Las Vegas To Open Its First-Ever Vegan Culinary School To Encourage Plant-Based Cooking

In a first-ever, Las Vegas is about to get its own vegan cooking school and deli, Vegas Vegan Culinary School and Eatery, a women-owned business, aimed at helping interested individuals learn and appreciate plant-based cooking.

Hoping to open its doors in April 2021, for the first time, Las Vegas will have a non-accredited vegan culinary school and deli, Vegas Vegan Culinary School and Eatery, located in the downtown Las Vegas Arts District. The school aims to offer interested individuals the opportunity to learn and understand the intricacies and easiness of plant-based cooking.  

Co-founded by Chef Mindy Poortinga, also known as the creator of ‘Vegan Meals by Mindy’, a six-year-old vegan food making and delivery company.  and Heather Heath, the Vegas Vegan Culinary School and Eatery will conduct 40+ classes each month, ranging from beginner level to advanced, with Chef Mindy leading the lineup of vegan ‘sous-chefs, from across the world. The culinary school hopes to be a hub that promotes and encourages meatless and tasteful plant-based dishes across global cuisines.

Our school and eatery is going be so much more! It’s going to be a vegan hub! We’re a business but we’re a business that intends to get the community involved and bring them together for a good cause, all the while having fun and enjoying life

Chef Mindy Poortinga, co-founder of Vegas Vegan Culinary School and Eatery

Students will have the opportunity to learn from the American grandma’s ‘Quick Healthy Snacks…That You’ll Actually Eat!’ to West Coast ‘Cooking with Trader Joe’s’, ‘Cooking with Shrooms’, ‘Making Tofu That Rocks’ as well as a challenge especially for Asian chefs to try out Chef Kenny’s – ‘The Vegan Sushi Challenge’.

The tentative plan will have international vegan chefs teach students through live Zoom classes at the vegan culinary school and will also conduct week-long courses in an effort to make Las Vegas a vegan destination.

Poortinga shared her excitement for Las Vegas getting its first every vegan cooking school and why the opening is significant.“Our school and eatery is going be so much more! It’s going to be a vegan hub! We’re a business but we’re a business that intends to get the community involved and bring them together for a good cause, all the while having fun and enjoying life.”

Heath is a chief financial officer in the healthcare sector and is deeply involved in international animal welfare causes. She believes vegan foods are a more sustainable alternative to animal-based foods. “I always loved Mindy’s brilliant idea of easing the access to vegan food through her vegan meal prep company. I am a passionate animal welfare advocate and believe that some of the abuses and misuses of animals can be resolved through education and easy lifestyle changes using earthly, tasty, cruelty-free meals.”

The Eatery will also have a deli and espresso bar offering visitors a range of freshly made, animal-free products either to eat-in or take-away. Aside from this, customers can make use of the green courier delivery service (on a bike) to deliver their meals. For those who want to order freshly prepared meals during the week, a bi-weekly meal prep delivery service will be available.

I always loved Mindy’s brilliant idea of easing the access to vegan food through her vegan meal prep company. I am a passionate animal welfare advocate and believe that some of the abuses and misuses of animals can be resolved through education and easy lifestyle changes using earthly, tasty, cruelty-free meals

Heather Heath, co-founder of Vegas Vegan Culinary School and Eatery

Released in March last year, a report conducted by Nielsen witnessed that due to the pandemic, consumer habits are shifting drastically with sales of vegan meat jumping by 280% in the second week of March compared to the same period last year in the United States. 

Lead image courtesy of Edgar Castrejon/Unsplash.