Famed chef Marco Pierre White has teamed up with revolutionary 3D “printed steak” company Redefine Meat to offer the plant-based dishes which look and taste just like the real thing in his Plymouth restaurant.
The eatery, located at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, on Armada Way, is the first venue in the city to offer this new product which has fooled gourmands into thinking it really was meat.
Redefine Meat was formed in 2018 to create the world’s first “3D printed plant-based steak” mimicking the muscle structure of animals with a vegan alternative.
It launched in Israel in 2021 and claims to be the first firm to commercialise plant-based whole cuts - a technological breakthrough which not only has the appearance of a steak or lamb chop but also has the same texture when eaten.
Redefine Meat uses 3D printing technology to build plant protein into the shape, texture and mouthfeel of meat. The firm - which has not revealed its recipe, but it is thought to contain soy, pea protein, beetroot, chickpeas and coconut fat - has now spread to Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, where Mr White has been so impressed he is bringing the products to his Plymouth operation.
Mr White said the increase in the number of non-animal dishes comes as more and more guests turn to a plant-based diet, and with celebrities such as motor racing champ Sir Lewis Hamilton having turned vegan, the lifestyle choice is becoming increasingly popular. Helping cut obesity, blood pressure and lowering the levels of type 2 diabetes, many also switch for health reasons.
The no-nonsense chef and famed restaurateur now hopes guests will enjoy the new dishes that sit alongside regular favourites. Mr White said: “There is a place for all types of menus and the increase in plant-based dishes reflects what more and more customers now want.
“The world needs to eat less meat, but the reality is that until now plant-based meat products have fallen way short in terms of the quality and versatility required for our menus.
“Redefine Meat’s products expands the plant-based industry beyond minced meat products to whole muscle cuts while giving you all the sustainability and health benefits of plant-based without the compromise on taste and texture.”
“In the past, there was definitely a stereotype of people who were vegan but with more millennials and younger people switching to the diet, that has now completely gone. I went on a vegan diet once and although I’m back on what I’d call a more balanced diet, I certainly lost a lot of weight.”
While the number of vegan dishes is increasing, the one labelled the original enfant terrible is keen to point out that it won’t compromise the rest of his menus, which will cater for all tastes and diets.
Mt White added: “I learnt a lot when I was on the vegan diet and gave me a good insight into what makes a good vegan recipe. You can’t expect to get away with offering a vegetable lasagne or vegetarian moussaka as an after-thought. What we’ve done is develop recipes and combinations that not only appeal but cater for those who now enjoy a vegan diet. I’m in the business of feeding people and feeding them well in a nice environment with excellent service and that is what I think we’ve achieved with the new range of plant-based dishes.”
Mr White’s Steakhouse Bar and Grill opened on the top floor of Plymouth’s Crowne Plaza hotel in 2017. Israeli founded Redefine meat recently raised US$135m to fund its global expansion after having its products served in 200 restaurants in its homeland.
