:12:42 The importance of Dietary Fibre (TED-Ed information)

00:14:40 How inflammation affects our health

00:21:10 Taking Inulin supplements

00:22:17 The benefits of fermented foods (TED-Ed information)

00:23:57 Leaky Gut Syndrome

00:27:10 Balancing vegan values with professional obligations

00:33:39 Fecal transplants

00:39:49 Celebrating veganism as a hobby

00:42:59 An amazing day of nourishing foods: What we should be consuming to reducing health issues

00:47:25 How to eat fermented foods

00:55:48 Stranded on a desert island