Elevated Plants

Hearty, comforting, and deeply satisfying—this vegan bolognese is proof that tradition can be reinvented with compassion. Born in Sussex, Chef James Bait (@elevatedplants ) blends fine dining technique with a vision for a new, plant-based future. 🎥 @renzoconchaf

Festive Food Spanglish Edition; Feliz Reyes, I touched a little on the tradition of Reyes in my post last year, explaining the typical dishes, however this year it was time for something quintessentially more British; The Wellington. This is a ‘Christmas/Reyes’ Wellington, taking inspiration from the turkey and cranberry we would usually serve. The center consists of soy protein (@heurafoods.es ) roasted and braised in the oven, this is then ballontined to create the ‘loin’ texture I was trying to replicate. Traditionally this would be covered in a mushroom purée, and this one is no exception, but bring it up to festive grade I have added spinach and pistachios, giving it a beautiful green hue. The final stage is to wrap everything up in puff pastry, but not without lining the pastry with homemade cranberry sauce. The whole thing is roasted in the oven until golden and served with plant gravy and proper roast potatoes. Few pics thrown in there, few unspoken pics, and notably no.4 is bubble and squeak reimagined, which was available @botanic_barcelona . Happy new year. XJ #vegan #veganfood #plantbased #plantbaseddiet #plantbasedbarcelona #vegano #wellington #roast

El Pacora Burger 🍔🥕 Pronto disponible en @carrotcafe_bcn 🌱 #vegan #vegano #veganfood #recetas

El Madrileño by @elevatedplants pronto en @carrotcafe_bcn 🥪🥪 #vegan #vegano #restaurantesbarcelona #veganfood

Hoy, Lunes 24 de Julio de 19h30 a las 23h 🕚 Viene disfrutar de la creación de un menú 100% elaborado por James 🌱 Para reservación envíame un mensaje en privado y obtener el link ✨ Go Vegout 🧡

X Time Out X Veganashi X Rasoterra It was a pleasure to flex my chef muscles at @timeoutbcn festival this year. I had the opportunity to partake it two capacities. On day 1 I lead a vegan sushi class for 35 people in collaboration with @veganashi.bcn and on day 2 I was in my traditional role holding down the line, smashing out tacos for @rasoterrabcn Plant-based Sushi is something that captivates me. It’s a beautiful way to showcase ingredients and flavours in a truly unique way. In the west we are used to mixing and blending ingredients to create new flavours. With sushi it’s more a collaboration, a symbiosis. Sushi is a whole culture and tradition, Of which I have great respect and I’m always learning something new. However the subculture of Plant-Sushi is challenging this tradition. I’m determined to dive deep and dispel any myths and misconceptions surrounding Plant-Sushi and push the boundaries of what is possible with plants. XJ Keep your 👀 open more classes coming soon… #veganfood #vegansushi #plantbasedsushi #plantbased #vegan #vegetarian #veg #vegano #veganbarcelona

Friday Night Fried Chick’n aka EFC Growing up fried chicken was a weekly occurrence. On Friday I would finish my swimming class, and I knew it was time, KFC drive through time. Luckily things have changed and no chickens have been harmed in the making of these beauties. This is EFC - Elevated Fried Chick’n Soy protein braised in a fat laced vegetable stock, breaded in Elevated plants special herbs and spices and deep fried. Crispy and flavourful on the outside, juicy and fatty on the inside, better than the original. Served alongside a plant based smoked sriracha mayo and hand cut matchstick fries, a proper Friday treat. XJ #vegan #veganfood #plantbased #vegano #healthyfood #kfc #friedchicken #chef #vegetarian #vegetariano #veganbarcelona #chef

‘Healthy Fat Avocado Mayonnaise’ There’s been a lot of talk online about these “toxic seed oils”. With such an abundance of information online it’s sometimes hard to distinguish between a truly independent fact and biased journalism. From what I can deduce the main problem from these seed oils such as Sunflower and rapeseed is that they are a polyunsaturated omega-6 fat sources and increase inflammation due to the presence of linoleic acid. Now I believe in everything in moderation. And consuming these oils sparingly helps decrease your chance of negative side effects. However these oils have made their way into nearly every meal we consume, and one of the worst examples is mayonnaise. At more than 50% oil it has no nutritional benefits and is only used to make things more palatable and creamy. Naturally it got me thinking, could I make a whole foods plant-based Mayo that only uses monounsaturated healthy fats. The main reason sunflower oil is used in mayonnaise is because it’s flavourless and odourless. If you substitute the sunflower for olive oil directly the result is an overpowering bitter flavour. In order to regulate this bitterness I decided to replace half the oil with the most oil dense fruit I could think of. Thus I present you my Avocado mayonnaise, free of seed oils and preservatives. XJ #vegan #vegano #veganfood #healthyfood #vegetableoil #mayo #avocado #soy #vegetarian #vegetables #vegetariano #plants #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasednutrition #plantbasedfood #barcelona #veganbarcelona

