Food & Drink Awards 2019

www.lux-review.com Page 49 One of the most beautiful aspects to food and drink is that experimentation with the combination of flavours can result in truly sumptuous dishes of exquisite taste. Using only plant-based ingredients, Sweet Pepper Café is offering foodies and gastronomists alike the chance to experience a different interpretation of popular dishes from across the world. Unearth more about this treasure trove of tantalising taste as we lift the lid on one of the UK’s rising culinary stars in vegan and vegetarian cuisine. Sweet Pepper Café: LUX Rising Culinary Stars in Vegan & Vegetarian Cuisine - UK Nestled in the heart of Cumbria lies the his- toric town of Barrow-in-Furness. Formerly a giant industrial town which was at one point home to the largest iron and steel centre in the world, the town instead now plays host to one of the nation’s best and most promising vegan and vegetarian cafés. Where a completely plant-based menu might have been considered niche just a few years ago, Sweet Pepper Café is now part of a growing community of restaurants, cafés and coffee shops that are rising in popularity every single day. Offering interesting, flavourful and vegetarian takes on classic dishes from across the world, the multi-cuisine menu is the perfect introduction into the wonderful world of veggies. Bringing humble vegetables front and centre of delicious dishes, Sweet Pepper Café’s menu includes more than fifty options for food lovers of all culinary tastes. From countries as far flung as one can imagine, the food is a veritable cornucopia of culture, and customers come with varying beliefs, traditions and dietary choices to sample the wonders on offer at this delightful café. Of the myriad of mouth-watering options that the café serves, the team only stock a few of each to ensure maximum freshness each and every day. With food deliveries order every day, there is a constant stream of fantastic food being brought into the kitchen. Determined to break the mould for what a café can be, Sweet Pepper Café are going well beyond the traditional offerings and limitations that hold their competition back. The menu is in a constant state of flux, being seasonally inspired by dishes from other countries. To name but a few, the café has previously offered meals that hail from the likes of Japan, Vietnam, Mexico, Korea, Mozambique, Russia, America, Italy, China, Greece, French and British. Constantly keeping up-to-date on what is happening elsewhere in the world, the chefs at the café work hard to be the first to offer veganised versions of international dishes, as well as their own signature dishes that ooze flavour and taste. As well as delivering outstanding meals in-house, Sweet Pepper Café also operate a takeaway service for those who want restaurant-quality food on the go or in the comfort of their own space. Thoughtfully packaged into compostable carrier bags, the food does not lose any of it’s quality in the transition between chef and consumer. Each meal is still given the same level of attention and care to ensure every customer is left with a beaming smile and a belly full of gorgeous cuisine. Whatever the customer’s requirements, staff are always polite, attentive and friendly and will make sure that every need is well and truly catered for. Where Sweet Pepper Café and its leadership team truly shine however, it is in how they care for their staff as much as their customers. Every staff member is treated with respect, and reminded that mistakes are inevitable, but also a source of learning. All members of staff are receptive to constructive criticism, and they cultivate an air of welcoming and warmth throughout the entirety of the establishment. Despite being in their infancy, the team at Sweet Pepper Café already have their sights set firmly on the future and how they can continue delivering some of the most refreshingly delicious plant-based food to ever grace a plate. Giving its chefs the freedom to experiment and come up with completely new dishes, the café is looking at producing a cookbook or recipe book, as well as hosting cooking classes for those looking to dip their toe into the vibrant and tasty realm of vegan and vegetarian options. Having only been open for six months, the success of Sweet Pepper Café has been nothing short of meteoric. Having already garnered local and national interest, the café are at the forefront of the vegan revolution that is sweeping the world at the moment. Offering dishes that are simply divine and perfect for any gastronomist, the café may yet single-handedly restore the worldwide reputation of Barrow-in-Furness as a centre for something truly special. Contact: Mig Carbonell Website: www.sweetpepper.cafe