SALT LAKE CITY — From tacos to sweets — the menu at Sweet Hazel & Co in Salt Lake City might look typical, but every dish is made with a twist: every item is vegan, and many of the meat alternatives are made with vegetables are carefully crafted by Chef Fee.
“Our traditional sweet tacos; this is actually made out of soy curls, but we season it and cook it in a way that non-vegans you don't even know,” said Chef Fee.
Chef Fee has spent years sourcing the best ingredients for all her dishes, and if this has your taste buds curious, you’re in luck, because there’s an entire festival in Salt Lake City dedicated to plant-based foods.
"I think seeing everybody come together, non-vegans and vegans alike, is one of the most amazing experiences I get to have the pleasure of enjoying,” said Liz Slusser, director for the Utah Animal Rights Coalition.
The 9th Annual Utah Animal Rights Coalition’s SLC Vegfest is happening Saturday, September 13th, at Library Square. The event features vegan vendors from around the state, where they are encouraged to bring their best bites for people to enjoy.
"It’s really a labor of love,” Slusser said. “We at the Utah Animal Rights Coalition really believe in advocacy and education, so educating the community and advocating for veganism and the end of cruelty to animals, especially in Utah.”
Whether at Vegfest or a local spot in the city, Slusser and Chef Fee hope people will realize vegan dishes can taste as good as non-vegan options. "I think over time, technology, foodies have invented some really good alternatives,” Slusser said. “It might not always be the exact thing you expect, but everything has so much more flavor, and I don't know, it's just a better product now than it was.”
"I want to be able to share with as many people as I can how good vegan food is,” Chef Dee said.