‘Tortilla de Alcachofa’ Artichoke season here in Catalunya is coming to a close and to ‘aprovechar’ I decided to make a tortilla. In Spain tortilla is for every occasion. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, birthdays, graduation, Christmas, funerals, you name it. In England we refer to it as a ‘Spanish omelet’ and normally has the consistency of a rubber ball. Here in Spain however it is an art, an institution. Wether it be a family member or a local cafe everyone has their favourite spot to grab a ‘pintxo de tortilla’. Something we don’t see in England is the tendency to undercook the centre, this is the traditional style where upon cutting the egg would leak out onto the plate like a chocolate fondant. This however is my plant-based version, no eggs involved. l started by peeling the artichokes and cooking them confit in olive oil. Whilst they were cooking I turned my attention to the ‘batter’. Once the artichokes were softened and buttery I strained them and added them to the mix. Adding the ingredients to the batter whilst still warm assists in cooking the centre without burning the exterior. A hot non-stick pan is essential to a perfect tortilla. Set the flame to a medium and heat the pan for a few minutes. Once hot pour the tortilla mixture directly into the centre of pan and turn the flame to minimum. You will want to cook each side for roughly 5-10 mins depending on the size. The next very important stage to the tortilla is the ‘plate flip’. Using a plate to cover the pan and then flipping it over, leaving the tortilla cooked side up on the plate. The trick is to then use your hand and delicately slide the tortilla off of the plate and back into the pan. Once in, use a spatula to tuck in the edges to keep that all important rounded shape. Continue to cook for equal time as the previous side, and it’s done. Transfer to a plate and enjoy. The classic accompaniment is a few slices of crunchy baguette rubbed with tomato, salt and good olive oil. I served mine with a homemade avocado mayonnaise and toasted bread. A classic, elevated. XJ #vegan #veganfood #plantbased #vegano #healthyfood #plantbasedfood #chef #spain #catalunya #tortilla #artichoke #barcelona

‘Calçots amb Romesco’ A beautifully bizarre Catalan tradition. Between the months of February and March calçot season is in full effect across Catalunya. A Calçot is essentially a green onion, much like a spring onion or a leek, which is burnt on a barbecue. It doesn’t sound exciting but believe me it’s delicious. The sense of occasion surrounding these onions is what really makes it special, especially to me as a plant-based chef. The whole family eagerly awaits as Tito Jose flips and burns the Calçots, stoking the fire to keep the flame burning. Rack by rack they are returned to the table to be wrapped in newspaper. Keeping them warm and steaming the centres. Service is rustic and to the point. Wraps of Calçots are dropped along the table like a paper boy. Generous helpings of the equally important salsa Romesco are placed along side. Romesco is a nutty smoky sauce that consisting of roasted tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, hazelnuts and ñora peppers. It wouldn’t be Calçots without Romesco. To eat, the newspapers are unwrapped, not dissimilar to opening a bag of fish and chips, and the fun begins. The trick is to grab the Calçot by the green end and skillfully strip away the first layer. This burnt skin is discarded revealing the softened, sweet and smoky centre. Now it’s ready to be dunked in that essential Romesco sauce. Slather it all over, use a knife if you must. Once a good coating of Romesco is achieved; Head back, mouth open and think of Catalunya. Boníssim! XJ #calçots #calçotada #catalunya #catalunyaexperience #barcelona #veganbarcelona #vegano #plantbased #veganfood #spain #bbq #fam #plantbasedfood #vegetarian #vegetariano #chef #cheflife

Festive Food Catalan Edition feat. Roast Potatoes (and a cheeky cameo from my Christmas plate back in Blighty) January 6th, Reis. The Day the three kings come to town. As an Englishman I didn’t grow up around this tradition. Santa came down the chimney on the 25th, leftover sandwiches on the 26th and by the 27th it was all said and done. Not in Spain however, and Catalunya is no exception. In true Spanish style the kings are a bit late and don’t get there until the 6th of January. This day all the families come together as we would traditionally on Christmas Day and another big celebration ensues. Traditionally the menu comprises of ‘Sopa de Galets’ normally a clear broth poured over pasta ‘Galets’ and meatballs. Uniquely Catalan. I added my twist by instead stuffing larger galets with a homemade soy protein mince. Carne Rebozada is an firm favourite at any Catalan celebration. ‘Carne’ being any type of meat and ‘Rebozada’ meaning in breadcrumbs. In true Elevated Plants style mine are Lemon and Green Peppercorn Pork’ 100% plant-based. I also made Spinach and Mushroom ‘Canelons Casolans’ which were devoured before I was able to take a photo. All dishes passed the Catalan family taste test with flying colours, an example that plant-based food can transcend tradition. XJ #vegan #veganfood #plantbased #plantbasedfood #plants #plantas #vegano #vegetarian #vegetariano #veganbarcelona #chef #cheflife #catalunya #spain #reis #navidad #newyear

Vegan Paella Valenciano! 🥘🇪🇸 Join us while we make authentic Paella Valenciano with a vegan twist 🌱 Myth busting: Traditional paella Valenciano contains NO SEAFOOD! Originally called ‘Arroz a la Valenciano’ the name ‘Paella’ actually refers to the pan in which the dish is cooked, and is derived from the Latin word ‘Patella’. In the Albufera region of Valencia, locals and farmers would make use of the surrounding areas and field crops to create the paella we know today. Legumes and vegetables were popular as they were nutritious, cheap and readily available. A protein such as chicken, duck, rabbit 🐇 and more traditionally snails 🐌 from the local area would have also been added… Fortunately with modern agriculture we have an abundance of alternative options. We have opted for Edamame’s and peas for added protein and Wild mushrooms to give texture and Umami 🍄🌱 Paella is a dish best cooked with friends and family, a big glass of wine and lots of laughs ❤️ #vegan #paella #plantbased #plantbasedfood #plantbaseddiet #veganfood #veganrecipes #veganlife #vegano #arroz