Vegan Hacks

FROM VEGAN REVOLUTION TO FOIE GRAS: THE ELEVEN MADISON PARK REVERSAL

In 2021, celebrity chef Daniel Humm made culinary history by transforming Eleven Madison Park, one of the world's most prestigious restaurants, into an entirely plant-based establishment. He challenged the idea that luxury dining required meat, seafood, and foie gras. In 2022, the restaurant earned three Michelin stars for its vegan menu, proving that plant-based cuisine could compete at the highest level.

But in October 2025, Humm reversed course, bringing animal products back in the name of choice and hospitality. Now, in October 2026, reports say Eleven Madison Park is promoting black truffle and foie-gras-stuffed chicken.

So what happened to the chef who once questioned whether foie gras belonged in modern fine dining? Is this culinary evolution, a business decision, or a retreat from a bold vision for the future of food?

For animal advocates, the question is simple: if one of the world's best restaurants proved that extraordinary cuisine could be created without exploiting animals, why go back?

Send us Fan Mail

Scientists are exploring an unconventional food technology that uses engineered microbes to transform plastic waste and agricultural byproducts into food ingredients. Could this help address food scarcity and plastic pollution, or are we entering a dystopian future where we're eating cookies made from trash? We break down the research, explore the possibilities, and ask whether food technology is the solution to our unsustainable food system.

A vegan creator announces they're no longer vegan, and the backlash raises some uncomfortable questions. Is the vegan community driving people away through online hostility? Are creators and vegan business owners afraid to admit they've changed their minds because they could lose their audiences, livelihoods, or community?

I discuss the difference between holding people accountable and harassing them, the so-called “vegan police,” and whether veganism can become cult-like when group loyalty takes priority over individual thought.

I also reflect on my own experiences creating vegan content, being criticized by other vegans, and why I believe we need more thoughtful discussion instead of automatically reaching for the pitchforks.

Plus: Your live comments and questions, the future of Beyond Meat, my next Waffleman creation, vegan fast food, music choices for shorts, and more!

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Vegan Hacks Pod, Jason takes on a popular Top 10 vegan-friendly cities list—and has some serious questions about it.

Portland takes the top spot, but should it? Why are Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, and other cities missing or ranked lower than expected? Jason breaks down the list from the perspective of someone who actually travels to these cities, eats at the restaurants, checks out the vegan scenes, and pays attention to the smaller communities and pop-ups that don't always make the headlines.

We talk Portland, Los Angeles, Austin, San Francisco, Seattle, Orlando, San Diego, Oakland, Madison, Tampa and the glaring question: WHERE IS NEW YORK?!

Send us Fan Mail

Can you be vegan… except for beef?

It sounds ridiculous, contradictory, and maybe even impossible but there’s a bigger conversation hiding inside that question in involves plant based companies adding beef to their products! 

Send us Fan Mail

California was once one of the biggest centers of vegan food in America. Now, restaurants are closing, locations are disappearing, and even some companies that built their identity around plant-based food are changing direction.

On this episode of Vegan Hacks Pod, Jason breaks down what’s happening to the vegan food scene from Hart House, Monty’s Good Burger and The Vegan Joint to the growing pressure facing independent vegan restaurants.

We also get into the complicated story of Sunday Supper, a company that was deeply connected to the vegan community but has now added dairy products to its lineup while an active crowdfunding campaign still describes the company as 100% plant-based. 

But is this simply a case of people losing interest in vegan food? Jason looks at the bigger picture: inflation, restaurant prices, rent, labor, corporate supply chains, private equity, social media and the economics of running a vegan business. 

And there may be a path forward. Jason talks about why restaurants with food that appeals beyond just vegans and the growing vegan pop-up scene could be an important part of the future. 

Send us Fan Mail

Beyond Meat is going through another major transformation and this time, they're going way beyond meat.

