With Sydney Good Food Month taking over the city this October again, it’s time to purge your bodies and get excited for food.
Chef Shannon Martinez is joining the movement and getting foodie with Mary’s Underground for an unforgettable night featuring a classic Southern multi-course menu that is refined, delicious and completely vegan, alongside a band specially selected by Mary’s music director Joe Muller.
We spoke to him about it.
How long have you been vegan and why?
I am actually not a Vegan. I think a huge part of my job is being able to experience and try all types of different typed of food and dishes – my job is really experimental. I love cooking vegan food because when I started no one was doing it, no one was really putting in the effort with it here that much. I just love cooking vegan food, I tend to get bored really easily and vegan and vegetarian dishes are a constant challenge to keep creating and generating innovative ideas. It is very scientific – which it makes me feel like each new dish is taking me back to the ‘lab’ to create a cool new challenge
What thoughts do you have on how visible and mainstream veganism is now?
It’s great! The fact that it’s all over Instagram, in every paper, all the influencers and celebrities are talking about it – its massive! Beyonce did it for a while and I think she is still partly vegan focused in her lifestyle… that is huge, Billie Eilish who I cooked for recently – and her whole family – are vegan too. That is great that she is sharing that with her younger audience, fans and followers. It’s no longer viewed as ‘hippie’ and ‘hipster’. It’s more than a movement, it’s great that it’s getting more mainstream.
What can guests expect from the experience?
There will be a few surprises for people.. I am not sure we can tell everyone yet, it’s a secret, but I can say that we are definitely going to have more of a party vibe! The reason we wanted to work with the Mary’s guys is because like me they take food really seriously but they like to have fun with it. The service, the food and the degree of care is really high end quality, but the vibe and the atmosphere will be wild, it’s going to be a lot of fun.
What’s your favourite thing to do with food?
My favourite thing to do is the element of surprise and delight. For so long people used to trick vegans or vegetarians with meat, well I’ve flipped that on it’s head. I love to play tricks with innovative dishes where vegetables taste like lamb or create vegan souvlaki for example … and people have no idea it’s vegan! I love recreating elements of dishes to impress and surprise people.
Any thoughts on international vegan or vegetarian day in October and November?
Every day is vegan day for me!
Shannon Martinez at Mary’s Underground | 6pm Thursday, 10 October | $150
Vegan trailblazer Shannon Martinez (the mastermind behind Melbourne’s famed Smith & Daughters and Smith & Deli) joins the team at Mary’s Underground for an unforgettable night featuring a classic Southern multi-course menu that is refined, delicious and completely vegan, alongside a band specially selected by Mary’s music director Joe Muller.
Tickets include multiple courses with premium wine and beer plus live music.