The company is launching its new PhytoSphere platform, featuring protein powders, savory jerky bars, Veggie burgers, beverages and other products built around the idea of stacking plant nutrients and entering “thrive mode.”

But is this actually the future of plant-based food… or has Beyond Meat completely lost sight of what made the company important in the first place?

Send us Fan Mail

There was a lot of panic when news broke about a tofu recall. But once you look past the headlines, there’s a much more interesting story.

In this episode, we get into the Hodo Foods recall, what actually happened, and how one small, independent tofu company grew from a farmers market operation into a major national brand. But the bigger question is what happens when an independent vegan-friendly company gets taken over by larger corporate interests.

We also talk about the future of flavored tofu, why most of it still isn't flavorful enough, the strange world of food recalls, and why tofu might be one of the most underrated proteins on the planet.

And then… I go on a rant.

Should vegan creators treat their platforms as a safe space for vegan food, or is it okay to constantly show off the meat and dairy versions alongside their vegan alternatives? Are some creators doing it for authenticity or just for views?

Plus: corporate takeovers of vegan brands, supporting independent vegan businesses with your wallet, and why maybe we should all just make more of our own food.

Stay safe out there. And watch your tofu.

Send us Fan Mail

Beyond Meat was once one of the biggest names in the plant-based movement—but is the company now moving away from the very vegan customers who helped build the brand?

In this episode, I dive into Beyond Meat’s new collaboration with Milk Bar, where Beyond products are being used alongside real eggs and dairy cheese. Is this a smart attempt to reach the massive flexitarian market, or does it undermine the ethical and environmental identity Beyond Meat built its brand around?

I also talk about Beyond’s struggles as a publicly traded company, the shrinking shelf space for vegan products, and why I think vegans need to be careful about putting too much faith in giant corporations.

Then we get into a major recall involving nearly 30,000 pounds of imported Argentine beef—and why stories like this make me ask a simple question: why are we so dependent on animal products in the first place?

I also share my approach to making my own vegan “meat,” including simple ground-beef alternatives made from tofu and walnuts.

Are companies like Beyond Meat allies of the vegan movement or are they simply businesses trying to survive?

Send us Fan Mail

This week, I’m digging into some fascinating and occasionally infuriating vegan conversations happening online.

First up: Miyoko Creamery. Miyoko Schinner reviews the current Myoko-branded cream cheese and explains why she has nothing to do with the product bearing her name. We get into what happened to the company she founded, how the brand changed, and what it means when a vegan brand becomes disconnected from the person and mission that built it.

Then we jump into the increasingly strange world of vegan as a political insult, where politicians are apparently using the word as a culture-war weapon. Why has something as simple as not eating animals become wrapped up in masculinity, politics and identity?

And finally, we get into vegan content creators and the engagement trap. Is “vegan except for ice cream” a useful gateway to eating more plant-based or does it water down the vegan message? And what happens when vegan influencers keep posting old non-vegan food content after they supposedly make the transition?

Send us Fan Mail

Beyond Meat was once the biggest name in plant-based meat. Its stock once traded for nearly $240 a share. Now it’s trading around 41 cents, and the company is taking the dramatic step of a 1-for-30 reverse stock split to avoid being delisted from Nasdaq.  

So what happened?

In this episode, I take a look at Beyond Meat’s financial problems, its attempt to reinvent itself as a broader protein company, and what the company’s current situation says about the plant-based meat industry.

But this isn't just about Beyond.

We also talk about the bigger question: Do vegans really need companies like Beyond Meat to succeed? I love convenience, but when plant-based products become expensive, heavily processed, and increasingly disconnected from what consumers actually want, maybe it's time to rethink the model.

We get into homemade vegan meat, black bean burgers, protein alternatives, the economics of convenience, and whether Beyond Meat can actually find a way back.

Is Beyond Meat the victim of a changing market—or did the company simply lose its way?

And perhaps the bigger question:

What does the future of plant-based meat actually look like?

Send us Fan Mail